Best ways for visitors to pay
How visitors can pay for public transport in Sydney and NSW.
How visitors can pay for public transport in Sydney and NSW.
Within Sydney, the Blue Mountains, Central Coast, the Hunter and the Illawarra you can use an Opal card or use your credit, debit or mobile device to pay for travel.
You can choose to tap on and tap off to pay your fare with an Opal card, or, an American Express, Mastercard or Visa debit or credit card.
Opal cards are smartcard tickets you keep and reuse to pay for travel on public transport. Once you have yours, just add value, then tap on and tap off to travel.
Find out more about Opal cards
Note: If you use a credit card that was issued overseas, your card issuer may charge you a foreign transaction fee. This will be one charge per day, not each time you travel. Please check with your card issuer.
How to make a contactless payment
To pay Child/Youth fares, you will need a Child/Youth Opal card.
You can buy from any Opal retailers.
Eligible ACT secondary students can travel with a Child/Youth Opal card when carrying a valid proof of entitlement card. Find out more
Most senior/pensioner and concession fares can choose between an Opal card or Contactless Payments to access their discounted fares.
To access concession fares with a Gold Senior/Pensioner or Concession Opal card, you will need to apply for it online, and allow 7-10 days for the card to be posted to you.
Find out more information about using and topping up an Opal card.
If you’re eligible for senior/pensioner or concession fares* you can open a Transport Connect account online, link your concession and discover more ways to pay with your credit or debit card, phone or watch. It’s faster, easier and you get the exact same fares and benefits as an Opal card.
Link your concession
*Some concession types cannot use Contactless Concessions and will need to apply for an Opal card for discounted travel, including Free Travel Opal cards, asylum seekers, Department of Veterans Affairs concession holders and seniors cards issued outside NSW and ACT.
You can buy Opal single trip tickets from top up and single trip ticket machines at selected metro and train stations, wharves and light rail stops. Designed as a back up option, they are only available for metro/train, ferry and light rail. It is usually cheaper and more convenient to tap on and tap off with a contactless card or device, unless you need a Child ticket.
If you are travelling outside of the Opal network then you can use NSW TrainLink regional trains and coaches, however you will need to book a ticket on these services.
There are also regional buses that run within and between regional centres and towns with a separate ticket and fare structure.