RAIL - Back On Track Forum

https://twitter.com/TransLinkSEQ/status/1451807632914882560

Can we get Toowoomba into the same zones and system as the rest of SEQ?
Would be nice to have seamless integration.

Will need a regular hourly or two-hourly bus leaving Ipswich as well.

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Quote from: #Metro on October 25, 2021, 03:39:06 AM
Can we get Toowoomba into the same zones and system as the rest of SEQ?
Would be nice to have seamless integration.

Will need a regular hourly or two-hourly bus leaving Ipswich as well.

I agree Toowoomba and Oakey only need two zones maybe three. The also require the ability to transfer within 60mins. Hence having the same system as SEQ.

Brisbane Times----> Distant shore: No bridge to Straddie, major connections still unclear

QuoteThe review recommends the government's smart-ticketing system be extended to North Stradbroke Island by mid-2022, with better integration into the mainland network.

^^I would of thought that Straddie would of got smart ticket automatically along with Se Qld?

It's a no brainer to have smart ticketing on Stradbroke Island. The buses are upgraded  with new equipment for real time information, but I believe it's still in test mode. 

Smart ticketing validators are now installed on the. airport line.

Eagle Junction too. Does this mean the ticketing gates there as well?

EJ had its gates ripped out a few years ago.

Quote from: Gazza on November 15, 2021, 14:45:12 PM
EJ had its gates ripped out a few years ago.

Gotcha, so this leaves the question on how the airport line is upgraded to smart ticketing?

Translink---> Smart ticketing now across most of the QR network and all Airtrain stations

https://twitter.com/BrisAirtrain/status/1462667174674370560

Quote from: #Metro on November 26, 2021, 19:16:45 PM

Would it be possible to get some sort of official position on this? Also, perhaps consider a virtual Go Card that you can put on your android or iphone wallet and swipe as well?

This maybe included in the next stage of the smart ticketing project, similarly to what occurred in NSW when they virtualised the Opal card.

Was at central the other day and spotted the new gates in testing.
Funny that Roma street says upgraded but the gates are all the same.

^ welcome Lstr

Thanks for the photograph 

Awesome, progress.

Quote from: Lstr on December 24, 2021, 08:55:12 AM
Was at central the other day and spotted the new gates in testing.
Funny that Roma street says upgraded but the gates are all the same.

Probably means the stand-alone validators on platforms 2 and 10 have been replaced since those are outside the gated area.  Not sure what people have been doing if they are alighting from a train not using either of those (ie virtually every train).

Great spotting @Lstr. Nothing at Fortitude Valley unless they have upgraded a few over the last couple of days?

Seems like the gates a quite similar to what we have now. I wonder if some will be retro fitted around the network instead of being completely replaced?

Was talking to an insider and the fare gates will be rolling out from mid Jan. This puts the roll out slightly behind schedule. The fare gates were meant to be in place by end of 2021 with a new App to self manage smart ticketing as per the Q and A smart ticketing page.

I had a quick look at the gates the other day. I am not sure how they tested these gates, but the screens are place relatively too low. The screens need to be place at the top of the diagonal slide not at the bottom  They are far too low. This is what occured with the Myki gates in Melbourne. The screens were placed too low and they were subsequently moved to a higher position after numerous complaints. The accessible gates are fine with low screens but not the regular gates

Hopefully these are accessible gates and not the regular gates they are planning to roll out

Quote from: verbatim9 on December 27, 2021, 14:20:55 PM
I had a quick look at the gates the other day. I am not sure how they tested these gates, but the screens are place relatively too low. The screens need to be place at the top of the diagonal slide not at the bottom  They are far too low. This is what occured with the Myki gates in Melbourne. The screens were placed too low and they were subsequently moved to a higher position after numerous complaints. The accessible gates are fine with low screens but not the regular gates

Hopefully these are accessible gates and not the regular gates they are planning to roll out

Seems too narrow to be accessible gates. I know the standalone readers had a redesign from feedback on the G:Link, so I'm sure they will take feedback for these gates once they go live.

Quote from: verbatim9 on December 24, 2021, 13:52:47 PM
Great spotting @Lstr. Nothing at Fortitude Valley unless they have upgraded a few over the last couple of days?

Seems like the gates a quite similar to what we have now. I wonder if some will be retro fitted around the network instead of being completely replaced?

Was talking to an insider and the fare gates will be rolling out from mid Jan. This puts the roll out slightly behind schedule. The fare gates were meant to be in place by end of 2021 with a new App to self manage smart ticketing as per the Q and A smart ticketing page.

I noticed they missed their 'end of year' rollout, and this messaging was still on the FAQ even now in 2022. Interesting to hear mid-Jan for the app too, I wasn't expecting that for at least a few more months.

Edit: Hi everyone! Thanks for the welcome, been lurking around here for a few months, so it's nice to finally join the convo. ^^

https://twitter.com/9NewsQueensland/status/1489521893199732736

It seems that the Ferny Grove line will be the first to go live with smart ticketing according to the 7 news report.

The Translink smart ticketing website is also updated

People can now register for updates related to new products etc ...

Quote from: verbatim9 on April 07, 2022, 20:29:41 PMIt seems that the Ferny Grove line will be the first to go live with smart ticketing according to the 7 news report.

It makes no sense to only make it 'live' for one line, because then you have some customers able to touch on with cards at stations serviced by multiple lines, and others not (which you cannot control). It's just asking for trouble.

Quote from: RowBro on April 08, 2022, 16:48:56 PM

Quote from: verbatim9 on April 07, 2022, 20:29:41 PMIt seems that the Ferny Grove line will be the first to go live with smart ticketing according to the 7 news report.

It makes no sense to only make it 'live' for one line, because then you have some customers able to touch on with cards at stations serviced by multiple lines, and others not (which you cannot control). It's just asking for trouble.

You gotta start somewhere, and there is every chance that they checked the numbers and Ferny Grove was the line with least travelers who transfer to other lines,  But yes, there will for sure be a bit of trouble...
I don't have much faith in the organisation that is TransLink, but I think they are able to have done that 

It can be surprising how many people in Brisbane only ever use PT for 'their trip' to the city to work Mon-Fri and never venture away from that route.

Are we able to reach out to the Smart Ticketing people to query what is happening on the following fronts (if anything)?

1. Virtual go cards (ie the ability to pay for a go card and use it through Google Pay etc in the same way as mobile myki).  That would be an alternative to money just being debited straight from a bank account or credit card balance.

2. Use of smart ticketing on non-TransLink services. "TransLink" here refers to the existing SEQ go card ticketing network and any subsidised bus services throughout the state that are either TransLink or Qconnect branded which will be part of the Smart Ticketing system.  "Non-TransLink" for instance would be passenger ferries such as those to Coochiemudlo, Stradbroke or Magnetic Islands.  (Personally I think it is beyond time Coochiemudlo was included in the SEQ fare system the same way the Southern Moreton Bay Islands are - Stradbroke would need to be a bit different given the cost differential, and Magnetic Island isn't already within the go card region.)

3. Cross-border ticketing and/or payment for Tweed.  I expect the short answer for this will be "no chance" given the NSW government has shown zero interest.  That probably won't change unless something requires it (eg if trams eventually reach the border and there is an extension of that same system into the Tweed, you would logically expect QLD and NSW would cut a deal for TransLink to manage everything including the Tweed bus network on behalf of TfNSW as they are better positioned to do it).

Quote2. Use of smart ticketing on non-TransLink services. "TransLink" here refers to the existing SEQ go card ticketing network and any subsidised bus services throughout the state that are either TransLink or Qconnect branded which will be part of the Smart Ticketing system.  "Non-TransLink" for instance would be passenger ferries such as those to Coochiemudlo, Stradbroke or Magnetic Islands. 

All PT buses across the state should be able to accept debit or credit card/non-cash options. Fewer people have cash these days and it is a barrier to catching PT to require cash, and expect exact change.

Apparently by the end of this year. 

Quote from: SurfRail on May 05, 2022, 08:54:11 AMAre we able to reach out to the Smart Ticketing people to query what is happening on the following fronts (if anything)?

1. Virtual go cards (ie the ability to pay for a go card and use it through Google Pay etc in the same way as mobile myki).  That would be an alternative to money just being debited straight from a bank account or credit card balance.

2. Use of smart ticketing on non-TransLink services. "TransLink" here refers to the existing SEQ go card ticketing network and any subsidised bus services throughout the state that are either TransLink or Qconnect branded which will be part of the Smart Ticketing system.  "Non-TransLink" for instance would be passenger ferries such as those to Coochiemudlo, Stradbroke or Magnetic Islands.  (Personally I think it is beyond time Coochiemudlo was included in the SEQ fare system the same way the Southern Moreton Bay Islands are - Stradbroke would need to be a bit different given the cost differential, and Magnetic Island isn't already within the go card region.)

3. Cross-border ticketing and/or payment for Tweed.  I expect the short answer for this will be "no chance" given the NSW government has shown zero interest.  That probably won't change unless something requires it (eg if trams eventually reach the border and there is an extension of that same system into the Tweed, you would logically expect QLD and NSW would cut a deal for TransLink to manage everything including the Tweed bus network on behalf of TfNSW as they are better positioned to do it).

There was a reply from Translink on FB about a virtual Go Card. It states "that they have no plans at this stage".

I agree either NSW or QLD should install smart ticketing readers to allow for contactless payments for Tweed and Northern River services. 

Contactless readers on the Tweed bus fleet would solve part of the problem but wouldn't stop people paying more than they should for a trip from Banora Point to Currumbin because of the imaginary line that cuts through Coolangatta.

Does anyone know about any updates regarding when the QR Smart Ticketing payment trial for credit & debit cards will begin? All the websites still say late 2021, despite the fact that we are nearly halfway into 2022.

The Ferny Grove line is the trial line for contactless payments.

I assume a person will need to start their journey along that line before touching off elsewhere with a credit card or debit card.

Still awaiting the new smart ticketing gates at the Valley. Not sure if Roma Street has them as yet?

Quote from: verbatim9 on May 06, 2022, 21:29:23 PMThe Ferny Grove line is the trial line for contactless payments.

I assume a person will need to start their journey along that line before touching off elsewhere with a credit card or debit card.

Wouldn't that require all the gates to be installed network wide (because you don't know for sure where they will exit the network). I'm curious as to why they chose Ferny Grove as the trial line.

Quote from: verbatim9 on May 06, 2022, 21:33:52 PMStill awaiting the new smart ticketing gates at the Valley. Not sure if Roma Street has them as yet?

According to the progress map, none of the gated stations have them installed, although I'm not sure how up to date that would be. The photo of the gate at Central clearly shows the older gates right next to it, so it seems that not even central has had all of them replaced.

Hopefully it's not too long now.

Also does anyone have a photo of the smart ticketing validator on the busses? I can't find a photo anywhere, despite the fact that some regions are already trialing it on busses (if I am not mistaken?).

They have slightly modified the smart ticketing section of the Translink website. Nothing much to note, however I did find this.

QuoteShhh... Smart Ticketing is coming to heavy rail soon!
Smart Ticketing is coming soon to our heavy rail network. You'll be invited to participate in Smart Ticketing trials so we can test new ways to pay and make improvements as we go.

Who knows what soon means though!

Still yet to change this snippet from the FAQ page however 

QuoteFollowing the network-wide installation and testing of new equipment on the Queensland Rail Citytrain network, a progressive rollout of Smart Ticketing contactless payment methods will commence from late 2021.

They've also removed the link to the Queensland Rail page, however if you type in the direct link it still works.

New fare gates getting installed at the Valley Station today.

Official announcement commencement of Smart Ticketing on Ferny Grove line from Monday.

https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?ref=notif&v=740694943910922&notif_id=1654303126100616&notif_t=live_video_explicit

Journo actually mentioned Ozbob and the operational plan for CRR. Mark Bailey simply deferred and said that plans will be made in advance as the tunnel will not be opened for another three years.

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