Plan ahead to ensure a fun and safe fare free Easter
Families and commuters are reminded to allow extra travel time and check ahead for delays, especially if they are visiting popular destinations such as the Royal Easter Show or utilising Sydney Harbour ferry services.
Transport for NSW’s Chief Operations Officer Howard Collins said the 12 days of fare free travel, which runs from Thursday 14 April until 3.59am on 26 April, was proving popular, but said it was vital people checked transportnsw.info before commencing their journey.
“After what felt like months of rain the weather has finally come good, and it’s great to see lots of people out and about and travelling free on public transport,” Mr Collins said.
“We have seen lots of people on the Manly, Milsons Point, Watson’s Bay, Parramatta River and Taronga Zoo ferry services and we expect this to continue, especially over the next three days.
“If you are planning to travel on a ferry over the long weekend you should consider travelling early or later in the day if possible and always check online for updates.
“We are also asking people to disembark at the end of each Harbour journey so other people waiting can make a return trip rather than stay aboard and do a round-trip.
“While our staff are working very hard not to disappoint people our capacity is limited and there will likely be some delays and longer wait times on popular services.
“We ask everyone to be considerate of others, especially when queuing or boarding ferries, and help our staff get you to your destination safely.”
Mr Collins said the fare free period continued until ANZAC Day and reminded people with flexibility to consider travelling after the Easter public holidays when demand was expected to lessen.
“If you are planning a day out to some of our more popular destinations consider travelling after Easter, or if you are on a tighter schedule and must go on the public holidays have a Plan B and consider taking the bus to the Northern Beaches or a train from Parramatta to the CBD,” he said.
Mr Collins said people should also consider exploring other parts of Sydney, the Blue Mountains, Central Coast, the Hunter and the Illawarra on the Opal network.
“We have a huge transport network and it’s a great opportunity to go to some of those other places that are a bit more off the typical day trip trail.”
Staff will assist commuters if they encounter any problems during the fare free period with people reminded to tap on and off with either an Opal card with a positive balance, or a contactless credit or debit card to help ensure the network runs safely.
The 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, light rail and ferry services, as well as the Manly Fast Ferries.
The fare free 12 days does not cover NSW TrainLink Regional trains and coaches including XPT and Xplorer services.
Commuters will need to use an Opal card with a positive balance or contactless credit or debit card (Visa/ Amex/ Mastercard), to tap on and tap off each time to get free travel.
Students should tap on and tap off with a Child/Youth Opal card with a positive balance. Remember School Opal cards do not work during school holiday periods, but staff will ensure that children and students won’t be left behind.
When you enter or exit the train station at Sydney Domestic Airport or Sydney International Airport, commuters will need to pay the station access fee portion of the fare.
Commuters will continue to enjoy free parking at Transport Park&Ride car parks for up to 18 hours. To access free Park&Ride car parking, commuters need to tap on and tap off as normal using an Opal card or contactless credit or debit card that has been used on the public transport network that day.
For commuters tapping on with a contactless payment card or device, a pre-authorisation $1 charge will appear as a pending transaction on your statement and will be reversed at the end of the day.
Free fares will apply automatically. If commuters need to query a charge for Opal network travel, they should send an enquiry via transportnsw.info/feedback.
MEDIA CONTACT: media@transport.nsw.gov.au | (02) 8265 6555