Customers Traveling for Free on the Opal Network for 12 Days From 14 April 2022

This initiative is to help individuals and businesses recover from the immense social and financial impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic response, as well as recent adverse weather and disruptions to the rail network.

12 Days fare free is about delivering some hip pocket relief as well as a boost to small businesses that have been doing it tough.

We are hoping people take advantage of the free travel to enjoy quality time with family and friends during the school holidays, while at the same time helping to revitalise our city centres and local communities. 

Public transport on the Opal network will be free for 12 days during the Easter school holidays when customers tap on and tap off with an Opal card with a positive balance or a contactless credit or debit card (American Express, Mastercard or Visa card).

Free fares will apply from 4am on Thursday14 April 2022 to 3:59am on Tuesday 26 April 2022, immediately following ANZAC Day.

Fare free period covers all Opal network services in Sydney, the Blue Mountains, Central Coast, the Hunter and the Illawarra, and includes Metro, train, bus, ferry and light rail services.

Customers are reminded to still tap on and tap off all Opal enabled services. Opal data helps Transport and operators to plan services keep people safe by monitoring passenger numbers and capacity across the network.

The fare free period only covers the Opal network which includes Sydney, Newcastle and the Hunter Valley, Central Coast, Wollongong and the Illawarra, as well as the Blue Mountains.

The initiative is designed to encourage families and friends to get out and about and help revitalise our major city centres which have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic response and recent adverse weather and disruptions to the rail network.

The fare free 12 days does not cover NSW TrainLink Regional trains and coaches including XPT and Xplorer services.

However, fares on Regional services where customers book additional connecting travel on the Intercity, Sydney Trains or Metro network, will have the total fare adjusted to reflect the free travel on the Opal network during this time.

Customers are required to tap on and tap off during the fare free period (4am on Thursday14 April 2022 to 3:59am on 26 April 2022). This allows TfNSW to plan and adjust services to meet customer demand, and ensures we keep people safe by monitoring passenger numbers and capacity across the network.

During the fare free period, when you travel with an Adult, Child/Youth, Senior/Pensioner or Concession Opal card, you will see a green screen with your card balance when you tap on successfully. When you tap off, a green screen will show ‘$0’ for the fare and the remaining balance on your card.

If you travel using a credit or debit card, an Employee Opal card or free travel Opal card there is no change to the screens when you tap on and tap off. You will see a green screen with ‘Tap Success’.      

You must still tap on and tap off at Opal readers – including Opal gates – for every part of your journey, even when fares are free. Opal gates at stations will be operating as usual and you will be required to tap on and tap off to enter and exit train stations, however you will not be charged a fare. The data we receive when customers tap on and tap off is used to plan and adjust services to meet customer demand, and also assists us to communicate real time capacity data for the benefit of other customers. Also, Opal gates help manage potential crowding issues at train stations and ferry wharves by providing space between customers entering and leaving stations and wharves.

Yes. To take advantage of the free public transport travel for 12 days offer you must tap on and tap off with a valid Opal card with a positive balance or a contactless credit or debit card (American Express, Mastercard or Visa card).

For more information about contactless payments, see transportnsw.info/contactless.

Customers are reminded to still tap on and tap off all Opal enabled services. Opal data helps Transport and operators to plan services and assists us to communicate real time capacity data for the benefit of other customers.

No. As per usual practice, customers booked on NSW Trainlink Regional services that connect with an Intercity, Sydney Trains or Sydney Metro service can continue their journey right through to Sydney on the one ticket. The total fare will be adjusted to reflect the sector of their journey that uses Intercity, Sydney Trains or Metro service and the free travel available on those services during this time. 

Similarly, customers travelling to the regions from Sydney on a booked TrainLink service will receive the same fare adjustment for any portion of their journeys that includes travel on the Intercity, Sydney Trains or Metro services. 

Yes. Free fares will not apply to Opal cards that have a negative balance, are blocked or hotlisted, and these cards will not open Opal gates.

The School Opal card is only valid for travel to and from school. To travel during the school holidays, students should use a Child/Youth Opal card to tap on and tap off. School Opal cards will not open Opal gates during the school holiday period, but staff will ensure that children and students won’t be left behind.

Employee Opal card holders will only be able to use their Employee Opal card to tap on to services that they are currently entitled to. If an Employee Opal card holder wishes to access modes of transport not associated with their entitlement, then they are encouraged to use an Opal card or a contactless credit or debit card to tap on and tap off to access free travel.

No. During the free travel period Opal single trip tickets will not be available for free travel. Customers will need to tap on and tap off with an Opal card with a positive balance or a contactless credit or debit card (American Express, Mastercard or Visa card) to travel for free.

Opal single trip tickets are designed to be a back up option and are available for metro, train, bus, ferry and light rail. During the fare free period, single trip tickets will still be available for purchase at normal fares from top up and single trip ticket machines at selected stations and wharves.

For more information about Opal single trip ticket fares, see transportnsw.info/tickets-opal/opal/fares-payments/opal-single-tickets.

No. To travel for free during the 12 days of free fares, customers will need to tap on and tap off with a valid Opal card with a positive balance or a contactless credit or debit card (American Express, Mastercard or Visa card).

No. During the free travel period Opal Day Passes will not be available for free travel.

Free fares will apply to Opal network services only. Other private operators, including On Demand services, and services outside the Opal network will continue to charge as usual.

Yes. Integrated tickets include free public transport, including those with special event buses. Customers can show their ticket to transport staff at the station or when boarding services, or they can tap on and tap off with an Opal card with a positive balance or a contactless credit or debit card (American Express, Mastercard or Visa card).

Travel on all public transport over the Anzac Day long weekend (23-25 April) is free for current and former Australian Defence personnel in uniform, wearing their medals, or with proof of military service. Veterans’ families and carers also travel for free. Station staff will be able to help customers who need assistance getting through gates. As the 12 days of free fares includes the Anzac Day long weekend, veterans, serving military personnel and their families/carers can also tap on and tap off with a valid Opal card with a positive balance or a contactless credit or debit card (American Express, Mastercard or Visa card).

No. The On Demand travel credit is applied when customers have taken a paid Opal trip within 60 minutes of travelling on an On Demand service. As Opal travel will be free from 4am on Thursday14 April 2022 to 3:59am on Tuesday 26 April 2022, the travel credit will not apply during this period.

Commuters will continue to enjoy free parking at Transport Park&Ride car parks for up to 18 hours. To qualify for free parking, commuters need to continue to tap on and tap off using an accepted Opal card or contactless credit or debit card when completing their public transport trip.

Standard Park&Ride rates apply for non-public transport users and for commuters who stay longer than 18 hours. This is to maximise parking spaces available for commuters.

Note: Opal single trip tickets and School Opal cards are not accepted at Transport Park&Ride car parks.

No. When you enter or exit the train station at Sydney Domestic Airport or Sydney International Airport, a station access fee is charged, on top of your train fare. During the fare free period, customers travelling to and from the Domestic and International Airport stations will continue to pay the station access fee, however their train fare will be free when they travel with a valid Opal card with a positive balance or a contactless credit or debit card (American Express, Mastercard or Visa card).

The Adult station access fee for Opal card or contactless travel is $15.13 for adults, and $13.54 for Child/Youth, Concession and Senior/Pensioner fares. Customers are reminded to tap on and tap off all Opal enabled services during the fare free period to ensure they are charged the correct fare, particularly when travelling to and from the Airport stations.

Opal single trip tickets to and from Sydney Domestic Airport and Sydney International Airport train stations will still be available for purchase; however these are not included in the 12 days of free fares and standard rail fares apply in addition to the Single Trip Ticket station access fee ($15.30 Adult, $13.60 Child/Youth).

For more information about getting to and from Sydney Airport, visit transportnsw.info/travel-info/using-public-transport/getting-to-airport.

Yes. Opal benefits such as the weekly travel cap and Weekly Travel Reward are calculated on travel that you have paid for between Monday and Sunday each week. For the weeks that are partially covered by the fare free period (i.e., weeks commencing 11 April and 25 April), these benefits will still apply on days when full fares are charged. Remember to tap on and tap off for every trip.

During the middle week of the fare free period (week commencing 18 April), the weekly travel cap and Weekly Travel Reward will not apply as you will not be charged for any journeys.

Customers will be able to view free fares via the Trip Planner from Tuesday, 12 April 2022.

Yes. During the fare free period, your journey will continue to be recorded on your activity statement as long as you tap on and tap off at an Opal reader with a valid Opal card with a positive balance or a contactless credit or debit card (American Express, Mastercard or Visa card).

Remember, you must tap on and tap off every part of your journey, even during the fare free period. Opal data helps Transport and operators to plan services, and assists us to communicate real time capacity data for the benefit of other customers.

After you tap on with a contactless payment card or device, a pre-authorisation $1 charge will appear as a pending transaction on your statement. As you travel throughout the day, fares will be accumulated and the total cost of the day’s travel will be processed at the end of each day. During the fare free period, the $1 charge will be reversed at the end of the day.

The description on your credit or debit card statement will appear as ‘TransportforNSW Tap’ or ‘TransportforNSW travel Sydney’.

Free fares will apply automatically, and customers do not need to apply for a refund to get free travel. For more information about the free fares, or to query a charge for your Opal network travel, customers should visit transportnsw.info or send an enquiry via transportnsw.info/feedback.

The free fare period was chosen to coincide with the school holidays to help individuals and businesses recover from the immense social and financial impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic response, as well as recent adverse weather and disruptions to the rail network.

12 Days Fare Free is about delivering some hip pocket relief as well as a boost to small businesses that have been doing it tough.

We are hoping people take advantage of the free travel to enjoy quality time with family and friends during the school holidays, while at the same time helping to revitalise our city centres and local communities.