Saving a few dollars getting to Syd airport...

[Kangol]

Just enjoyed a city-int'l airport trip on opal today for the princely sum of $3.10 today. To work out how, combine tapping on with 'minimum fare' value on cards, with principles learned on this site for Brisbane's Go Card (specifically airport to GC train)...

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....

 

[carwashhair]

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.

 

[Denali]

I received my Opal card this week and tried it for the first time. Either they changed the sections or the bus drivers have been overcharging me $1.30 per trip ($1.50 with Opal discount).

 

[carwashhair]

I received my Opal card this week and tried it for the first time. Either they changed the sections or the bus drivers have been overcharging me $1.30 per trip ($1.40 with Opal discount).

I read that opal bus fares still use roughly the same sector lengths as currently, except they are calculating the distance 'as the Crow flies' rather than by road distance. So some bus fares at stops around each section/zone may end up cheaper.

 

[moa999]

Section points are manual per the route maps but meant to be approx 1km per section.

As mentioned Opal is GPS with categories of 0-3km,3-8km and 8+km.

Generally you will end up in the same or cheaper zone with Opal.
Some exceptions eg. 333 Bondi Junction Interchange to Bondi Beach Terminus is about 3.2km but only 2 sections (all other stops on route are <3km)


The other BIG advantage of Opal on buses is the ability to transfer on buses (tag off to tag on on each transfer must be under 60min)
So you can go A-B-C-D and pay a single fare (if as B,C,D are within 3km of A you will pay $2.10 for example, if D was 3-8km, you would be charged $2.10 initially then an additional $1.40)

 

[Kangol]

$10, with $10 credit.

Thanks, still trying to work out how to get it down to $3.10 in one hit.
Unless you buy a $10 card, take a trip and get it down to a low balance (positive), then take your airport trip putting it into the negative and throw the card away?

 

[medhead]

The one rubbish thing is transfers between bus and train. They charge the full cost of both fares. But they count as one trip and not two trips.

 

[markis10]

The one rubbish thing is transfers between bus and train. They charge the full cost of both fares. But they count as one trip and not two trips.

Agree, totally stupid.

 

[moa999]

Agree it appears stupid,
but it is simply mimicing the existing paper ticket system. Hopefully once Opal is fully rolled out and paper tickets removed, they can do some real reforms.

For the moment it is done just to get the weekly cost up to more like a MyMulti1 for those who do a Bus-Train, or Train-Bus trip 5x weekly.
Otherwise the weekly spend would be cheaper for the multi-trippers.

 

[medhead]

My multi might be something. Thing is I used to buy a tentrip ticket for the bus and separate paper ticket to the airport. Opal is more expensive than the travel ten for the bus plus then I'm missing out on another trip towards the weekly cap.

Hope for some future improvement.

 

[QF WP]

Was talking to markis10 today about my upcoming Sydney trip on Monday, looks like I am next to buy an Opal card

 

[markis10]

Was talking to markis10 today about my upcoming Sydney trip on Monday, looks like I am next to buy an Opal card

The train station has them, also relay in QF and another store at QF arrivals.

 

[QF WP]

Pity that I am flying VA this trip , but I have some spare time before my first appt so will head to the QF one

 

[moa999]

My first $0 trip to International today (at my week cap).
Train to Rockdale, then 5min wait for 400 bus to International. Got me there about 10min later than the Airport train would have.

If I combine it with $6 Myki Saturday that will be $55 door to door with two hours in the QF FL.

I should note that not all 400 buses take Opal yet as it is split between a few depots not all of which have been converted, but given the pace of the rollout should be done within about a month

 

[QF WP]

Got my Opal card at the Newslink in VA Domestic terminal.



Loaded with the max ($60) and noticed it cost me $14.91 for the trip to Wynyard - that's a nice saving over the previous method. Very similar to BNE touch on and off. Plenty of Opal people at Wynyard Concourse signing up people

Now have Qld, NSW and Vic travel covered.

 

[medhead]

$14.91 - off peak. I was sitting in the VA lounge when you did that...

 

[Buzzard]

My first $0 trip to International today (at my week cap).
Train to Rockdale, then 5min wait for 400 bus to International. Got me there about 10min later than the Airport train would have.

If I combine it with $6 Myki Saturday that will be $55 door to door with two hours in the QF FL.

I should note that not all 400 buses take Opal yet as it is split between a few depots not all of which have been converted, but given the pace of the rollout should be done within about a month

So what happens if you get on a bus (any bus) that does not take Opal?

 

[moa999]

So what happens if you get on a bus (any bus) that does not take Opal?

Theoretically you are meant to buy a ticket.

Only certain routes are listed as Opal and the 400 is not yet one of them - the rollout across the 5,000+ buses in Sydney is only about 50-60% complete.
https://www.opal.com.au/en/where-can-i-use-it/what-services-can-i-use-it-on/bus_routes_with_opal/
Unless a bus has an Opal sticker there is no requirement for the driver to accept Opal, albeit YMMV

That said I believe the 400 is mostly operated by W depot (which has been Opal enabled for 2 months) and K depot (which started conversion last week, and should be almost done by the end of this week)

 

[JessicaTam]

Got my Opal card at the Newslink in VA Domestic terminal.

Loaded with the max ($60) and noticed it cost me $14.91 for the trip to Wynyard - that's a nice saving over the previous method. Very similar to BNE touch on and off. Plenty of Opal people at Wynyard Concourse signing up people

Now have Qld, NSW and Vic travel covered.

SA have a card. About $4 to or from the airport to the city.

 

[Thalius]

So what happens if you get on a bus (any bus) that does not take Opal?

You have to pay then =(

If the bus has opal stickers and it's a route that's meant to have Opal activated, the bus driver will normally let you on for free though.