Local Tip
Taking the train from Sydney Airport? Each trip through the airport stations adds an access fee, currently $18.61 per adult, outside Opal's caps. For three adults the fees alone reach $55.83, close to the $60 flat taxi fare to the CBD.
Where to change money in Sydney
Two national chains trade a few minutes' walk apart in the CBD. Ask each for the total in Australian dollars after charges and take the better one.
- Travel Money Oz, MidCity Centre, 197 Pitt Street Mall - The chain advertises no fees. Reserve cash online and collect it here; it also buys back unspent foreign notes. No opening hours are listed, so check first.
- Travelex, Queen Victoria Building, Shop 15C, Lower Ground 2, 455 George Street - Open 9am to 5pm Monday to Saturday and 10am to 4pm Sunday. It handles walk-in exchange, online orders and buy-back of leftover currency.
Changing money at the airport
Travelex took over from Global Exchange as Sydney Airport's currency operator on 1 July 2026, with ten counters and over 20 ATMs in T1, the international terminal. On arrival, its two arrivals-hall counters (Areas A and B) open 6am to 11pm, and a counter in the Area B baggage hall, before customs, opens 6am to 9pm. Its 24-hour currency ATMs take Visa and Mastercard, not eftpos, up to A$800 a time. T2, the domestic terminal, has two ATMs by the arrivals baggage carousel.
Western Sydney International, a curfew-free airport, opens to passengers on 25 October 2026. Global Exchange has been appointed to run two bureaux and ATMs there, with online orders ready to collect. Until Sydney Metro reaches it, the free WSI Link bus runs to St Marys station.
ATMs and cards in Sydney
At the T1 cash machines, check which currency you have picked: they also hold US dollars, euros, yen, New Zealand dollars and several Asian currencies. Anywhere in Sydney, if a card reader or ATM proposes billing you in sterling, decline and stay in Australian dollars so your own card issuer does the conversion.
Paying for transport in Sydney
All Opal services take a contactless bank card, phone, watch or Opal card; touch the reader as you board and as you leave. Adults stop paying once they reach $19.30 in a day from Monday to Thursday, $9.65 on Fridays, weekends and public holidays, or $50 in a Monday-to-Sunday week.
The T8 Airport & South Line serves both airport stations daily from 5am to midnight. They belong to the private Airport Link Company, which adds $18.61 per adult trip ($16.64 for children and concessions), capped at $37.75 ($33.83) a week, after a rise on 29 June 2026. Tap out and back in within an hour and you pay twice, as the Opal transfer does not apply there.
Good to know
- Under a NSW trial that began on 3 November 2025, taxis from the Sydney Airport ranks to the CBD charge a flat $60, or $80 if you ask for a maxi cab or number five or more, with tolls and airport charges included. It covers direct trips into the city only. It was announced for 12 months, so check it still runs after early November 2026.
- Flying home from Sydney? The airport suggests ordering currency from Travelex online in advance and collecting it at a terminal counter, which gets a better rate than buying on the day.
Key Areas in Sydney
Click to open in Google Maps
Exchange bureaux, banks and cash machines, as mapped by OpenStreetMap. The map loads only when you ask for it.
Open Sydney in OpenStreetMap (new tab)
Sydney travel money FAQ
Where is the best place to exchange money in Sydney?
Try Travel Money Oz in MidCity Centre on Pitt Street Mall or Travelex under the Queen Victoria Building. Both take online orders to collect, fixing your rate in advance; compare the Australian dollar totals they quote.
How much is the train fee at Sydney Airport stations?
An adult pays $18.61 per trip through the Domestic or International station on top of the Opal fare, up to $37.75 a week; children and concessions pay $16.64, up to $33.83. Opal caps do not cover it.
Can I change money at Western Sydney International Airport?
Yes, from opening day on 25 October 2026: Global Exchange is due to run two bureaux and ATMs in the terminal, with online orders to collect.
Checked October 2026. Fees, fares and opening times change, so check locally before relying on them. Sources: Transport for NSW · NSW Government · NSW Taxi Council · Travelex · Sydney Airport · Moodie Davitt Report
Compare AUD Rates Now
See what you'd receive from providers local to you