Sydney Trains run frequent trains between Sydney and most suburbs over an intensive network of lines. Most lines operate through the City Railway - either running around the City Circle, through the Eastern Suburbs Railway to Bondi Junction, or across the Sydney Harbour Bridge to North Sydney.
The newest addition to the rail network is the fully automated high frequency Metro line, operated by Sydney Metro, that runs through Sydney's northern suburbs from Chatswood to Tallawong via Epping. An ambitious extension program is underway that will see more new metro lines constructed and some suburban rail lines converted to metro lines.
Sydney has a modern tramway system called Sydney Light Rail. Line L1 runs from Central Station into the inner west suburbs along a former railway line to Lilyfield and Dulwich Hill. Line L2 runs from Circular Quay along George Street to Central Station then into the Eastern Suburbs at Randwick. Line L3 branches from L2 at Moore Park and runs to Juniors Kingsford.
A fourth light rail line between Parramatta and Carlingford is now under construction.
All light rail services accept Opal cards and contactless credit cards - just touch on and ride.
NSW Trains run frequent medium distance InterCity trains from Sydney Central station south to Wollongong and Kiama (Change for Bomaderry), south-west to Moss Vale and Goulburn, west to Katoomba, Mount Victoria, Lithgow and Bathurst, and north to Gosford, Wyong and Newcastle Interchange (change for Maitland, Dungog and Singleton). Like Sydney trains, all these services are un-reserved, and you can use your pre-paid Opal card or credit card to tap on and ride.
NSW Trains also run longer distance pre-booked Regional XPT and XPLorer diesel trains on longer distance routes to regional NSW and interstate to Brisbane, Melbourne and Canberra.
By far the most famous of Sydney's public transport however are the Ferries. No trip to Sydney is complete without a journey from Sydney to Manly on a ferry, and indeed there is something to be said for spending a day cruising around the harbour on the many inner harbour ferries. Almost all harbour ferries operate to and from Circular Quay (except some western ferries which start from Barangaroo). In addition to those that ply Sydney Harbour, there are ferries in the north from Palm Beach and to Scotland Island, and in the south to Bundeena. Harbour ferries (F1-F8) accept Opal cards, others have their own fare systems.
