NSW Residents Can Travel For Free On Public Transportation Till 26 April.

After a year of industrial strife and strikes, New South Wales’ public transportation will be free for 12 days beginning Thursday. During the Easter holiday period, millions of public transport passengers in Sydney will be able to travel for free on the Opal network.

NSW Transport Minister David Elliott said that free rides on trains, buses, ferries, light rail, and metro services will begin at 4 a.m. on Thursday and will last until 3.59 a.m. on April 26. The free travel policy does not apply during Easter, school holidays, or Anzac Day.

Services that will be provided for free?

The fare-free period applies to all Opal network services in Sydney, the Blue Mountains, the Central Coast, the Hunter, and the Illawarra, including metro, train, bus, ferry, and light rail.

It does not include NSW TrainLink Regional trains and coaches, such as the XPT and Xplorer services.

Fares on Regional services, however, where customers book additional connecting travel on the Intercity, Sydney Trains, or Metro network, will have the total fare adjusted to reflect the free Opal network travel during this time.

The free travel is part of an effort to appease the Rail Tram Bus Union (RBTU) following a series of strikes over pay disparities and other issues.

It also follows public Transport for NSW’s 24-hour shutdown of rail services in February, which stranded thousands of commuters and enraged the union.

The union had called for “fare-free Fridays” to apologize to residents of New South Wales for the shutdown, but the government has instead announced these 12 free days

However, critics have characterized it as a postponed apology from a government that shut down the train network in February due to a dispute over an enterprise bargaining agreement with rail unions.

According to TfNSW chief operations officer Howard Collins, the Opal data assisted TfNSW and other transport operators in planning services and monitoring passenger numbers and capacity across the network.

The fare-free period does not apply to NSW TrainLink Regional services.

If departing or boarding at Sydney Airport domestic or international stations, commuters must also pay a station access fee of $15.13 for adults and $13.54 for children and pensioners.

Is it necessary to turn on and turn off Opal readers?

Yes, you must tap on and off at every stage of your journey, even during the fare-free period, and the Opal system will calculate all fares and discounts you are entitled to, including free travel, fare caps, and transfer discounts.

Howard Collins, the executive director of public Transportation for NSW, has asked passengers to continue using their Opal or credit cards while traveling, even if it is free so that services can be planned accordingly.

“At any station with an Opal card reader, you will not be charged a single cent,” he stated.

Mr. Collins stated that the Freshwater ferry will resume service, as well as additional train and bus services to and from the Sydney Royal Easter Show.

Mr. Elliott added that there will be additional services for the dawn service on Anzac Day morning.

You must have a valid ticket with you at all times, according to the Opal Terms of Service. If an Opal card, contactless payment card or device, or Opal single trip ticket has not been tapped on, it is not considered a valid ticket.

If you are caught traveling without a valid ticket, you may face a $200 fine.

Mr. Elliott went on to say that the scheme will cost “between $8 and $20 million in fares forfeited.”

“The opportunity cost is well worth it,” he continues.

Mr. Collins also stated that despite the cost to Transport for NSW, fare-free travel will boost tourism across the state.

“I think the big picture here, while it will cost some money in farebox terms, is that we’re encouraging this city to breathe again,” he said.

Mr. Collins and Mr. Elliott both believe that free travel will cause public transportation to become “overcrowded.”

Passengers are also reminded to keep their masks on, use hand sanitizer, and maintain as much social distance as possible.