Do I need an Opal card to get around Sydney, or can I tap my bank card?

Set up a separate valid fare method for each person before the first trip; one adult card cannot record several travellers' journeys or entitlements. If you arrive with children and lots of luggage, compare the airport train's total price, including the station access fee, with a car for the whole group. The train is convenient, but the ordinary Opal fare cap is not the full airport cost.

Think of the harbour ferry as part of Sydney's transport network, not a separate sightseeing ticket. If your day takes you from Circular Quay to Manly or another wharf, the same contactless card or device can cover the ferry and your other Opal trips. Take the card you mean to use out of your wallet at the reader, then tap on and off so the journey is recorded against that one payment method.

For an adult paying a standard fare, a contactless debit or credit card, or a linked phone or watch, works across Sydney's Opal network. You do not need to order a physical Opal card before arriving. Use the same card or the same device for every tap on and tap off; a phone and its underlying plastic card are treated as different payment methods for fare benefits. Children and some concession travellers need the appropriate Opal card.

Check each route and its fare in the Transport for NSW Trip Planner before you go. The airport train stations add a separate station access fee, so a trip from the airport costs more than an ordinary suburban train ride. Tap off even when you think you have reached a daily or weekly cap.