Two days of free travel on the Train and Metro networks

The NSW Government has implemented this fare free travel period to acknowledge the inconvenience resulting from the disruptions caused by industrial action on the network. Opal gates and readers will be turned off at train and Metro stations on the fare free days, meaning passengers will not need to tap on and tap off these services.

Free travel will apply on the Sydney Trains, NSW TrainLink and metro network only, as these were the services directly impacted by industrial action disruptions.

Opal gates and readers at train and Metro stations will be turned off during the fare free period from 12:01am Thursday 31 July to 11:59pm Friday 1 August 2025.

Yes. Passengers on all other services including bus, ferry, and light rail, must tap on and tap off as normal and fares will continue to be charged. The fare free days only apply to Sydney Trains, NSW TrainLink and Metro services.

Yes. Opal gates and readers across the Opal rail network will be turned off on the fare free days, meaning passengers will not need to tap on and tap off at Airport stations. More information about getting to and from Sydney Airport.

Opal benefits will still apply to all paid journeys where passengers tap on and tap off.

Passengers are not eligible for transfer discounts when transferring to or from a train or Metro service during the free travel period, as fares will not be charged for these services.

As usual, if you don’t complete a journey by tapping on and tapping off, it will not count towards your weekly cap or intermodal transfer discounts. For more information about transfer discounts, see Opal benefits.

Transport for NSW and the Opal team are working hard behind the scenes to ensure Opal gates and readers at train and Metro stations are turned off in time for the beginning of the free fare days.

If you get a default fare there is nothing you need to do. Transport for NSW will automatically adjust any fares or station access fees charged to train and Metro customers during the free fare period. Fare adjustments will be made to the Opal card or credit/debit card that was used to tap in the following 7-10 days.

Yes. Passengers using NSW TrainLink services will be refunded but must have booked a ticket to secure their seat to travel.

Passengers traveling on NSW TrainLink regional rail services who purchase a ticket to travel between 12:01am Thursday 31 July and 11:59pm Friday 1 August, will not be charged for their travel.

This includes overnight XPT services (including sleepers) and NSW TrainLink regional coach services.

Passengers will still be required to ‘purchase’ a rail ticket for seat allocation and manifest details. 

Any passenger who has already purchased a ticket on a service between the time period stated above will receive a full refund for their pre-purchased ticket/s, which will be organised by NSW TrainLink.

How will refunds work?

Any passenger who has already paid for a ticket on a NSW TrainLink regional service during the period stated will be automatically refunded once the travel has been completed.

Refunds will be processed to the passenger’s credit card. Alternatively, if a passenger paid in cash or at a Travel Centre or external agent, they will receive a voucher that can then be cashed out or used for future travel.

Will passengers be refunded if they are booked on a train that arrives at their destination during the fare free period but departs prior to commencement of the fare free period?  

Yes. Refunds will be issued to passengers on services that depart prior to 12.01am on Thursday 31 July but arrive at their destination during the fare free period.

Will passengers be refunded if their train departs during the fare free period but arrives at their destination after the fare free period has ended?

Yes. Refunds will be issued to passengers on services that depart during the fare free period but arrive at their destination after 11.59pm on Friday 1 August.

Yes, all NSW TrainLink services which operate across the fare free period are included.

No, unfortunately, we do not have excess capacity to run additional services.

No. The On Demand travel credit is applied when you have taken a paid Opal trip (i.e. tapped on and tapped off) within 60 minutes of travelling on an On Demand service.

Yes. Opal single tickets are available to purchase for Metro, train, ferry and light rail services. Tickets are valid on the day of purchase until 4am the next day, however you do not need to purchase a single trip ticket if you are travelling on train or Metro services on the Opal network during the rail fare free period.

No, you cannot apply for a refund if you purchased an Opal single trip ticket for travel on the fare free days. Ticket refunds are only available if the ticket is faulty.

Integrated tickets include free public transport, including those with special event buses. Passengers can show their event ticket to transport staff at the station or when boarding services.

If you use one of our Park&Ride commuter car parks, you’ll still be able to access free parking if you are travelling on the Opal network. Park&Ride car park boom gates will remain open and passengers will not be charged for parking during the rail fare free period.

For more information see Park&Ride carparks.

Transport Officers and NSW Police Transport Command will continue to patrol the transport network for safety and fare compliance (for other modes) purposes.