SYD International Airport to Domestic/Mascot by train on Opal

[Quickstatus]

It was pretty stupid really, to be charged only 15 cents more when I got out at the other end.

So tapping off did not work and you were stuck train-side?

 

[JohnK]

Opal cards can go into negative, never buy an auto top one. When it's negative throw it and get another.

This used to occur a lot with the Go cards in Brisbane even with $5 deposit. Now deposit is $10 and doesn't occur as often but still occurs if the train fare is high enough.

 

[Aussie_flyer]

Yes full reusable opals available at the ticket booth at the airport stations

 

[medhead]

So tapping off did not work and you were stuck train-side?

No, tapping on did not work. I noted the balance when topping up, and also the fare charged when I finally got to destination (CBD). The fare was 15 cents more than the balance before I topped up.

 

[awaywithfairies]

From the airport station the opal is also looking for the gate fee, so you need to have about $16.38 (or whatever the amount) on the card. I got rejected last week travelling from domestic airport with $16.23 on the card - or whatever the amount, basically 15 cents short of the fare.

I've had something similar happen to me last year. I had about $14 on the card when I tried to tap on at the Domestic Airport and was rejected. I have automatic top-up enabled on my card so I thought the tap on would trigger a $40 top-up and, by the time I got to my destination (an hour long trip), I'd have sufficient balance to cover the fare. But, apparently, it doesn't work that way.

I had to go to the ticket booth where they added $10 to my card to enable me to tap on and, when I got to my destination, another automatic $40 top-up was triggered.

 

[Mattg]

Does anyone know how much a trip from International to Wolli Creek would cost using an Opal card?

 

[moa999]

Does anyone know how much a trip from International to Wolli Creek would cost using an Opal card?

Adult
$13.40 gate fee plus $3.36/2.38 (peak/off-peak)
Concession
$12 gate fee plus $1.68/1.19

Free if you walk.
Or 400 Bus to Banksia/Rockdale

 

[Mattg]

Adult
$13.40 gate fee plus $3.36/2.38 (peak/off-peak)
Concession
$12 gate fee plus $1.68/1.19

Free if you walk.
Or 400 Bus to Banksia/Rockdale

Hmm. Seems like a rip-off indeed.

I do this trip often, but always walk. I think I'll keep doing so.

 

[medhead]

I thought Wolli Creek would be discounted like Mascot is discounted.

 

[moa999]

I thought Wolli Creek would be discounted like Mascot is discounted.

Nope. Not an exclusively Airport Line station (although the platforms were substantially altered) - its a transfer station like Central. The only discounted stations are Mascot and Green Square.

 

[moa999]

Also note that from Monday, 5 September, Opal Changes take effect.

No more 8 then free, instead 8 then 50%.
But to make up for it, a $2 intermodal transfer benefit...

So.
Domestic - Mascot - Wynyard by bus/train using Opal will become
$3.48 peak ($3.38+2.10-2.00), $2.46 off-peak (2.36+2.10-2.00)

International - Banksia - Wynyard by bus/train using Opal will become
$4.30 peak ($4.20+2.10-2.00), $3.04 off-peak (2.94+2.10-2.00)

No changes if paying the gate fee.

Effectively means if stepping off a train/ferry you can transfer to a short 0-3km bus route for next to nothing (10c) when using Opal.

 

[CaptJCool]

Nope. Not an exclusively Airport Line station (although the platforms were substantially altered) - its a transfer station like Central. The only discounted stations are Mascot and Green Square.

The discounted stations are subsided by the NSW Govt. was a pork-barrelling decision in 2011 by the then Premier of NSW KK Who was also the local electorate member !

No Cookies | Daily Telegraph

Sydney Airport rail travel: new fees proposed
80% of airports 28,000 workforce drive to work - the access fee was keeping the, on the road.

The idea behind this was to STOP road congestion

 

[moa999]

Not really pork barrelling anymore given the bulk of gate fees go the government now

 

[kpc]

Also note that from Monday, 5 September, Opal Changes take effect.

No more 8 then free, instead 8 then 50%.
But to make up for it, a $2 intermodal transfer benefit...

So.
Domestic - Mascot - Wynyard by bus/train using Opal will become
$3.48 peak ($3.38+2.10-2.00), $2.46 off-peak (2.36+2.10-2.00)

International - Banksia - Wynyard by bus/train using Opal will become
$4.30 peak ($4.20+2.10-2.00), $3.04 off-peak (2.94+2.10-2.00)

No changes if paying the gate fee.

Effectively means if stepping off a train/ferry you can transfer to a short 0-3km bus route for next to nothing (10c) when using Opal.

Unless I have a lot of luggage, I usualy catch the 400 bus to Mascot from the Domestic terminal, and then catch the train onwards. ..so the new changes will make it cheaper

 

[m535607]

In the past when I had a large suitcase I would get a train to Mascot on my Opal Card for $3.38 peak. Then I would purchase a paper ticket from the machine from Mascot to International for $9.40. I could still do this but I believe from the website of Sydney trains the fare on Opal from Mascot to International is only $8.78 or $7.76 off peak if I used a different Opal card. However I have never tried it as I don't want to be charged $16 plus when I got to International if they charged the full gate fee. I also did the same on reverse ie paper ticket from International to Mascot then Opal to home. Has anyone post 1 August done Mascot to Domestic or International on Opal or reverse and can advise what was actually charged to Opal account?

 

[Cryptarcadian]

I believe from the website of Sydney trains the fare on Opal from Mascot to International is only $8.78 or $7.76 off peak if I used a different Opal card. However I have never tried it as I don't want to be charged $16 plus when I got to International if they charged the full gate fee

If you use two different Opal cards for city-Mascot and Mascot-airport, that definitely works. The gate pass component for Mascot/Green Square to/from the airport is $5.40. And that would be totally legitimate as you're paying the regular fare of each portion of that trip.

 

[CaptJCool]

All those $12 add up. $1.3 million
Opal card loophole costs NSW government $1.3 million in lost revenue

 

[ozbeachbabe]

All those $12 add up. $1.3 million
Opal card loophole costs NSW government $1.3 million in lost revenue

Too bad. If the fares were reasonable to begin with people wouldn't do this. When Governments sell off infrastructure like this to private enterprise of course commuters will be charged extortionate fares.

 

[JohnK]

Too bad. If the fares were reasonable to begin with people wouldn't do this. When Governments sell off infrastructure like this to private enterprise of course commuters will be charged extortionate fares.

And Gocard has a loophole in favour of the enterprise.

Paid $1.28 for Toowong-Milton then continuing journey got train to Eagle Junction and changed to Airtrain and was charged another $21. :shock: I had free travel te Eagle Junction and from there should only be $18 to domestic but the fare was calculated on full journey. It's a joke.

Won't be that one again in a hurry.

 

[Quickstatus]

In 2014 GB told commuters to exploit opal loopholes

PM - Loopholes exploited in Sydney's Opal ticketing system 12/12/2014