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Sydney Opal Card Unlimited System Wide Transport for $2.50 on Sundays

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Sydney Opal Card Unlimited System Wide Transport for $2.50 on Sundays
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hello007 on 30/01/2014 - 13:36 files.ozbargain.com.au (2355 clicks)
Last edited 30/01/2014 - 18:38

Opal card holders across the entire Sydney Transport network can now enjoy unlimited transport across the network for only $2.50 on Sundays thanks to a new brochure now being distributed and available at rail stations.

The 12-page brochure Opal Card Customer Roll Out (TfNSW General T1 RAIL 14.01.14) - promises unlimited travel to Opal users for $2.50 on Sundays.

Page 4 of the brochure - see pdf image - says:

Sunday $2.50 Travel Cap

A $2.50 cap on Sundays applies to Opal card customers - travel all you want on any mode of transport and pay no more than $2.50.

Theres no mention in the brochure of any exclusions or restrictions to the above statement so it obviously applies to network
wide train, bus and ferry services.

Any attempt to fine anyone relying on this widely distributed brochure would simply not stand up in Court.

Opal cards must be loaded with a minimum of $40 so its a lot of Sundays of fun ahead.

Thanks to Sydney Transport's marketing team for making it clear that Opal card holders can: ''travel all you want on any mode of transport and pay no more than $2.50'`.

Previously only pensioners and travellers with children could get unlimited travel on Sundays for $2.50.

Travel Payment System Ticket

Related Stores

Opal Card - NSW Government
Opal Card - NSW Government

closed Comments

  • SmiTTy on 30/01/2014 - 13:38
    +1

    how would you use it (or get out of the station) where opal cards haven't been implemented yet .. ?

    • YadaYadaYada on 30/01/2014 - 13:42

      You would have to get a paper ticket between the stations that don't have an opal card to those that do. However it means you can catch cheap ferries on Sundays because it's on all the ferry networks.

      If you have a kid though, you can travel with them for 2.50 each on the funday sunday paper ticket they currently have. But you need a kid.

      • mafmouf on 30/01/2014 - 14:36
        +3

        Please post a bargain for a child and I'll consider this deal. Thanks :)

        • Allan on 30/01/2014 - 15:54
          +2

          For every child that you give birth to, the government may give you $3000-5000 :)

    • roughana on 30/01/2014 - 13:44
      +1

      Especially when getting on at a station that does not have opal yet - no ticket/swipe = evasion?

  • retiredfeline on 30/01/2014 - 13:43
    +5

    Not news. This has been available for a while to Opal card holders and where Opal cards are valid. But maybe some people don't know it.

    Other perks people may not realise:

    You can make a transfer where you leave the station and return and be only charged the end to end fare. E.g. at Town Hall I left the station to run an errand on my way to Museum, and I was only charged the fare to Museum.

    If you tap on and then change your mind and tap off at the same station, for a certain period, don't know exactly how long, it regards it as just a cancellation and you are charged nothing.

    • haz on 30/01/2014 - 13:46

      sounds more like a loophole!

      • retiredfeline on 30/01/2014 - 13:48
        +4

        Which is the loophole? The transfer thing is publicised in the brochure. The cancellation thing makes perfect sense. Why would somebody want to enter the station just for the fun of it; it would be a change of mind. In my case I had forgotten to get something at TH Woolies. I discovered this by accident because it was Sunday and I knew about the $2.50 cap so I wasn't worried about being charged two trips, but it turned out to be one anyway.

    • grab_ur_freebies on 30/01/2014 - 14:06
      +1

      If you tap on and then change your mind and tap off at the same station, for a certain period, don't know exactly how long

      60mins

      • retiredfeline on 30/01/2014 - 14:13

        That's the transfer period. This would be a cancellation period.

        • grab_ur_freebies on 30/01/2014 - 14:21
          +2

          Oops, my bad. In a hurry to post & linked the wrong one. I knew I read it somewhere. Its in the FAQs.

          If I tap on and my ferry or train is cancelled, can I cancel my tap on?

          You can reverse your tap on by presenting your card a second time to the Opal card reader at your departure station gate or wharf within 30 minutes of the original tap on.

        • retiredfeline on 30/01/2014 - 14:22

          Thanks!

        • grab_ur_freebies on 30/01/2014 - 14:28

          No problemo!

      • ronnknee on 30/01/2014 - 23:47

        So what happens if you go from Strathfield to Central and return back within 60 minutes?

        • retiredfeline on 30/01/2014 - 23:48

          I think you get charged the shortest single trip. I know I did when I went from Wollstonecraft to Central and back within an hour.

        • ronnknee on 31/01/2014 - 14:07

          That's pretty good for doing quick errands.

        • daver on 31/01/2014 - 22:03

          +what-of 61mins[x2X4] errands{ $18.48/8} > satisfactory to get unmetered•Fri/Sat ?+/- (pre-ticketing *non-sections of course)

    • kaheiyeh on 30/01/2014 - 23:59
      +1

      Ditto. I have been travelling $2.50 max every Sunday with my Opal ever since I got it whenever I'm in the Opal activated areas. Great for a weekend ferry to Manly which normally costs $14.80 return, but only $2.50 on Opal.

      Another perk is if you use the Opal for more than 8 journeys in a week, the rest of the week is free.

  • tinkko on 30/01/2014 - 13:46

    I could not find this information in Opal web site, and interesting to get out of the station, like Blacktown station, …

    • grab_ur_freebies on 30/01/2014 - 14:18
      +2

      If the station you are getting off at does not have Opal implemented yet, you would still have to continue buying a paper ticket. eg. you can tap on at Central, but can't tap off at Blacktown so you would get charged the full default fare. You also would not be able to get through the gates at Blacktown as you can't 'tap off' to open the gates.

      I think the rollout should be complete in western Sydney upto Penrith in the next 3-6mths. Just do want you normally do…

  • roughana on 30/01/2014 - 13:48

    You can make a transfer where you leave the station and return and be only charged the end to end fare. E.g. at Town Hall I left the station to run an errand on my way to Museum, and I was only charged the fare to Museum.

    I wonder how long you get before it is charged as two trips.

    • retiredfeline on 30/01/2014 - 13:49

      IIRC it's 60 minutes but check the brochure.

  • hello007 on 30/01/2014 - 13:49
    -3

    That's where the fun Will start for Sydney Transport staff - system wide.

    They published this text.

    They now have to honour It.

    Otherwise its misleading and deceptive conduct/advertising under the Federal Trade Practices Act.

    Its illegal to boldly advertise an offer and then not honour it.

    Grab some of the brochures - before they pulp them - and simply refer the text to any ticket inspector.

    If you were fined you have a watertight defence court.

    They have created this situation. All you are doing is following their widely advertised promotion.

    If they do fine you lodge a claim for compensation for public humiliation and harassment.

    • retiredfeline on 30/01/2014 - 13:52
      +2

      I think this overridden by the general rule that you must have a valid ticket to travel. No Opal machine = no tap on = no valid ticket.

    • jjcf on 30/01/2014 - 16:27
      +6

      You should probably stop giving bad legal advice. It's hilarious that you think people are going to seek damages in the Federal Court for a $2.50 train ticket.

      'watertight defence court'?! Well, those are certainly law words!@ Case dismissed!

  • hello007 on 30/01/2014 - 13:58
    -1

    Thanks greenpossum.

    The brochure makes no statement that the
    $2.50 unlimited is only where Opal cards are valid.

    It clearly says any mode of transport - no limit, no boundaries.

    That's why It is new.

    They cant make that bold statement and change it In terms and conditions.

    The bold advertised statement carries greater weight In consumer law than some hidden term or condition that opposes the overt advertised offer.

    A judge will look at what a person with minimum education would think after reading the bold offer. That is the standard that would apply.

    It says ''travel all you want''…. no mention of any boundaries.

    • retiredfeline on 30/01/2014 - 14:14
      +4

      Go ahead and test it and let us know how you go.

    • CatseyeHardcast on 30/01/2014 - 14:29
      +2

      It does say you need to be an Opal card customer. If you don't use the Opal Card and therefor tap on, then you are not an Opal Card customer.

    • RandomNinja on 30/01/2014 - 15:42
      +1

      It clearly says any mode of transport - no limit, no boundaries.

      Zomg, any mode of transport?! Stretch Hummer, go!

    • tomclancy on 30/01/2014 - 21:02
      +1

      Only one thing is for sure: you do love using the word 'bold'

  • grab_ur_freebies on 30/01/2014 - 14:25

    Still waiting on them to hurry up & release the concession Opal card.

  • hello007 on 30/01/2014 - 14:48
    +2

    If you tap on at an Opal station on a Sunday and travel anywhere on the network with an active, valid Opal card you should only be charged $2.50 according to the statement in the brochure.

    • retiredfeline on 30/01/2014 - 14:58

      At a non-Opal station, assuming there are no exit barriers, that could be true because if you don't tap off you get charged the max, which is $2.50 for the day, which is how they want it to work in the long run. But you may want to go home and how will you do that without paying more if there is no Opal machine to tap on?

    • CyberMurning on 30/01/2014 - 15:03

      no. anywhere on opal network means two stations with working opal reader -> then you will be charged $2.50 on sundays

      • amkssg on 30/01/2014 - 16:15

        With regards to traveling to a Non-Opal enabled station. Technically, you are not allowed to.

        With regards to fares, there is a fare cap of $15 on monday to saturday, and $2.50 on sunday.
        That means, if you do not tap off, that's the max they can charge you on the respective days.

        So, you WILL NOT be charge more than $2.50 on sunday if you do not tap off.

    • daver on 30/01/2014 - 16:09

      I can see the system will track $2.50 Sunday> 12.00am-11.59pm, beyond such look for RFID tagging in the next implementation. i.e. providing you have not closed the loop.

      • retiredfeline on 30/01/2014 - 16:36

        There's no requirement to "close the loop". You could have made the return trip in a car or taxi for example; perfectly legal. So all Opal fares are single trip fares.

      • daver on 30/01/2014 - 23:41

        But then aside from i.e. providing you have not closed the loop.

        The most expedient outcome could be they permit all holders of Opal through a gate only in lieu a readers have not been facilitated. Objective goal is to have a homologous system, no off-net complaints.

        Should a stopover occur b/w two adjacent stops each reachable by foot, use avail opal/valid transit to complete any segment home. Tap off would then allot 60 min that, prior to 00:00, should carry one home. Else alternatively a tap off-On if at its core, is to replace weekly fare.

        Does anybody even know what is truly for Sunday. Either 2.50 X2/ 2.50 Capped.

        • retiredfeline on 30/01/2014 - 23:51

          Does anybody even know what is truly for Sunday. Either 2.50 X2/ 2.50 Capped.

          $2.50 capped. Forward journey I got charged $2.31, back I got charged $0.19. Further journeys would have been free.

  • gsrt22 on 30/01/2014 - 15:00

    they only have adult fares and no student or concessions.I saw this offer last weak and ordered mine.I had to purchase a40$ card as it was the minimum.it takes a weak for the card to arrive.well only use it on Sundays, as it's adult fares and not concession

    • Save Medicare on 30/01/2014 - 22:43
      -1

      Strong narrative wood read again

  • CyberMurning on 30/01/2014 - 15:02

    what the heck why make it complicated, its clearly valid on opal network only so you cant use opal to travel to paramatta from sydney by train, but ok by ferry (and on sunday you pay only $2.50 eventhough you do 4x return trips)

  • Elppa8 on 30/01/2014 - 15:06

    Also Sunday is used as the last day of the week for the Opal card so if you have done eight journies prior, Sunday will be free.

  • [Deactivated] on 30/01/2014 - 15:13
    +1

    Damn, HURRY UP and expand the OPAL network!

    • grab_ur_freebies on 30/01/2014 - 15:23

      I second that! At least the Opal rollout is nothing like the trainwreck the NBN is…

    • danyool on 30/01/2014 - 17:29

      haha - you said "trainwreck" in a post about trains…

  • hello007 on 30/01/2014 - 15:15

    Thanks erwinsie - But the brochure statement of ''travel all you want on any mode of transport and pay no more than $2.50''(with no other qualification) - clearly means anywhere on the network - not just the Opal network.

    Its crystal clear what it means.

    • mskeggs on 30/01/2014 - 16:11

      Agreed. Not sure why other posters are reading it in a way that is detrimental to their interests.

      • retiredfeline on 30/01/2014 - 16:16
        +3

        Is being wary of being hauled up for fare evasion being detrimental to one's interest? I'd like to see OP's interpretation proved before accepting it as a deal. Any takers?

        In certain situations how would you even prove that you are travelling on the Opal cap? The bus driver is just going to laugh at you if you show the Opal card. The barriers at non-Opal stations won't open for you with the Opal card.

        But why the hurry? The system wide cap on Sundays seems to be something that will come eventually into force, so bring on the rollout.

        • CyberMurning on 30/01/2014 - 16:34
          +1

          well there is also possibility now they do it cheap on sunday because the network is still limited, once all stations are opal capable they might remove this $2.50 or maybe increase a bit.

        • retiredfeline on 30/01/2014 - 16:38

          Usually it's harder to remove a benefit than to introduce it. It may not be a problem anyway, perhaps they've judged that the system is underutilised on Sundays and letting people use what they want won't be more of a load than a normal weekday.

        • gsrt22 on 30/01/2014 - 17:17

          agreed. Opal system is still under test and evaluation, and thats why you can not buy it anywhere in any store, only online, only with $40 min. So This offer is only to promote the card and encourage more people to use it. Once they roleout more stations, they might cancel this offer.

        • Jabba the Hutt on 30/01/2014 - 17:35

          Doesn't strike me as a 'limited time offer' sort of thing in the context of the Family Funday Sunday ticket having now been established for five years. This merely extends it to non-family passengers.

          No doubt the government loses more revenue from the heavy discounts than they gain from increased patronage, though. I guess their rationale for it was positive PR, and perhaps the side benefit of a mildly stimulatory economic effect, encouraging more people to get out and about on Sundays, spending money at NSW businesses in the process.

        • retiredfeline on 30/01/2014 - 18:00
          +1

          Bear in mind that the cost to the state government may not be as much as people think. There is already a cap on weekly cost and Sunday services are probably underpatronised anyway.

          On the plus side this may encourage people to go out on Sundays with already mentioned economic benefit overall.

        • BlueElephant on 30/01/2014 - 20:53

          Not that hard. In Melbourne, myki had $3.50 a day cap on weekend on all public transport. From this year it is increased to $6. So enjoy the "bargain" while it lasts.

        • retiredfeline on 30/01/2014 - 21:28

          It's a bit different up here. The $2.50 cap has a predecessor in the Family Funday ticket. They will obviously raise the price over the years since this is really easy with electronic tickets, but they can't make too big a jump or the families and pensioners will be up in arms. The rises are likely to be also smaller increments, not round figures, and more often. Just like the tolls.

    • CyberMurning on 30/01/2014 - 16:32
      +1

      but the brochure is OPAL brochure not whole sydney rail one, so it is for their own network only. when you read taronga zoo brochure, you wont everything to apply for a remote zoo in alaska, do you?

  • Yabadabadoo on 30/01/2014 - 16:54
    -3

    Looks like this is for concession's not regular adult tickets. See top of pic/brochure under the OPAL logo. Would need the whole brochure to see how its set out but it seems this is from a concession section.

    • YadaYadaYada on 30/01/2014 - 17:08

      It's for all passengers in theory, but at the moment you can only get adult opal cards.

  • hippo2s on 30/01/2014 - 17:01
    -2

    Not a deal. That is the normal cheaper Sunday price.

    • gsrt22 on 30/01/2014 - 17:19
      +3

      the cheaper Sunday can only be used if you have a child. This offer is for everyone.

      • TimApple on 30/01/2014 - 23:54

        Yup, thinking of making a child, but apparently it costs a lot of money, so I decided that it's not worth the savings for now.

    • CyberMurning on 30/01/2014 - 17:26
      +2

      yes if you are single you can travel (on OPAL NETWORK ONLY) ALONE, on SUNDAY for $2.50, without need to borrow neighbour's kid

  • hello007 on 30/01/2014 - 17:41

    To add weight to the bold statement that it's all you can travel on Sundays - the brochure's inside front page features the following opening words in large bold font:

    "A new electronic ticketing system accessed with the Opal Card is being introduced across the public transport services of Sydney, the Blue Mountains, Central Coast, Hunter, Illawarra and Southern Highlands to make travelling an easy and convenient customer experience."

    Add those words to the page 4 statement: ''A $2.50 cap on Sundays applies to Opal card customers - travel all you want on any mode of transport and pay no more than $2.50''(with no other qualification) - and it clearly means travel ANYWHERE on the network.

    They describe the transport catchment in their opening words - then they use the words "travel all you want".

    The intent of the communication is clear.

    The practicalities of its implementation will be interesting.

    Find me a judge anywhere in Australia who will interpret it any other way and I'd be amazed at the logical gymnastics he would need to engage in!

    • retiredfeline on 30/01/2014 - 18:16

      You seem to put great store on the fact that the sentence doesn't mention other conditions but there are conditions of carriage that form the overall framework to this offer. The relevant condition would be having a valid ticket which you won't have if you didn't tap on. Imagine how unwieldly the text would be if every sentence had to carry all the conditions.

      But as I said please put this to the practical test instead of hypothesising about a court "finding in. your favour", damages, yada yada.

      • jjcf on 31/01/2014 - 10:23
        +1

        He is certainly keen to use that Bachelor of Internet Lawyering that he got from Groupon.

    • tomclancy on 30/01/2014 - 21:09

      @hello007, do you sue people often? Were you raised in the US? You seem very passionate about taking trivial matters to court

      • hello007 on 31/01/2014 - 16:30

        Thanks apate.

        Have never sued anyone.

        However, I don’t see anything trivial about Sydney Transport, which operates under a Minister of the Crown, then:

        1. Publishing misleading and deceptive advertising statements (travel all you want for $2.50)

        2… to entice up to four million Sydney residents to purchase an Opal card (minimum $40)

        3…. Then ambush and fine those residents up to $300 each because they followed the bold, advertised promise and travelled ''all they want'' anywhere on the network.

        I don’t see anything trivial in that at all.

        Sydney Transport would obviously enjoy the potential $120 million in fines if all of Sydney followed it's brochure promise to the letter.

        Trivial?

        Not in my book. :-)

        Thanks for the feedback anyway.

  • hello007 on 30/01/2014 - 18:36
    -1

    Thanks greenpossum.

    Yes - you do, of course, need a valid Opal card and then tap on to activate the card for that day.

    Then you can, according to the brochure, travel unlimited.

    That satisfies your valid ticket requirement.

    The conditions of carriage cannot be diametrically opposed to the bold advertised promise - otherwise it's misleading and deceptive advertising - according to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.

    It's up to the service provider to ensure this does not happen.

    For further reading on this aspect please view the ACCC website:
    http://www.accc.gov.au/consumers/misleading-claims-advertisi…

    Sydney Transport cannot use its fine print to escape its bold advertised promise in its brochures - it's up to their lawyers to ensure this does not happen.

    From the ACCC link above:

    Fine print and qualifications

    It is common practice for advertisements to include some information in fine print. This information must not contradict the overall message of the advertisement. For example, if an advertisement states that a product is ‘free’ but the fine print indicates some payment must be made, the advertisement is likely to be misleading.

    So you can't advertise "travel all you want" with a valid Opal Card for $2.50 and then impose a restriction on that - unless that restriction is clearly stated in the actual bold promise or highlighted in a way an average reader can easily access and understand.

    If they had written "travel all you want only on Opal activated services/stations" or similar - then that would be different and the limits would be clear.

    As it stands Sydney Transport has created for itself a nightmare of confusion across the network with these brochures and the "all you want" statement.

    • retiredfeline on 30/01/2014 - 18:39
      +2

      Please test it or report it to ACCC then.

  • Iwantthatbargain on 30/01/2014 - 20:15
    +3

    I had called Opal customer service few weeks ago with this query, they told me that the $2.50 is only for the zone where Opal card is accepted (as well as on Ferry) they said I could be fined if caught.

  • hello007 on 30/01/2014 - 20:31
    -1

    Therefore:

    "Sunday $2.50 Travel Cap

    A $2.50 cap on Sundays applies to Opal card customers - travel all you want on any mode of transport and pay no more than $2.50."

    … is a misleading and deceptive statement.

    And Sydney Transport should be made pay compensation to ANY customer who relies on this bold advertised, widely distributed promise and is subsequently humiliated, harassed and fined by transport inspectors.

    The people who control this organisation are paid well in excess of $100,000 plus per year to logically think through such marketing materials.

    It's their failure - not the customer's.

    They should compensate anyone adversely affected by their failure.

    If a retail store, airline, or bus company tried this sort of trick they would be publicly slammed for their marketing incompetence.

  • scynaz on 30/01/2014 - 21:16
    +13

    It says travel all you want,it doesn't say travel anywhere you want. No judge is going to listen to you.

    Anyway, some general tips from someone who uses Opal daily.

    • The $2.50 cap on Sunday has been there since Opal was introduced, it has been valid on ferries for quite a while, making Sunday perfect for those Manly or zoo trips. The expanded network makes it a lot more useful of course.

    • As someone mentioned, you can take a break in your journey of up to 60 minutes and it counts as one trip. You'll realize how incredibly awesome it is - if I am meeting someone for lunch for example and have to travel in the city, say Martin Place to Central and back, I pay $2.31. With a regular off peak return ticket it's $5. It's also perfect for quick shopping trips, grabbing a bite etc.

    • The other awesome thing is all travel after eight trips is free. I am really not sure if that includes ferries, but I don't see a disclaimer that it doesn't. So if you work in the city, you can take minimum fare trips for $2.31 and reach the cap Wednesday afternoon. So you can use minimum fare trips to hit eight trips for as little as $18.48. Compare that to the cost of a my multi 2 of $54 now iirc

    • You can't buy return tickets any more that let you come back in the afternoon peak. But what you can do is make as many off peak journeys as possible in the first eight, and then travel free even during peak hours. peak times = 0700-0900, 1600-1830.

    • You CANNOT recharge your card at the ticket window. Most stations have a news agent or something around where you can recharge, but it's easiest to top up online.

    • Having lived in another city with a similar system, I suggest buying a couple of extra opal cards and keeping them at home for visitors from outside Sydney - will save them a huge amount of trouble. The card is free, you just have to recharge with at least $40 the first time to get the card.

    • Never forget to tap off, especially at stations with no ticket gates like Wollstonecraft. Otherwise you get charged the maximum fare of $8+. You can however use the card even if the balance is under $8 if you have enough for your journey.

    • The daily cap of $15 is a lot better than whatever they charge for daily passes ($16?), especially because you don't have to pre plan and buy the daily pass.

    • Being able to change your plans midway through a journey is an absolute godsend. Nothing pisses me off more than having to buy a new ticket if I had to get off midway.

    • Off peak fares for single train tickets. On paper tickets the discount is only for return tickets.

    What you lose:

    • buying an off peak return train ticket at 9:01 AM and being able to return during afternoon peak hours. You won't be paying that much more though for one off peak + one peak trip.

    • No flexible weeklies. The opal week always starts on monday and ends on sunday, unlike the ability to buy weekly tickets whenever you want. Also no equivalent to getting eight days of travel if your first trip is after 3pm. Long weekends mean you might not hit the eight trip cap, so you spend the same as a normal week.

    • Privacy. Somewhere in a government owned computer there is going to be a record of every journey you ever took. Right now, there is no way of buying Opal cards anonymously. The best you could do I guess is use a pre paid credit card and a fake name and have it delivered to a po box, and then recharge from shops with cash. If this doesn't worry you, it should.

    • forumninja on 30/01/2014 - 23:00
      +4

      Great post.

      Avoid triggering the automatic top up when your balance goes under $10 (that $10 balance is triggered when you have $18 or less - what happens is the system deducts $8 from your card when you tap on. If your balance falls under $10, top up will be triggered).

      Instead before you hit the automatic top up, you can go top up at a newsagent or another Opal place using your ING PayPass 5% cash back card. My preference is at Woolworths Townhall or Wynyard because if you recharge $40 you can also receive a 4c fuel discount plus Everyday Rewards/Qantas points.

      I'd like to keep the automatic top up there just in case I don't have the time to go to manually top up.

    • Hansi on 31/01/2014 - 01:15

      Something I understand is different:

      You can't compare the weekly travel cap with the mymulti, it is more like the mytrain ( after 8 train rides, you will still need to pay for the ferry, up to the weekly max. of currently $52 ).

      Please correct me if I'm wrong.

      • forumninja on 31/01/2014 - 07:17

        That is incorrect. After 8 journeys (it can be train, bus or ferry), you can take any mode of transport for free.
        I have tested this - 8 train trips (journeys) Monday-Thursday, then on Friday the ferry was free.

    • Jared17 on 25/02/2014 - 22:29

      +1 vote for a informative post. Thanks

  • FrugalPoodle on 30/01/2014 - 22:13
    +4

    Map of the train rollout so far, valid from 31st January 2014.

    I recommend saving it to your mobile to take with you. :)

    • OZGE on 30/01/2014 - 22:47

      Thanks!!

  • retiredfeline on 31/01/2014 - 00:01

    I did encounter one techno glitch though, next time they ask me to do the survey I'll mention it.

    I tapped off at a station but the barrier suddenly closed before I could go through. Tapping again got the response: already tapped off. So I had to go to a gate with a guard and show him the message to prove that I had tapped off.

  • hello007 on 31/01/2014 - 00:27

    Thanks scynaz:

    I beg to differ.

    Travel ALL you want means the ENTIRE system.

    The judge would agree with this interpretation unless he uses a dictionary from an alternate universe!

    From Dictionary.com:

    Definition of ALL:

    ALL
    [awl]
    - adjective
    1. the whole amount or number of
    - pronoun
    2. the whole quantity; everything
    - noun
    3. one's whole energy or property
    - adverb
    4. entirely

    • Yarkin on 31/01/2014 - 07:55

      That's quite a bold definition.

    • suti on 31/01/2014 - 08:37

      Get off your high horse.

      The document says you have to be an 'opal card customer'. Your judge will tell you that to be a customer you will need to validly 'tap on' and then validly 'tap off'. You won't be a customer by just tapping on.

  • hubertlam on 31/01/2014 - 10:12

    I'd hate to say, but you've been living under a rock.

    This "bargain" has been there for > 1 year since the original Neutral Bay ferry trial.

    • roughana on 31/01/2014 - 10:42
      +3

      Well someone missed the opportunity of informing the rest of us until now.

  • Carpe Diem on 31/01/2014 - 11:27
    +1

    Definitely not a new scheme but I'm still amazed at how few people actually use Opal. Most people on the ferry are still paying & queueing for tickets. Tourists are understandable but in rush hour traffic!?

    If you make 8 trips a week on the ferry (Where I do 10 for work), then my travel is always free after this. So at weekends I reguarly catch the ferry from Neutral Bay > CQ & then hop on the train to Central and it costs me diddly squat. Lovely :)

  • wortho on 31/01/2014 - 12:17

    When Opal is rolled out to the Airport stations I wonder if the $2.50 sunday rule will apply to those stations! It will also be interesting to see what they charge on weekdays to tap off at the airport.

    • retiredfeline on 31/01/2014 - 12:22
      +1

      Covered? In your dreams perhaps. The two airport stations have always attracted a surcharge. I wonder how they will calculate the price. Probably the part up to Mascot is capped but the surcharge is added on top.

  • Niggly on 31/01/2014 - 15:14

    https://www.opal.com.au/en/fare-information/Default-fare/

    "Currently you should only use your Opal card if you start and finish your journey on a Customer Trial bus routes 594-594H North Turramurra or Hornsby to the City, route 333 North Bondi to Circular Quay, at one of the 17 train stations between the CBD, Bondi Junction and Chatswood, or on 40 ferry wharves across the Sydney Ferries network.

    If you tap on at an Opal activated train station but travel to a station not active for the Opal card, a default fare is deducted by the system."

    It is interesting that the word "should" is used rather than "must".

    There is not the slightest hint given here of any illegitimacy in travelling to non active destinations, provided you "tap on", which lends a good deal of support to the OPs views IMHO.

    • retiredfeline on 31/01/2014 - 15:24

      Sure, but as I have explained before, you'll have to use a station with no barriers, or talk to the staff. And also how will you use Opal to get home from that station? So what do you gain?

      • Niggly on 31/01/2014 - 15:43

        Fully agree. For return journeys from destinations where you can't tap on you'd need to get a paper ticket, either home or to another station on the Opal network so you could tap on and continue your journey without further charge. Definitely inconvenient but no obstacle for committed OzBargainers.

        • retiredfeline on 31/01/2014 - 15:50

          You could probably use this to save on a long journey to an unattended non-Opal station, and hope that there are no ticket inspectors on the train on the sections not covered by Opal, otherwise you'd have to give a justification along the lines you did and hope it passes muster.

        • Niggly on 31/01/2014 - 16:43
          +1

          Also agree.

          I've had a further idea which may be of interest to those among us who are athletic (and stingy).

          At one time you could purchase a paper ticket from a different station than the point of commencement of a rail journey (for instance from the ticket office at Blacktown for a journey from Strathfield to Blacktown).

          If this is still possible, you could "pre-ticket" any partial return journey over a non-Opal section of the route and on your way home, you could jump off the train as soon as the doors open at the first Opal station, rush to "tap on", rush back to rejoin the train and continue your journey. Obviously, the practicality of this idea is dependent on the location of the Opal card reader and the fitness of the traveller.

        • retiredfeline on 31/01/2014 - 16:49

          Very professional. :)

    • Niggly on 31/01/2014 - 18:46

      … later I found that the implicit is contradicted by the explicit:

      https://www.opal.com.au/en/faqs/#

      Can I use my Opal card on any bus, train or ferry service?

      You can use your new Opal card only on those transport modes and routes that have been enabled for the Opal card. If you need to travel to stations or on buses that have not yet been activated for Opal, or on light rail, you will need to have a separate paper ticket until those routes or modes accept the Opal card.

      This is also the case even if you have reached the Daily Travel or Weekly Travel Reward.

  • Niggly on 01/02/2014 - 00:43

    http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/nsw/consol_reg/ptr2007339…

    PASSENGER TRANSPORT REGULATION 2007 - REG 76

    Valid smartcards

    76 Valid smartcards

    (1) A smartcard is valid for travel on a particular journey only if:

    (a) the smartcard has been successfully processed for the journey or could have been successfully processed but was not able to be for reasons beyond the control of the person making the journey, and

    (b) the smartcard is being used in accordance with the terms and conditions for its use published by TfNSW in the Gazette, and

    (c) the journey is on a route or railway line that TfNSW has designated from time to time, by order published in the Gazette, as a route or railway line for which a smartcard may be used.

  • hello007 on 01/02/2014 - 11:42

    Thanks Niggly - its execellent information.

    But it needs to be clearly disclosed with the bold advertised ''travel all you want… for $2.50'' promise.

    Otherwise its misleading and deceptive conduct either involving or sanctioned by the following:

    1.NSW Government
    2.A Minister of the Crown - the Transport Minister.
    3. Sydney Transport
    4. Sydney Transport's marketing team
    5. Transport inspectors
    6. Potentially the NSW Police If they fine someone relying on the brochure promise.

    Maybe this is a grand conspiracy to entrap customers and generate fines that should be referred to ICAC for investigation?

    • retiredfeline on 02/02/2014 - 18:28

      referred to ICAC

      I think before you start waving your war hatchet you need to distinguish between ACCC and ICAC. :P

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