Tapping on and tapping off
Tap on when you start your trip and tap off at the end to pay the right fare.
Tap on when you start your trip and tap off at the end to pay the right fare.
When using public transport, you need to tap on when you start your trip and tap off at the end to pay the right fare.
When you tap on and tap off correctly:
Hold your Opal card, contactless card or device to the Opal card reader until it turns green. A green light and one ding means your tap was successful.
If using an Opal card, the Opal reader shows the balance when tapping on and the deducted fare amount and remaining balance when tapping off.
When you hold your Opal card against or a short distance away from an Opal reader, the machine will read the card and display one of the following messages:
Be sure to use the same card or device for all your travel all week to receive your Opal benefits.
Even when you have reached your daily or weekly travel caps, you must still tap on and tap off for every trip to travel with a valid ticket.
When travelling on the F1 Manly Ferry service, you are not required to tap off. The service has only one stop, so you are charged automatically when you tap on.
Watch out for card clash. Always separate your cards when you tap on and tap off so your preferred card is charged.
Tap on and tap off for each trip, including when you transfer, and our system will automatically combine your trips into a single fare. When changing from a train to another train, you only need to tap off at the end of the journey.
If you forget to tap on or to tap off with the same card or device:
If you fail to tap on or tap off correctly, we are unable to track where you have travelled from or to, resulting in an incomplete journey. In such cases, you will be charged the default fare, which is the highest fare for the specific service based on your Opal card type. This fare is determined by both the service and the mode of transport.
The default fare is automatically deducted from your card balance. Rest assured, your charges will never exceed the Daily Travel Cap.
If you have been charged incorrectly due to an Opal reader not working, preventing you from tapping on or off, you can apply for a fare adjustment.
If you change your mind about travelling, you can reverse your tap on to avoid getting charged.
Simply tap the same card or device on a reader at the same wharf, station or stop that you tapped on.
You can reverse your tap on within 15 minutes for light rail and within 30 minutes for metro, train and ferry travel.
Please note, a tap on reversal is not possible if the bus has departed from the bus stop.
To successfully tap on to a service, you need enough balance on your Opal card to cover the shortest trip on that mode of transport.
If you have less than the minimum balance, you are not travelling on a valid ticket and may be fined.
| Minimum balance | Adult | Child/Youth | Concession | Gold Senior/Pensioner |
| Metro/Train | $4.33 ($3.02 off-peak) | $2.16 ($1.51 off-peak) | $2.16 ($1.51 off-peak) | $2.16 ($1.51 off-peak) |
| Bus | $3.30 ($2.31 off-peak) | $1.65 ($1.15 off-peak) | $1.65 ($1.15 off-peak) | $1.65 ($1.15 off-peak) |
| Ferry | $7.35 | $3.67 | $3.67 | $2.50 |
| Light rail | $3.30 ($2.31 off-peak) | $1.65 ($1.15 off-peak) | $1.65 ($1.15 off-peak) | $1.65 ($1.15 off-peak) |
Note: Trips that include transfers between Sydney Metro, Sydney Trains and/or NSW TrainLink Intercity services are considered a continuous journey. No need to tap off and on again between services, and you’ll be charged a single fare.