Opal - E-ticketing - fares discussion etc.

[achiruel]

The NSW Government have the right ideas to integrate all transport modes.

That's why they charge different fares for train/metro, light rail, buses and ferries. 

[verbatim9]

The NSW Government have the right ideas to integrate all transport modes.

That's why they charge different fares for train/metro, light rail, buses and ferries. 

Even though they charge a transfer fee they still have very good incentives in relation to caps.Most people will only use one mode anyway sometimes two.

[verbatim9]

NSW PT union advocating to bring back Fare Free Fridays. - ABC reports.

[#Metro]

VIDEO: NSW Minister for Transport offers fare free Fridays
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-03-15/minister-for-transport-offers-fare-free-fridays/13797140?

What is this nonsense? 

[achiruel]

VIDEO: NSW Minister for Transport offers fare free Fridays
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-03-15/minister-for-transport-offers-fare-free-fridays/13797140?

What is this nonsense? 

I would call it attempting to prevent legally protected industrial action.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/ozbob13/status/1507808302972870660

[ozbob]

Tap and travel for free from 14 to 25 April

> https://transportnsw.info/news/2022/tap-travel-for-free-from-14-to-25-april

Don't miss out on 12 days of free travel from 14 - 25 April

Hop on the metro, train, bus, ferry or light rail, and travel for free anywhere on the Opal network: from the Illawarra, Greater Sydney, the Blue Mountains, Newcastle and the Central Coast.

These school holidays, relax and let us take you there for free. Spend some quality time with family and friends and discover new places, new people, new experiences.

Just tap on and tap off each time to get your free travel.

Enjoy the ride and remember to wear your mask ...

[verbatim9]

Get more with Opal+--->https://transportnsw.info/opalplus

One app with all the pluses
So you've heard about Opal+ and want to know what all the plus is about? You've come to the right place.

Opal+ is a new way to plan, book and pay for travel, plus a whole lot more, all streamlined into one app.

The Opal+ app lets you plan intelligent multi-leg journeys across a variety of public and private transport services.

It simplifies how you pay for transport with a choice of pre-paid fare bundles to suit when and where you travel most, so you get better milage out of what you spend on travel.

You can add on travel extras like cheaper parking and rideshares. Plus you get perks like discounts on things like coffee, eating out and more.

[RowBro]

Get more with Opal+--->https://transportnsw.info/opalplus

One app with all the pluses
So you've heard about Opal+ and want to know what all the plus is about? You've come to the right place.

Opal+ is a new way to plan, book and pay for travel, plus a whole lot more, all streamlined into one app.

The Opal+ app lets you plan intelligent multi-leg journeys across a variety of public and private transport services.

It simplifies how you pay for transport with a choice of pre-paid fare bundles to suit when and where you travel most, so you get better milage out of what you spend on travel.

You can add on travel extras like cheaper parking and rideshares. Plus you get perks like discounts on things like coffee, eating out and more.

Sounds a lot like the ODIN Pass trail that UQ is operating.

[verbatim9]

Yeah similar

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/ozbob13/status/1535271578803773441

[verbatim9]

[#Metro]

Perth has had SmartRider available for use outside of the Perth area for many years.

You really should be able to use your GoCard anywhere in the state. I guess the next best thing is open payment everywhere. The last thing you want to do when visiting a regional city is to have to go to the ATM and get cash, then break that down to get change, then wait and plan your journey due to barely there services... too hard.

You cannot view this attachment.

[verbatim9]

https://youtu.be/vnkUcQAmRAY

^^Just the 7 news report on the phase out of plastic cards.

[verbatim9]

Perth has had SmartRider available for use outside of the Perth area for many years.

You really should be able to use your GoCard anywhere in the state. I guess the next best thing is open payment everywhere. The last thing you want to do when visiting a regional city is to have to go to the ATM and get cash, then break that down to get change, then wait and plan your journey due to barely there services... too hard.

You cannot view this attachment.

Yeah, all transport agencies will likely phase out paper and plastic forms of payments.

[ozbob]

Opal fare changes from 4 July

https://transportnsw.info/news/2022/opal-fare-changes-from-4-july

From Monday 4 July, Opal fares will increase by an average of 3%, less than the 4.4% increase in the Sydney Consumer Price Index over the year to the March 2022 quarter.

The $50 weekly travel cap for Adults, the $25 weekly travel cap for Child/Youth and Concession card holders and the $2.50 unlimited daily travel for Senior/Pensioner Opal card holders will remain in place.

The $2 transfer discount ($1 for concession) will remain when transferring from one form of public transport to another within one hour.

There is also no change to the fares for bus and light rail journeys up to 3km. ...

[verbatim9]

Opal + A new way to pay for travel and more---> Get more with Opal+

[verbatim9]

Opal + A new way to pay for travel and more---> Get more with Opal+

Wow, they have introduced an unlimited weekend fare for 10 bucks, as well as an unlimited anytime plan.



Unlimited Anytime $47 per week

[verbatim9]

What's the best option for the Northern Rivers and Tweed in regard to smart ticketing. Is is best to expand Opal or have Qld smart ticketing equipment collect the fares on behalf of the NSW Government?

[SurfRail]

At this point do nothing until open payment is rolled out.

[achiruel]

What's the best option for the Northern Rivers and Tweed in regard to smart ticketing. Is is best to expand Opal or have Qld smart ticketing equipment collect the fares on behalf of the NSW Government?

Obviously the best idea would be to have Tweed buses become part of the Qld Open Payment system, but the two governments aren't known for being able to co-operate on anything.

[SurfRail]

It is 100% IPART and the broader NSW Government's fault.  They are convinced it is too difficult for some reason despite overtures from this side of the border.  It could be implemented without too much fuss but it's all too problematic for them down there to let anybody else run stuff.

There are teething issues around NSW's $2.50 RED fares but I don't see why the use of those can't just be quarantined to the TfNSW routes.

It is going to become more important to resolve in coming years as the Cobaki development takes off and there is yet another NSW bus service crossing the border at Boyd Street and needing to link with trams and buses.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/UrbanFerryist/status/1608918227815649281

[verbatim9]

Wow, that's good that they can convert diesel ferrys to hydrogen ones.

[#Metro]

NRMA? 

[ozbob]

^

7 December 2017

Sydney Morning Herald

NRMA acquires Manly Fast Ferry from founders in attempt to broaden investments

The NRMA has acquired Manly Fast Ferry for an undisclosed sum from its founders, underlining the motoring group's plans to increase its exposure to tourism. ...

[achiruel]

Wow, that's good that they can convert diesel ferrys to hydrogen ones.

This isn't quite what's happening. They're being converted to diesel-hydrogen hybrids. It does result in a large reduction in diesel consumption (up to 90%), but still isn't entirely carbon-neutral. It might make sense to convert equipment that still has a lot of useful life left in order to decrease emissions before true emissions-free plant is purchased.

[ozbob]

Sydney Morning Herald --> For Sydney commuters, it's nearly impossible to travel 'off peak' $

Sydney should rethink its Opal pricing system, public transport experts and business advocates say, with expensive tickets designed for pre-pandemic working patterns keeping people away from the office.

Lowering the cap on weekly travel, making light rail services free between Circular Quay and Surry Hills, as well as reducing the length of the peak pricing period were all raised as potential strategies to encourage more commuters to adopt public transport. ...

You cannot view this attachment.

[SurfRail]

Our fares are even cheaper than that over very short distances since the fare zones were condensed down from 23 to 8, but this only works for once-offs.  For repeat customers on the myki and Opal networks, the capping and periodical fares result in cheaper pricing.

[RowBro]

Our fares are even cheaper than that over very short distances since the fare zones were condensed down from 23 to 8, but this only works for once-offs.  For repeat customers on the myki and Opal networks, the capping and periodical fares result in cheaper pricing.

Isnt there a half price discount for all trips after the 8th trip in a week?

[ozbob]

IT News --> Transport for NSW, Apple sign new payment deal

In latest Opal upgrade.
Transport for NSW and Apple have entered into a new agreement that will allow commuters to 'tap on' to public transport without needing to unlock their iPhones.

Travellers within the greater Sydney metropolitan can access the new capability by adding a contactless credit card or debit card to their digital wallet and enabling Apple's 'Express Mode for Apple Pay'.

Through the new feature, commuters can skip unlocking their device or authenticating with Face ID, Touch ID or a passcode when tapping on and off as they move through the public transport system.

The new payment option is supported on both iPhone and Apple Watch with Apple Pay and is compatible with iOS 16.4 or later.

It works with eligible contactless credit or debit cards in Apple Wallet using Apple Pay. ...

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/UrbanFerryist/status/1702415424141586764?

[verbatim9]

^^Pretty good I reckon, having it extended to Fridays as well.

[ozbob]

https://x.com/TransportforNSW/status/1708240309094596657?s=20

[ozbob]

https://x.com/TrainsInfo/status/1713774273909666261?s=20

[ozbob]

Sydney Morning Herald --> Do you own Sydney's oldest Opal card? $

On Sydney's trains, buses, ferries and light rail there are two types of people: those who have an Opal card and those who, after debit and credit card payments were rolled out on the network in 2018, haven't thought about theirs in years.

Indeed, as more public transport patrons opt to use their regular card to pay for tickets, the Opal is becoming a rarer sight at the turnstiles.

But a small group of Sydneysiders are in a long-term relationship with their Opal card, holding on to the first pieces of plastic they received when the ticketing system was introduced 11 years ago. ...

[ozbob]

https://x.com/ABCmag/status/1806160534607200633

[ozbob]

Opal fare changes from 1 July

https://transportnsw.info/news/2024/opal-fare-changes-from-1-july

From Monday 1 July, Opal fares across the network will increase by an average of 3.6 per cent, in line with the annual Consumer Price Index (CPI) movement.

What isn't changing:

Weekly travel caps. Weekly fares will still be capped at $50 for Adults and $25 for Child/Youth and Concession card holders, while Seniors and Pensioners with a Gold Opal card will not be charged more than $2.50 per day.

Friday and weekend caps will continue to be half price.

Transfer discounts for switching between modes within 1 hour will still apply.

Short bus and light rail journey fares up to 3km will also remain unchanged.

Changes from July 1:

There will be increases to most Opal fares, single trip tickets and some daily caps. The average impact of the Opal fare change will be a 3.6 per cent increase.

Adult Opal customers will have a daily travel cap of $18.70 Monday to Thursday, and $9.35 Friday to Sunday and public holidays. Child/Youth and Concession Opal customers will have a daily cap of $9.35, and a weekend (including Fridays) and public holidays daily cap of $4.65.

The Sydney Airport Station Access Fee set by the Airport Link Company for customers using the Domestic and International Airport train stations will increase to $17.34 for Adults and $15.50 for Child/Youth, Concessions and Senior fares. Passengers travelling regularly to airport stations can access a weekly access fee cap of $35.16 for Adults and $31.51 for Child/Youth, Concessions and Senior fare paying passengers.

More > https://transportnsw.info/news/2024/opal-fare-changes-from-1-july

[ozbob]

https://x.com/ozbob13/status/1828101515279786175