Where to buy an Opal Card in Sydney

You can buy an Opal Card in Sydney at Central Station, Circular Quay or a convenience store. You don’t need one to use Sydney’s public transport, however.

What is an Opal Card?

Opal is the public transport payment system in Sydney.

The basic premise is that you get an Opal Card, put some money on it, then tap in and tap out on card readers when you use public transport. The Opal system is used on buses, trams, trains, ferries and light rail around Sydney.

Special occasion? Here’s how to do Sydney in style!

A private sunset cruise on Sydney Harbour with bubbly.
Dodge the tour buses on a private, personalised Blue Mountains day tour.
See the harbour, beaches and city skyline from a bird’s eye view on a helicopter tour.

There are also dozens more private Sydney tours, tailorable to your tastes.

How much does an Opal Card cost?

An Opal Card doesn’t cost anything. They are theoretically free. However, the adult Opal Cards must be topped up with at least $20 of credit when you first get them.

So, effectively, an Opal Card costs $20.

For a child or concession card, the starting credit amount is $10.

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Skip the queues – and get the best prices – with mobile-friendly advance tickets for these top Sydney attractions.

Taronga Zoo – the zoo with harbour views (and plenty of cute Aussie animals)
Sydney Opera House – official walking tour. See behind the scenes!
Wild Life Sydney – Aussie animal favourites in convenient Darling Harbour location. Perfect if on limited time.
Sydney Cricket Ground – behind the scenes secrets tour.
Sydney Tower Eye – 360 degree views from 250 metres above the city.

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Where to buy an Opal Card

The two main places to buy an Opal Card in Sydney are the NSW Transport Customer Service Centres at Circular Quay and Central Station.

You can also order an Opal Card online.

However, there are hundreds of other locations where you can get an Opal Card. Most convenience stores, including Woolworths Metro, 7-Eleven, City Convenience and Ezy Mart offer both Opal Cards and Opal top-ups.

There is a map of Opal Card purchase locations on the Transport for NSW website.

If you just need to top up, you can usually do it at one of the machines at a station as well. Alternatively, if you have a registered account, you can do it online.

13 brilliant experiences in Sydney you should book

The Three Sisters in the Blue Mountains.

(💲Great value 💲) Tick off several bucket list items on a highlights-packed Blue Mountains day tour.
Get perfect views of the world’s most beautiful city on a Sydney Harbour helicopter tour.
Save money with a multi-attraction pass.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Enjoy the romance of a tall ship cruise on Sydney Harbour.
Eat all you can at the Skyfeast at the top of Sydney Tower.
See migrating humpbacks – on a whale-watching cruise.
(Highly recommended ✅) Go behind the scenes of Australia’s most famous building on an Opera House tour.
Dine as the city lights up on sunset dinner cruise around the harbour.
Combine beers and stories on a historic pubs tour through the convict-era Rocks district.
Stand on your board and catch waves during Bondi Beach surfing lessons.
Go to wombat and kangaroo-spotting hotspots on a Southern Highlands tour.
Enjoy Sydney’s wild side on a Manly snorkelling & nature walk.
(🥇Top choice in Sydney) And, best of all, paddle to hidden beaches on a harbour kayaking adventure.

Contactless credit cards for public transport in Sydney

The important thing to know about getting an Opal Card in Sydney, however, is that you don’t need to. You can tap in and tap out with your credit and debit card in exactly the same way, and will be charged the same amount.

Fares paid for using an Opal Card, contactless debit card or contactless debit card are cheaper than those using a single ticket from a machine or on-board.

Public transport payment systems in other Australian cities include Smartrider in Perth, the Go Card in Brisbane and the Gold Coast, plus Myki in Melbourne.