Saving a few dollars getting to Syd airport...

[SydneySwan]

$10, with $10 credit.

Where do you get cards for $10 from? I was at Town Hall yesterday and the 'pop-up' stall there said minimum load was $20. My local newsagent also said I had to charge with $20 as well.

 

[moa999]

Some Convenience stores are saying minimum $10, others minimum $20.

 

[QF WP]

Where do you get cards for $10 from? I was at Town Hall yesterday and the 'pop-up' stall there said minimum load was $20. My local newsagent also said I had to charge with $20 as well.

carwashhair was responding to Kangol's question

How much does an unregistered Opal card cost? How about the minimum opening balance?
I seem to recall something similar in Vic for the Myki cards....

$10, with $10 credit.

I was told the same thing when getting an unregistered Opal at one of the newsagencies at the Airport last week. However, I decided on the maximum $50 credit to start.

 

[clarkkent]

So just to be clear, you can use a freshly-bought $10 card to catch the airport train? From a quick look at the Opal site it looks like the minimum balance to tap on ($2.31 during off-peak and $3.30 during peak) is independent of the station access fee. Thus surely for the time being no one should have to pay more than $10 to use the airport train. Wonder how long until they impose a deposit - surely they don't want every rational user discarding their unregistered card when the balance becomes negative.

 

[Ewing]

So just to be clear, you can use a freshly-bought $10 card to catch the airport train?

At the airport you can't - it won't let you tap on (and auto top-up doesn't work at the airport either).

I haven't tried it going *to* the airport.

 

[moa999]

So just to be clear, you can use a freshly-bought $10 card to catch the airport train? From a quick look at the Opal site it looks like the minimum balance to tap on ($2.31 during off-peak and $3.30 during peak) is independent of the station access fee. Thus surely for the time being no one should have to pay more than $10 to use the airport train. Wonder how long until they impose a deposit - surely they don't want every rational user discarding their unregistered card when the balance becomes negative.

To be specific,
When leaving FROM the airport the effective minimum balance is $14.91 in off-peak, and $15.90 in peak (which as mentioned by Ewing can cause issues if top-up hasn't triggered. That said I have read reports that you can topup at airport station - albeit not confirmed)
You are otherwise correct.

 

[clarkkent]

Ahh ok, thanks.

 

[SydneySwan]

To be specific,
When leaving FROM the airport the effective minimum balance is $14.91 in off-peak, and $15.90 in peak (which as mentioned by Ewing can cause issues if top-up hasn't triggered. That said I have read reports that you can topup at airport station - albeit not confirmed)
You are otherwise correct.

So it looks like you can only get a cheap fare 'TO' the airport as all the other stations will have fare minimums of 2.31 and 3.30. carwashhair has certainly managed a cheap fare to the airport (see post 200).

 

[moa999]

Some things best left unsaid

 

[QF WP]

Surely they are already aware of any large number of unregistered Opals with negative balances that are "tapped off" at the airport stations...

 

[SydneySwan]

You would think so but I don't think the IT systems / processes are too flash. I had cause to ring up the Opal call centre yesterday as my eldest son had forgotten to tap off his card first time he used it on a bus. As an experiment I had tried to solve it by raising a query on the website but the resulting correspondence from them was nonsensical so to sort it out I phoned. Phone operator quickly sorted it out so I asked him to close the web cases that I had raised it and he said he couldn't even access that system. Then he said the web cases would close automatically anyway!

 

[medhead]

I believe the gate at the airport won't open if the balance goes negative. Well 50% of my experiences match that behaviour. If you do get through the gate the card will be charged the default fee of $8.80 peak or $5.67 off peak.

As for $10 trips, the weekly gate fee cap of $21.60 (or something like that) means a weekly return trip is close to $10 each way already. The gate fee cap also make using same day lounge access possible on the day you arrive in Sydney for minimal cost. I've considered a dinner trip but after a 4am start by the time 6pm rolls around I just want to get to the hotel.

Woolies offer top ups in $10,20,40 and $60 amounts. Not sure about $50 or higher than $60. But definitely not $30.

 

[Buzzard]

I believe the gate at the airport won't open if the balance goes negative. Well 50% of my experiences match that behaviour. If you do get through the gate the card will be charged the default fee of $8.80 peak or $5.67 off peak.

As for $10 trips, the weekly gate fee cap of $21.60 (or something like that) means a weekly return trip is close to $10 each way already. The gate fee cap also make using same day lounge access possible on the day you arrive in Sydney for minimal cost. I've considered a dinner trip but after a 4am start by the time 6pm rolls around I just want to get to the hotel.

Woolies offer top ups in $10,20,40 and $60 amounts. Not sure about $50 or higher than $60. But definitely not $30.

Do they take the EDR card when topping up the Opal?
Might as well get a few extra points and for some it could just keep the FF acount active.

 

[carwashhair]

Do they take the EDR card when topping up the Opal?
Might as well get a few extra points and for some it could just keep the FF acount active.

From what i've been told, yes!

 

[medhead]

Do they take the EDR card when topping up the Opal?
Might as well get a few extra points and for some it could just keep the FF acount active.

Yes, my $53 shop last night with $40 top up earned me 21 QF points according to the docket. I'm puzzled by the 2 point difference. I also got 3x Amex MR points for the purchase.

But apparently not all Woolies do top ups. Fortunately, my local Sydney Woolies does.

 

[markis10]

Woolies offer top ups in $10,20,40 and $60 amounts. Not sure about $50 or higher than $60. But definitely not $30.

All the retailers offer topups as per the following amounts:

• Adult Opal card: $10, $20, $40, $60, $80, $100 and $120
• Child/Youth Opal card: $5, $10, $20, $30, $40, $50 and $60

 

[Buzzard]

All the retailers offer topups as per the following amounts:

• Adult Opal card: $10, $20, $40, $60, $80, $100 and $120
• Child/Youth Opal card: $5, $10, $20, $30, $40, $50 and $60

In ADL topups are in $5 increments with a maximum $200 balance on your card.
Much more flexible I think.

 

[Kangol]

In ADL topups are in $5 increments with a maximum $200 balance on your card.
Much more flexible I think.

You can top-up an Opal card in SA?

 

[Fantic125]

To be specific,
When leaving FROM the airport the effective minimum balance is $14.91 in off-peak, and $15.90 in peak (which as mentioned by Ewing can cause issues if top-up hasn't triggered. That said I have read reports that you can topup at airport station - albeit not confirmed)
You are otherwise correct.

You can top-up at the Airport Station (Domestic) via the ticket windows. The machine resides with the cashier closest to the turnstiles.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

We are all on one and the same system, in relation to ADL public transport as for getting to and from the airport, nothing like o, its more expensive because the airport is privately owned, and people going to and from the airport (in SYD (stations), can afford to pay more to get to it and from it-Sydney Airport that is).
ADL is egalitarian, same as PER domestic. ADL and PER public and airport travellers pay the same fare, to and from the airport, as like others in the zone.
Of course, we can't physically top up Opal in ADL, unless you do it online via the Opal website.
If the state govts of Aust's states were on the same ball park, we would have one and the same public transport ticketing system for all states of the nation!