30.03.2021
2 min read

Sydney commuters to earn Opal card credit for using other transport services

A 12-month trial open to thousands of commuters is set to begin in the middle of the year. Here’s how it will work.

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Sydney commuters will have access to world-leading technology that will allow them to use a digital Opal card to get credit on their account when they transfer to public transport from rideshare services.

Transport Minister Andrew Constance said 10,000 people would trial the ground-breaking technology from the middle of the year.

“Up to 10,000 Opal digital card users will be able to pay for an Uber, a fixed-fare Ingogo taxi trip or a Lime bike journey using their Opal card.

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“If they then catch public transport within 60 minutes they will receive a credit to their Opal account of up to $3,” Constance said on Tuesday.

“We know how convenient using one card is and this is just the beginning. If the trial is successful we will look into rolling it out across the network and we’ll be inviting other providers to get on board too.”

The trial will be available to 10,000 customers. Credit: AAP

Uber Australia’s General Manager Dom Taylor said the trial was “a fantastic example of how government and industry can work together to deliver better ways to move people from A to B”.

“Sydneysiders can ... now use Uber to take the stress out of getting to and from a public transport hub and be rewarded for it as well,” he said.

As part of the trial My Fast Ferry customers will save 10 per cent on their ferry fare during peak times and 25 per cent when travelling off peak.

Transport for New South Wales has partnered with Mastercard, Commonwealth Bank of Australia and EML Payments Limited to deliver the 12-month Opal digital card trial.

The trial was launched as part of the Future Transport Technology Summit.