Sydney's trains, Metro, buses, ferries and light rail connect harbour sights with inner-city neighbourhoods. Use the same card or device, and check airport fees separately.
Transport information last checked:
Contactless bank cards and phones use the same adult fares and caps as Opal. Adult travel is capped at A$19.30 Monday–Thursday, A$9.65 Friday–Sunday and public holidays, and A$50 Monday–Sunday. Airport station access fees sit outside these travel caps.
Rail links connect the city with suburbs and wider destinations.
Pro Tip: Check the destination and station entrance before travelling; Metro and train routes are not interchangeable.
Harbour services connect Circular Quay with waterfront destinations.
Pro Tip: The Manly crossing gives you harbour views as part of an ordinary ferry journey—not a free cruise.
Surface connections reach neighbourhoods and destinations beyond rail stations.
Pro Tip: Light rail can be useful for inner-city outings; use the planner for your final destination rather than assuming it reaches a beach.
Harbour walks and designated cycleways offer another way to explore.
Pro Tip: The Harbour Bridge cycleway offers harbour views; follow current access signs and separate cycling from pedestrian paths.
A dedicated stored-value transport card.
Eligible bank card or mobile wallet on the Opal network.
Not a separate day pass: limits apply to eligible travel spend.
Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport is served by the T8 Airport Line. Travel from Domestic or International Airport station includes a station access fee in addition to the ordinary rail fare. As checked on 2 November 2026, the adult fee is A$18.61 with Opal or contactless (A$19.00 on an Opal single ticket), with a separate adult weekly cap of A$37.75. The fee is excluded from the ordinary daily and weekly travel caps. Check the official airport travel and fares page for the current amount and your route.
Western Sydney International (WSI) opened to passenger flights on 25 October 2026. There is no train or Metro to the airport yet: the Sydney Metro line to WSI is still under construction. The fare-free WSI Link bus connects the airport with St Marys Station, where you can change to Sydney Trains. It runs every 30 minutes, from 4.30am to midnight Sunday to Thursday and to 1am on Friday and Saturday; tap on and off anyway, though no fare is charged. Opal-network buses 772, 790, 825, 845 and 860 also link WSI with Mount Druitt, Penrith, Liverpool, Campbelltown and Leppington, every 30 minutes from 5am to 10pm, using ordinary Opal or contactless fares. See getting to and from WSI and the WSI Link page, and use the Trip Planner for the full journey into the city.
There is no need to buy a separate Opal day-pass product: eligible spending is capped automatically when you use the same card or device. A bank card and its phone-wallet version are different payment identifiers, so avoid alternating them. Tap off as required to avoid a default fare.
Fare bands depend on mode, distance and time. Check the adult Opal fare page for the applicable off-peak conditions and current fare rather than using an old bus, train or ferry price range. An airport station fee or a separately ticketed private service is not made free by reaching an Opal travel cap.
Circular Quay is useful for Opera House walks, trains, ferries and light rail. It is not a direct Metro station; use the Trip Planner to choose a nearby Metro connection and walking approach. Bondi Beach needs an onward connection beyond Bondi Junction. For Manly or Taronga Zoo, check current ferry services and the walk from the wharf.
Marrickville, Newtown/Enmore and Surry Hills reward an unhurried evening. Plan the transport home before a wine walk, particularly on a Sunday or during rail works.
The Southwest Metro opened on 30 October 2026, replacing the former T3 Bankstown Line between Sydenham and Bankstown. Marrickville, Dulwich Hill, Hurlstone Park, Canterbury, Campsie, Belmore, Lakemba, Wiley Park, Punchbowl and Bankstown now have direct M1 Metro services through the CBD to North Sydney, Chatswood and the northwest. Transport for NSW lists trains about every 4 minutes in weekday peaks, every 5 minutes during the day and every 10 minutes in the evenings and on weekends. Boarding conditions vary on the older curved platforms, so take care stepping on and off. Trains west of Bankstown towards Lidcombe and Liverpool remain Sydney Trains services. See the official Southwest Metro announcement and use the Trip Planner for your route.
Official trip planning and travel information.
Departure boards for the Sydney network.
Compare public transport and walking.
Walking directions and destination addresses.
Opera House and Harbour Bridge views from the water.
A different perspective on the harbour.
A surface journey through an inner-city neighbourhood.
A waterfront outing with time to walk after arriving.
Fares, service availability and ticket conditions can change. Check the operator for your travel date and exact journey.