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[NSW] Free Travel on Sydney Metro, Sydney Trains and NSW TrainLink Intercity Services (Monday to Friday)

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[NSW] Free Travel on Sydney Metro, Sydney Trains and NSW TrainLink Intercity Services (Monday to Friday)
Go to Deal
cmyk on 18/11/2022 - 16:57 transportnsw.info (2970 clicks)
Last edited 21/11/2022 - 16:06 by 3 other users

Travel will be free on Sydney Trains, NSW Trainlink and Sydney Metro rail services from 12.01am on Monday to 11.59pm next Friday. Commuters will be asked to keep tapping on and off at Opal readers, but will not be charged.

20-Nov-2022: New Update on Transport NSW website:

From Monday 21 November until Friday 25 November, customers will be able to travel on the rail network for free. This includes all Sydney Metro, Sydney Trains including Airport Line and NSW TrainLink services in the Opal network. The fare free week is being offered to ensure customers are not inconvenienced by ongoing industrial action across the rail network.

Opal gates and readers will be powered down during the fare free week, meaning customers will not need to tap on and tap off.

Other FAQ's

Do I still need to tap on and tap off at Opal readers on other transport services?

Yes. Customers are still required to tap on and tap off as normal on all other services, including bus, ferry and light rail. The free fares period only applies to Sydney Metro, Sydney Trains and NSW TrainLink intercity services on the Opal network.

Under the Opal Terms of Use, customers are required to always carry a valid ticket. An Opal card, contactless payment card or device, or Opal Single Trip Ticket is not considered a valid ticket unless it has been tapped on. If you don’t tap on, you may be fined for travelling without a valid ticket.

Tapping on and tapping off also allows Transport to plan and adjust services to meet customer demand, and ensures we keep people safe by monitoring passenger numbers and capacity across the network.

What happens if my train stations gates aren’t open and I get a default fare because I have to tap on or tap off?

Transport for NSW and the Opal team are working hard behind the scenes to ensure gates and readers are powered down in time for the beginning of the free fare week.

If you get a default fare there is nothing you need to do. Transport for NSW will automatically refund any rail customers that are charged a fare during the free fare period back to the Opal card or credit/debit card that was used to tap.

To query a charge for your Opal network travel, customers should check fare adjustments "Opal fare adjustments and refunds" or send an enquiry "Fares, concessions & tickets feedback".

How long will customers be able to travel for free on the rail network?

Opal gates will be turned off from 12am Monday 21 November to 11.59pm Friday 25 November.

Will Transport Officers still be checking tickets?

Officers and NSW Police Transport Command will continue to patrol the transport network for safety purposes.

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closed Comments

  • Sweet3st on 18/11/2022 - 16:58
    +3

    Airport surcharge?

    • ChickenDinner123 on 18/11/2022 - 17:16

      Airport surcharge always applies as that tunnel is owned by Macquarie Group.

      • silenthillrocks on 18/11/2022 - 17:33

        Is it still owned by Mac? Mac sold Syd airport years ago

      • Techie4066 on 18/11/2022 - 17:43
        +2

        It's owned by Airport Link. Sydney Airport has never had any involvement in Airport Link, hence neither has Macquarie Group.

        As was revealed recently, NSW Gov takes 90% of that bloody airport surcharge!

        • Royale with cheese on 18/11/2022 - 17:57
          +9

          Get off at mascot and catch the bus

          • Techie4066 on 18/11/2022 - 17:58
            +5

            @Royale with cheese: I did get on the bus at Burwood to international. Easy.

            • Royale with cheese on 18/11/2022 - 18:13
              -1

              @Techie4066: Yes the same bus stops at domestic and international stations too so no need to pay extra. People just pay for the convenience and should not complain.

              • Techie4066 on 18/11/2022 - 18:15
                +38

                @Royale with cheese: Yeah people should complain about a private company controlling 4 stations and having basically perpetually guaranteed revenue for doing absolutely nothing at all but hogging the most lucrative stations in a public transport line. It makes it very expensive for families to access the airport economically, who instead must contribute to road congestion.

                Did I mention Mascot residents previously had to pay the full surcharge before the government (taxpayers) footed the bill because there was no patronage? But other than that public-private partnerships are amazing, totally efficient, great value for money and don't hurt normal people for sure. Is that ok?

                • omblygombly on 18/11/2022 - 23:27
                  +1

                  @Techie4066: If I could give you 35 upvotes, I would.

                • whyisave on 20/11/2022 - 00:28
                  +1

                  @Techie4066:

                  other than that public-private partnerships are amazing

                  4 Corners: Wheeling and Dealing (2006)
                  https://www.abc.net.au/news/2006-02-20/wheeling-and-dealing/…

                  • Techie4066 on 20/11/2022 - 00:33

                    @whyisave: It was sarcasm. Tollways a good example. Long live mass transit.

                    • whyisave on 20/11/2022 - 00:36

                      @Techie4066: but but but … that link is not sarcasm;
                      it's not a dig.

                      it's still a valid & educational link, in specific reference to "PPP" :-)

                      • Techie4066 on 20/11/2022 - 00:43
                        +2

                        @whyisave: Of course, I understand that. My "PPP is amazing" part of the comment was sarcasm. They're awful and place too much of a burden on the pockets of your average person. They end up costing the taxpayer more and turbocharge a vicious cycle of cronyism and monopolisation. Public infrastructure should be in the hands of the public and managed only for the public good.

          • maskedmustelid on 18/11/2022 - 22:18

            @Royale with cheese: I just get off at mascot and take a leisurely walk.

      • brandt on 18/11/2022 - 18:53

        Its owned by the University Super Scheme of UK. 85% of the station access fee goes to NSW government and the rest goes overseas to UK.

    • scrypton on 20/11/2022 - 15:43

      See the latest update. Since you’re not supposed to tap on and off, the machines at the airport line will also be turned off.

      https://transportnsw.info/news/2022/free-rail-fares-from-21-…

  • FDA2021 on 18/11/2022 - 17:00

    Does this include bus too, or only trains?

    • kerfuffle on 18/11/2022 - 17:06
      +1

      Why would it include the bus?

      • CacheHunter on 18/11/2022 - 17:18
        +19

        Because in many (most?) cities, travel is based on a public transport system that doesn’t differentiate between modes, just distance and/or zones.

        • kerfuffle on 18/11/2022 - 17:22
          -2

          Key word: most. Sydney is not one of them.

          This is to appease the rail union, not the bus union.

          • Anthonese on 18/11/2022 - 17:38
            +5

            @kerfuffle:

            This is to appease the rail union, not the bus union

            Aren’t they the same? Rail, Tram, and Bus Union (RTBU)

          • dajiska on 18/11/2022 - 17:40
            +5

            @kerfuffle: yeah the caring unions behind free travel!

    • ChickenDinner123 on 18/11/2022 - 17:16
      +1

      Trains only

  • optusprime on 18/11/2022 - 17:00
    -4

    it's a trap, why tap at all, might as well open all gates

    • dm02 on 18/11/2022 - 17:02
      +21

      Because tapping gives them data on use of the transport network

    • Trance N Dance on 18/11/2022 - 17:03
      +2

      Probably ridership data collection (time of use, pax numbers, etc)

      • hippo2s on 18/11/2022 - 17:13

        That makes no sense. They have 356 sets of data points every year for as far as Opal cards have been in use.

        A data point for a week where it's not 'normal' condition…there's no value in that. It's more a set of data you would choose to ignore.

        • ChickenDinner123 on 18/11/2022 - 17:16

          Opal company still gets paid despite it being free. The government covers the cost instead of the sheeple.

          • pennypincher98 on 18/11/2022 - 17:26
            +1

            @ChickenDinner123: Let's just set the record straight: the government always covers a substantial chunk of the cost (consumers don't pay full amount of operating cost etc), it's just this week they're covering 100%.

            • ChickenDinner123 on 18/11/2022 - 17:30

              @pennypincher98: True. I think Syd Trains makes about 750M per year off revenue so 1 week will cost about 15M in lost revenue.

        • CacheHunter on 18/11/2022 - 17:24
          +4

          there's no value in that

          You’re ignoring the leak value. As we’ve all been reminded recently, best practice data management for Australia’s corporates is to collect unnecessary and irrelevant personal data and then put it somewhere that’s it’s available to hackers. If they don’t collect it, how do you expect them to let it get hacked?

        • pennypincher98 on 18/11/2022 - 17:31
          +11

          It's more a set of data you would choose to ignore.

          In fact the data being abnormal is exactly what makes it valuable. This is a rare chance to see how much consumer patronage reacts to a positive supply/price shock.

          Bigwigs will analyse this data and prepare findings accordingly. Hopefully government realises we can't be such a car-centric city forever and doesn't just throw these findings in the trash.

          So there's definite value, but no guarantee anything will come out of it.

          • haemolysis on 19/11/2022 - 20:20

            @pennypincher98: I’m kind of doubtful government really puts that much thought into data events such as this. Very likely it goes into the trash, or worse, is left in as an outlier.

            My bet is they simply don’t want to put transit officers out of a job for the week. They’ll probably be out in full force issuing ‘warning’ notices.

            • pennypincher98 on 20/11/2022 - 00:02

              @haemolysis:

              Very likely it goes into the trash, or worse, is left in as an outlier.

              My bet is they simply don’t want to put transit officers out of a job for the week.
              They’ll probably be out in full force

              This is all just implications of your own imagination. Surely you know the last round of industrial action had authorised revenue protectors ("transit officers" were abolished years ago and besides, they helped patrol trains not necessarily check tickets. That power is now given to the police) banned for much more than a week. They've got a contract they've signed, and other work they can do. They're not going to be out of work…

              The government isn't one department, there's definitely a data analysis section which has an entire purpose is to do stuff like this so obviously they're going to put thought into it lol.

              I swear the internet gets dumber every day.

              • haemolysis on 20/11/2022 - 03:29

                @pennypincher98: I dunno what bong water you’re sipping. But as one of many who actually catch trains, I witness such officers doing just that: checking tickets, regularly, carriage to carriage. Call them what you want, don’t really care to get into the semantics of it all, but that’s their job. That’s what they do - hold out a phone and ask customers to scan their Opal.

                The ‘other work’ they’re doing I can’t possibly imagine.

                And yes, state government has many branches. Amazing and ground breaking. I work in one. I can tell you first hand we don’t have a glut of analysts just churning “data” for curiosity.

                • pennypincher98 on 20/11/2022 - 07:36

                  @haemolysis: I dunno what bong water you’re sipping, but if you've read my reply at all you've retained none of it. Of course they exist. Never said they didn't. Not my fault you put in the job title of someone who patrolled trains 10 years ago.

                  they simply don’t want to put transit officers out of a job for the week.

                  They've been "out of a job" for longer than a week with last industrial action and besides, it wasn't "out of a job" because they have contractual obligations they are still in a job. They'll just move on to "other work" such as buses, ferries and light rail. Worst case scenario: they get paid without having to perform any duties.

                  You work in one department so you can speak for the entire government? Lmao. Where did this come from then? It couldn't be from a specialised department?. Guess what, just because you don't see them in your office block doesn't mean they don't exist. I'm just hoping you work in a non crucial sector of the government otherwise we're screwed.

                  • haemolysis on 23/11/2022 - 10:31

                    @pennypincher98: Well, had a chance to catch a train yesterday. Gates are completely open, Opal switched off. Data not collected. Imagine my surprise! The precious data!

                    As I said, government is not very proactive about data mining. It’s infrequent, and usually targeted to planned events related to EOY reporting or a particular strategic initiative. Not random one-off union fights lol.

                    This data is simply not that valuable or actionable to the state government.

                    • pennypincher98 on 23/11/2022 - 10:43

                      @haemolysis: I don't want to take away from the absolute euphoria you must feel from thinking you one upped me, but I mentioned this days ago..

                      Sorry pal. Maybe next time. The only thing I'm amazed about is you missed the absolute bombardment of news regarding the change.

                      Came to a CBA and strategy of most effect.

    • djones145 on 18/11/2022 - 17:09
      +2

      hopefully it means park and ride works and we wont get charged 30 bucks for oarking at the station cause we still tappping on and off

      • perfectlydark on 18/11/2022 - 19:52
        +1

        i still have no idea how they managed to make that system as pointlessly complicated as they could

    • ChickenDinner123 on 18/11/2022 - 17:15

      It's because Opal is a private company and will still be getting paid as per their contract. Now the government is just footing the bill instead of passengers covering it.

      Also for passenger metrics and customer tracking. They use the data to make customer packing predictions for older fleet that don't have telemetry and also for operations so they know how many peeps are at a platform and what trains to cancel when in a meltdown.

      • Techie4066 on 18/11/2022 - 17:47
        +2

        The Opal operator ("Opal" isn't an entity nor a private company) gets paid regardless, not per tap, so no need to keep spreading that.

        Passenger load data for the vast majority of trains is drawn from the weight of each carriage.

        • xoom on 18/11/2022 - 17:57
          +1

          Passenger load data for the vast majority of trains is drawn from the weight of each carriage.

          But people dont all weigh the same. So passenger numbers data would be better from actual tap on/off.

          • Techie4066 on 18/11/2022 - 17:59
            +3

            @xoom: 🤦‍♂️ no, you've got it all wrong. If passengers don't weigh the same, then basing your numbers off taps would be even less reliable.

            The train carriages actually actively measure the gross weight of occupants - even better, in each carriage. That's how you get the colour-coded load factor for each carriage on the app and platforms.

            Unless you wanted individual weigh scales for each patron? That wouldn't be helpful.

        • vinnychase on 18/11/2022 - 18:01
          +1

          Passenger load data for the vast majority of trains is drawn from the weight of each carriage.

          Username checks out mate!!. Was always curious how they they sourced the load data and had absurd ideas like guards checking the cameras and entry exit sensors but never thought of weight. How do you weigh a carriage tho? Via pressure on wheels or something?

          • Techie4066 on 18/11/2022 - 18:02
            +3

            @vinnychase: All the modern trains have pressure-measuring airbags underneath. Pretty cool!

          • ChickenDinner123 on 18/11/2022 - 19:59
            +2

            @vinnychase: They measure pressure changes in the air cushions that the carriages sit on the bogies. They are usually accurate within 10 people but sometimes you can have an empty train (only driver and guard) and it shows 25 people on the train. Once I remember it was showing 2000 people in 1 carriage lol (2k is usually max cap for the entire train).

            The braking and motors also adjusts to give extra braking power/traction power to accommodate for heavier carriages. Old trains also do this but they do it through mechanical valves to give a bit extra air pressure to the brakes or extra amps for the traction motors.

            • vinnychase on 18/11/2022 - 20:08

              @ChickenDinner123: does each carriage have its own motor and brakes or are some more involved than others.

              • ChickenDinner123 on 18/11/2022 - 20:12
                +5

                @vinnychase: On the Waratah trains, the 2,3 + 6,7 carriages are motor carriages (the older ones are slightly diff config but same number of total motors). The other 4 carriages don't have motors and just get pulled/pushed by the motor cars. But all carriages has brakes on all the bogies (2 bogies per carriage).

                When you apply the brakes, the motor cars definitely get a bit more brake pressure to account for their extra weight (due to the heavy ass traction motors). From memory I think it was like an extra 10% but the computers adjust it in realtime.

                If you sit in the the single seat next to the steps in the lower part, and you put your head next to the pillar you can hear the hum of the motors and also the relay clicks as the drivers applies/releases the brakes. You can also tell when they are easing on the brakes or going heavy on them lol.

                • mitch01 on 19/11/2022 - 05:56

                  @ChickenDinner123: So interesting! I don't think you need to sit anywhere in particular to hear the motors, they're quite loud! At least on some, maybe the A sets are louder than the B? Or maybe from reading your comments it sound like I might have a habit of regularly boarding a motor car.

    • oranglama on 18/11/2022 - 17:28

      Why is it a trap?

    • Azro on 18/11/2022 - 21:04
      +1

      Because you still have to have a valid ticket, even though its price reduced to $0.

  • Windows7forever on 18/11/2022 - 17:09
    +14

    Waiting for this to get pulled in the eleventh hour.

    • pennypincher98 on 18/11/2022 - 17:23
      +5

      This is actually seemingly an offer from the Premier this time, as much as his word actually means these days…

  • billyb67 on 18/11/2022 - 17:18
    +2

    they've announced this several times recently and every time it's never actually happened

    • Anthonese on 18/11/2022 - 17:40
      +11

      The previous times were instances of threatened action by the union. This time, it is the Government officially giving in to the union

      • twig on 18/11/2022 - 21:35
        +9

        "You can't turn it off if I beat you to it!"

  • shortgum on 18/11/2022 - 17:20
    +2

    lol nice. last two free opal travel bid on the network are called off just a day before start. probably will come third time in a row !

    • hippo2s on 20/11/2022 - 17:57
      +1

      I don't think it will be called off. This time it's different.

      The previous times were the union using this as a tactic to piss off NSW government. My guess is the union still used this as a threat to NSW government, so the government went one up. 'You know what, we will stop taking fares, so stop using it as a threat'.

  • lonxionX on 18/11/2022 - 17:30

    Airport link free? Would help save me some fares, Im travelling overseas next friday..

  • TheMindsetTraveller on 18/11/2022 - 17:47
    -6

    It's free to travel yet they want us to tap on/off ….. no wonder why the trains are pathetic

    • StarPlatinum on 18/11/2022 - 18:03

      Its to track who's using public transport

  • bargainatoraah on 18/11/2022 - 17:51

    Why?

  • lachlantula on 18/11/2022 - 18:00
    +8

    fantastic news! here's hoping the union escalates things further anyway.

    • battler on 18/11/2022 - 21:08

      WTF?

      • sp0rk on 18/11/2022 - 21:22
        +10

        Well seeing as Sydney trains drivers are getting absolutely reamed on safety issues, pay & basically everything they're asking for in their EA, they deserve all the support we can give them

        • lachlantula on 18/11/2022 - 22:09
          +2

          precisely. this is just a distraction from nsw govt to earn goodwill from the public.

        • CyberMurning on 19/11/2022 - 11:29
          +1

          Nope. They have good pay and asking more pay, the other reasons are just excuse to get sympathy from public, what they want is payrise full stop

          • saveye on 19/11/2022 - 13:19
            +2

            @CyberMurning: In a democracy this is how it's done. They don't need to address passenger safety issues but, personally, I am happy they are doing so.

            • CyberMurning on 19/11/2022 - 17:48
              -4

              @saveye: Yeah without saying the safety they will get nothing, so they are kind of deceiving public?. Still, im not supporting greedy people.

            • haemolysis on 19/11/2022 - 20:35
              +1

              @saveye: Hrrrm, I think both of those interpretations are a bit off. Safety is absolutely a nonsense dog whistle - the trains models and tech are safe and have had no serious incidents anywhere else in the world.

              However unions are not ‘just about salary’ it’s also about job security as well. Unions have always demanded secure, tenured positions.

              That’s where the safety non-sense comes in. The new trains are made/built in some foreign country AND they have greater automation (eg: less need for guards). So that means less tenured positions for guards, maintenance staff, and such. Some of the rail jobs going overseas, some being automated out.

              That’s why they’re crying ‘safety’. It basically means ‘scrap this stock, build something more low tech, preferably in Australia.’ They don’t want to see the driverless metro future expanding any further.

              • saveye on 20/11/2022 - 16:12
                -1

                @haemolysis: The train’s design relies almost entirely on CCTV with no audio to monitor the movements of passengers on and off the train. The design also prevents the driver’s door from opening during the critical 15-second period before the train departs, creating the potential for a passenger to become caught by closing doors and dragged without the driver knowing.

                https://www.timeout.com/sydney/news/explained-why-the-rail-u…

    • hippo2s on 20/11/2022 - 18:01

      uhmm… this round of free ride isn't done by the union. This one is announced by the gov. BTW the previous 'union organised' ones were called off last minute, so no one benefited.

      My guess is the union continued to use free ride for passengers as a threat to gov. So the gov went one up on them, basically sending a message 'we don't care for your threat of free ride'.

      • lachlantula on 20/11/2022 - 18:08

        what? never said it was. yes this is organised by the govt. the govt absolutely cares abt the union; they're doing this to build goodwill in the eyes of the public in hopes the union will concede

  • aiyoyo on 18/11/2022 - 18:02

    ，☺️

  • sertse on 18/11/2022 - 18:22
    +1

    How far for NSW trainlink? In theory does this extend to the Syd - Melb train being free? Or even to Broken Hill if it's the same state

    • Windows7forever on 18/11/2022 - 19:10
      +1

      Only as far south as Goulburn or Wollongong.

    • niknah on 18/11/2022 - 19:22

      I presume you'd have to pre book those long distance services. They might not update their booking service to charge $0

  • jimmy1593 on 18/11/2022 - 18:32
    +2

    They said it last 2 times as well but cancelled at the end . Hope they honor this time

    • hippo2s on 20/11/2022 - 18:02

      last 2 were organised by union.

      this one by NSW gov.

      If anything stop thanking the union. They don't have you in their interest.

  • George Washington on 18/11/2022 - 18:34
    +2

    Soo let me get this straight less trains more people wanting using public transport because its a free bargin?

    • lonxionX on 18/11/2022 - 18:48

      4 words.. trade union strike avoided.

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