The new Opal: Cashless payments for trips set to be expanded

We’re sorry, this feature is currently unavailable. We’re working to restore it. Please try again later.

Advertisement

This was published 6 years ago

The new Opal: Cashless payments for trips set to be expanded

By Matt O'Sullivan and Clancy Yeates

The payment of public transport trips by using a credit card or mobile phone is expected to be expanded to Sydney's ferry fleet as early as February, following successful trials on services between Manly and Circular Quay.

The likelihood of a quicker-than-expected rollout of electronic payment technology could open the way for the system to be expanded across Sydney's public transport network by the end of next year.

Sydney's ferries will be the test for cashless payments for trips across other public transport networks.

Sydney's ferries will be the test for cashless payments for trips across other public transport networks.

The Manly ferry route has been the testing ground for commuters to use Mastercard credit and debit cards to pay for their journeys to and from Circular Quay since July.

The so-called contactless technology is expected to be rolled out to light rail services after the city's ferries, and then to the much larger rail and bus networks.

The cashless payment trial will involve an upgrade of the Opal ticketing system.

The cashless payment trial will involve an upgrade of the Opal ticketing system.Credit: Janie Barrett

Transport for NSW declined to confirm when contactless payments would be expanded but said the trial on the Manly ferry services "continues to be a success".

"Since the technical trial was launched in July, the technology has remained stable and customer feedback has been extremely positive, with users finding the new payment option intuitive and easy to use," a spokeswoman said.

"The trial will continue to run through 2018 to allow Transport for NSW to gather data to inform decisions around any further expansion of contactless payments on other services and modes of transport."

The use of credit cards will make it easier for tourists and infrequent users of public transport, allowing them to avoid queues to buy single tickets or top up Opal cards.

Advertisement

The cost of a journey using credit cards or mobile phones is the same as an Adult Opal single-trip ticket, and will eventually be expanded beyond Mastercard to other credit card companies.

Transport technology company Cubic made provisions for a future upgrade of Opal to accept credit card payments when a $1.2 billion contract to operate the system was signed in 2010.

The Opal ticketing system was first trialled on the Neutral Bay-to-Circular Quay ferry route in late 2012, before it was expanded across all modes of transport over the following two years.

The state's Opal ticketing system is modelled on London's Oyster card.

Transport users in London can still use their Oyster cards but, from 2014, have been able to use contactless debit and credit card payments for buses, trains and underground public transport services.

To date, about 1 billion journeys have been made using debit and credit cards, and mobile phones. About 40 per cent of pay-as-you-go travel in London is now made using contactless methods.

Cubic operates London"s Oyster and contactless ticketing, and recently won a $US573 million ($752 million) contract to introduce a new fare system in New York.

Most Viewed in National

Loading