Opal rolled out to more train stations
Sydney’s electronic public transport ticket scheme has been rolled out to 55 more train stations. Source: AAP
SYDNEY’S electronic public transport ticket scheme has been rolled out across more train stations, making cheaper fares available to about half the city’s train users.
From Friday, the Opal ticket can be used at 55 more stations between Wyong, Strathfield and the city loop, on all ferries and two bus routes, transport minister Gladys Berejiklian told reporters at Redfern station.
“This will really change the way (people) catch public transport,” she said.
Fares on the Opal card have been discounted by between 13 and six per cent.
A single trip from Newtown or Lewisham is $3.80 with a paper ticket but this drops to $3.30 for an Opal peak fare and $2.31 for off-peak Opal users.
And after eight journeys in a week additional travel is free.
“At least 90 per cent of our customers have the potential to be better off,” Ms Berejiklian said.
About 56,000 Opal cards have been registered and more than two million trips have been made using them.
If Friday’s rollout “goes without a hitch” further expansions of the system could be brought forward, Ms Berejiklian said.
The Opal ticket system is expected to be in place across all networks by the end of the year.
GREEK WORLD MEDIA 