If you are visiting Sydney without a car, then you are going to need to know how to use a Sydney Opal card, as it is the most cost-effective and simplest way to get around Sydney on public transport.
Please note, that this guide is for visitors/ new residents to Sydney and is not intended to provide comprehensive information for local users with complex questions, I would suggest consulting the official Opal website in this instance. However, if you’re a tourist visiting Sydney this quick guide will cover everything you need to know.
If you are travelling from the UK to Australia, then the Opal card is Sydney’s version of the Oyster card, commonly used in London. It is essentially an electronic ticketing system.
A Quick Guide on the Sydney Opal Card
How Does the Sydney Opal Card Work?
Where to Buy An Opal Card In Sydney?
You can buy an Opal card in Sydney either from retail outlets or online. There are over 2000 retailers that sell Opal cards.
The primary locations for visitors to purchase Opal cards include:
Sydney Airport
You can buy an Opal card at WH Smith or Newslink at both international and domestic terminals in Sydney Airport. You will need to buy an Opal Card if you are considering using the train/bus to get to the city when you first arrive.
If you buy your Opal card at Sydney Airport, the minimum top-up fee is $35. This is because Sydney Airport station is privately owned and therefore a station access fee is charged going to and from this station in addition to the train fare.
❗️The Sydney Airport Station Access Fee is $16.68 for adults ($14.92 for Child Opal Card holders). You will need to load up your card to cover this fee plus the cost of your journey. Hence the minimum top-up fee of $35.
Near City Train Stations
If you are thinking they must sell Opal cards at the train station, think again! The only train stations that sell Opal cards are the two Sydney Airport Stations.
However, most train stations have a convenience store either inside or near the train station where you can buy a card.
Supermarkets/ Newsagents/ Convenience stores
Many news agencies and convenience stores such as 7Eleven, which are heavily located around the city and suburbs sell Opal cards. Look for the Opal card sticker in shop windows for an easy way to identify if they sell Opal cards or provide top-ups. You can buy Opal cards at Woolworths, which is a great place to top up.
Be aware that many retailers have credit card fees for purchases under a certain amount, this is common in Australia. To avoid these extra fees, you should top-up your Opal card above the amount.
❗️Good to Know:
- Opal cards are not available to purchase directly on the bus.
- Opal machines at train stations and ferry wharves only sell single-use tickets.
How Much Does a Sydney Opal Card Cost?
The Opal card is a free public transport card that you pre-load money onto so you can travel on all transport systems (bus, trains, ferries, light rail) within Sydney in a convenient way.
❗️If you are visiting Sydney for a few days and are looking to see lots of sights, we recommend starting with a balance of $35 (or $60 if using the train station at Sydney airport), which will be enough for a couple of days’ travel when you take into account the Opal daily spending cap (explained in detail below).
Do I Have To Register My Opal Card?
Opal Cards bought online are registered at the point of purchase however, if you buy your Opal card from a retailer, the card will not be registered.
If you bought your card from a retailer and wish to register your Card, then you can do so on the Opal website.
There is no need to register your card however, you will miss out on some additional benefits if you do not register such as:
Can I use my Credit or Debit Card Instead of Buying an Opal Card?
❗️If you are an overseas traveller, please note that you may be charged an overseas transaction fee by your home bank. Therefore I would always recommend that tourists/visitors to Sydney buy an Opal card.
Can you get an Opal Card As a Tourist?
Yes, visitors to Sydney are entitled to an Opal card.
There are five different types of Opal Cards in Sydney. As a visitor, you will only be entitled to either an Adult Opal Card or a Child Opal Card.
| Type of Opal Card | Description | Available to visitors? |
|---|---|---|
| Adult Opal Card | anyone 16 years of age and older. | Yes |
| Child/Youth Opal Card | For children 5-15 inclusive. It is 50% of the adult fare. | Yes |
| School Opal Card | This is designed specifically for NSW School children who are eligible for free travel/ subsidized travel on public transport. | No |
| Gold Senior/ Pensioner Opal Card | You must have either a NSW Seniors Card, Pensioners Concession Card or a NSW War Widow Card. This is not a suitable card for overseas senior visitors. | No |
| Concession Opal Card | Only full-time NSW university/ college students are eligible for the Opal card. They pay a reduced rate of 50% of an adult fare. Please note that this card is only available to students who study in NSW and thus international students must get the Adult Opal Card. | No |
Everyone over the age of 4 years old will need their own Opal card to travel. Children under four years of age travel for free on public transport.
❗️You cannot use an Opal Card or credit/debit card for more than one person at any one time due to the nature of tapping on and off transport.
The only other type of Opal card you may encounter is the Opal single trip ticket and as the name implies, it is to be used on one single tap on/tap off journey. They are valid on the day of purchase only.
As a visitor to Sydney, you are not going to get much use out of single tip tickets, so you are better off getting set up with an Opal card.
How to Use the Sydney Opal Card to Tap on and Tap off Public Transport
Using an Opal card in Sydney is very simple and is a case of taping on and off when you travel.
You will need to tap on the Opal touchpads located at the entrance gates of train stations, ferry terminals and at the exits on buses and light rail services. Simply hold your card over the reader and wait for the light to go green, you will hear a beep when it works.
The reader also tells you when your balance is running low and when you don’t have enough funds for the trip.
When you have arrived at your destination, you need to remember to tap off to pay the correct fare. You will normally hear a chiming noise when it has worked correctly. The Opal card system will automatically deduct the fare amount from your card when the journey is completed.
❗️If you forget to tap off, you will be charged the maximum fare for that journey. In this instance, you can contact Opal who may reverse this charge for you.
What If You Are Changing Buses, Ferries Or Trains?
You need to tap off when exiting train stations however, you do not need to tap off when you are changing trains.
So for example, if you are going from Circular Quay to Bondi Junction. You would tap on at Circular Quay, and change trains at Town Hall (no taping on/off required because you are not leaving the train station). When you arrive at Bondi Junction you will tap off as this is where your journey ends.
For ferries, it’s relatively the same process. You will tap on when you arrive at the wharf and tap off when you leave.
For buses, you will be taping on and off each bus you get onto. The Opal Card network knows that you are changing buses if you do so within 60 minutes and therefore will calculate your trip as one journey instead of two trips.
Where Can I Use An Opal Card In Sydney?
The Opal card can be used widely in the Sydney central business district area (city centre) and the metropolitan area on all public transport. It can be used on Trains, Buses, Light Rail and Ferries.
Can You Use The Opal Card For Areas Outside Sydney?
The Blue Mountains, Central Coast, Hunter, Southern Highlands and Illawarra are areas outside of Sydney Metropolitan Transport for which you can use your Opal Card in NSW.
Recharging your Opal Card and Checking the Balance
When you tap on/off your balance is displayed on the card reader’s screen every time you use your card. However, the most convenient way to check your Opal Card balance and top-up is to download the Opal Travel App, which most people living in Sydney use.
You can also top-up your Opal card online or by phone on 13 67 25.
The Opal Card Travel App
The Opal Card Travel App is available on both Android and iOS platforms. I highly recommend downloading it for several reasons:
Can You Get A Refund Of Your Unused Opal Card Balance?
Whilst it is possible to get a refund for any unused balance remaining on your Opal card, it is not an easy process. You can only get a refund to an Australian bank account and therefore if you are a tourist/ visitor to Sydney, I would suggest you only top up your card with the amount required for your journey.
Opal cards are valid for 9 years, so you could even use the remaining balance if you decide to come back to visit Sydney!
If you don’t think you’ll be back, why not hand it to a fellow traveller or local, a nice random act of kindness to finish your trip!
Understanding Opal Card Travel Discounts
I always recommend that anyone coming to Sydney should get an Opal card as it is the cheapest, most convenient way to travel. Plus, there are discounts you will benefit from by using an Opal card.
Daily, Weekly And Weekend Caps
With an adult Opal card, you can travel around Sydney as much as you want on the train, metro, bus, ferry and light rail services. The fares are capped at the maximum amounts you will pay, and therefore you will never pay more than the following:
| Opal Card | Daily Cap (Monday – Thursday) | Weekly Cap | Friday, Saturday, Sunday & Public Holiday Day-Cap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adult Opal Card | $17.80 | $50 | $8.90 |
| Child/ concession Opal Card | $8.90 | $25 | $4.45 |
Therefore, if you reach your cap you are essentially travelling for free thereafter. Great for anyone wanting to see all the sights around Sydney.
Please note, that the Sydney Airport Station access fee is not included in the above caps.
❗️You can use an Opal Card to visit the Blue Mountains – do this at the weekend to get real value for money!
Opal Transfer Discount
$2 discount when you switch between metro/train, ferry, bus, or light rail within 60 minutes of the last tap-off as part of one journey. Child Opal card holders get a $1 discount.
30% discount on fares for off-peak travel
Peak Times are below:
| Transport Type | Morning | Evening | Additional Notes |
| Sydney Metro and Train | 6:30am – 10am | 3pm – 7pm | |
| Intercity Trains | 6am – 10am | 3pm – 7pm | Morning peak varies by station; check before you tap |
| Bus and Light Rail | 6:30am – 10am | 3pm – 7pm |
Not available with Opal single ticket
Opal Trip Advantage
If you are visiting Sydney as a tourist, then you are probably going to be heading from one side of the city to the other; luckily when you use your Opal card on a single mode of transport and make multiple changes within 60 minutes of your last tap off, it will all be counted as a single journey (rather than multiple small trips) and so you will be only charged one fare.
Manly Ferry is the only exception to the Opal Trip Advantage, where the transfer time is 130 mins from the first tap-on.
How to Top-Up Opal Card and Check Your Opal Card Balance
When you tap on/off your balance is displayed on the card reader’s screen every time you use your card. However, the most convenient way to check your Opal Card balance and top-up is to download the Opal Travel App, which most people live in Sydney use.
You can top-up your opal card online, via the app or by phone on 136725. There are also top-up stations at some train stations.
Arriving at Sydney Airport and Getting to the City using the Opal Card
There are various ways to get from Sydney Airport to the city, but the most convenient way is by train and it is the option I always take when arriving in Sydney.
Once you have cleared immigration and customs, follow the signs which will lead you to the train ticket office. Opal cards are available to purchase from the ticket windows at both international and domestic terminals.
When you enter or exit the train station at Sydney Airport, a station access fee is charged, on top of your train fee.
Important note: The Opal 60-minute transfer, which counts tap on/offs as one journey, does not apply at the airport. Therefore if you tap off at the airport and tap on again within 60 minutes you will be charged two station access fees as well as two journeys.
What to do if your Opal Card is lost/ stolen
If your Opal card is registered, you will be able to log into your account online or through the app and lock your card. This ensures that any remaining balance on the card is frozen and you can transfer the balance over to a new card.
Final Thoughts
Ultimately, if you plan on visiting Sydney or are moving to Sydney permanently and do not intend to buy a car in Australia, I advise you to get an Opal card as this is what most locals use. Hopefully, this guide on how to use an Opal card in Sydney has made you realise that the Opal system is easy to use, convenient and the most cost-effective way to travel.
Sydney Opal Card FAQs
Can Two People Use the Same, Opal Card?
No, two people can’t use the same Opal card at the same time, due to the need to tap on/ tap off.
Do Opal Cards Expire?
Yes, Opal cards will eventually expire, however, you have nine years to use the credit on your card.
Can the NSW opal card be used in Queensland?
No, the Opal card is exclusive to New South Wales. The travel card in Queensland is called a Go Card. The travel card is called Myki in Victoria, Metrocard in Adelaide, SmartRider in Perth, Greencard in Tasmania and MyWay in Canberra.
