You may see changes to your trip fare from 29 June
From Monday 29 June, some customers may notice small changes to Opal fares.
The way Sydney Metro and Sydney Trains track distances are calculated is being updated following a decision by the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART). This means all fares will be based on the shortest track distance between stations, and legacy rules including the CBD increment will no longer apply.
This change only affects Sydney Metro and Sydney Trains services. The distance calculation for NSW TrainLink, buses, ferries and light rail services will stay the same.
For most people, there will be little or no change to the cost of their trip. However, a small number of trips may cost slightly less or more if the new calculations change the distance band they fall into.
If you travel to or from Domestic or International Airport stations, the Station Access Fee will also increase. This fee is set independently by the Airport Link Company and applies to Opal/contactless payments and Single Trip Tickets.
To check if there are changes to your fare, plan your trip via transportnsw.info or the Opal Travel app.
Frequently Asked Questions
The independent regulator has asked Transport to remove the CBD increment from the calculation of track distances on the Sydney Metro and Sydney Trains networks, and to calculate track distances based on the shortest track distance travelled.
Over time, some track distances have shifted slightly, due to station moves/rebuilds and metro construction. Transport has undertaken an exercise to recalculate all track distances between each station. This means some fares may have moved up or down a fare band. You can use the Trip Planner to check your fare.
The majority of impacted trips will have a fare band decrease – meaning passengers will pay less for their travel. Only a small percentage, around 0.1%, will have a fare band increase.
For more information about Opal fares visit our Fares page or plan your trip including multimodal fare estimates.