Charging and Payment Apps and other methods

[Quickst]

Hotels I have stayed at have pre-authed as much as $250 to cover minibar and bathrobe raiders.

And hotels typically do an authorisation hold for up to a month.

low balances on debit cards

And I've heard low balances on Transport NSW Opal cards - a tap on at start of journey causes a negative balance but allows travel. The user then just dumps the negative balance opal card

 

[Vostok]

And I've heard low balances on Transport NSW Opal cards - a tap on at start of journey causes a negative balance but allows travel. The user then just dumps the negative balance opal card

That loophole was closed in early 2019. It was a chronic problem at the Airport stations which have a unique ‘access fee’ of about $17. People would tap on somewhere in the train network with sufficient balance to get off somewhere else, but not at the airport stations, where they would go massively negative then toss the card.

Now, if the balance would go negative attempting to tap off at one of the Airport stations, people are forced to top-up at the machines to a sufficient balance to allow them to exit. Those stations are staffed at all times, so people can’t jump the barriers either for example. Opal cards purchased at the Airport stations also must have a minimum balance of $35 rather than the usual $10.

For all other trips, the balance at tap-on must be positive and sufficient to cover the minimum fare on that transport mode.

 

[dronus]

That loophole was closed in early 2019. It was a chronic problem at the Airport stations which have a unique ‘access fee’ of about $17. People would tap on somewhere in the train network with sufficient balance to get off somewhere else, but not at the airport stations, where they would go massively negative then toss the card.

Now, if the balance would go negative attempting to tap off at one of the Airport stations, people are forced to top-up at the machines to a sufficient balance to allow them to exit. Those stations are staffed at all times, so people can’t jump the barriers either for example. Opal cards purchased at the Airport stations also must have a minimum balance of $35 rather than the usual $10.

For all other trips, the balance at tap-on must be positive and sufficient to cover the minimum fare on that transport mode.

I found this fascinating when I visited Sydney for a week of very boring meetings.

I decided that rather than staying out where the meetings were I’d stay in the CBD, much more comfortable and the choice of eateries was incredible.

Also, rather than sit in a cab or Uber for hours it made sense to catch the train as it would be 1/4 of the commute time leaving more time more coffee, and the train stop was opposite where I was going.

To my surprise when buying a ticket you told the machine where you were getting on and off, and that determined the fee. In Adelaide you validate your ticket and you could be going one stop or all the stops.

One morning when I got off we all lemmings’d it up over the overpass and everyone was swiping their cards. I had a paper ticket so I kept walking. A big burly security guard pulled me aside and started assuming I was evading the fare. When I showed him the ticket and said I was from interstate he let me go but by then we had slowed down the exodus and I was getting the stink eye from other passengers.

I think only the city and the end stations in Adelaide have swipe things, the other stations are free game to bail out at if a ticket inspector gets on. I don’t catch public transport much but when I used to there were certain people that would just get off/on the bus without swiping and no one was game to question them

 

[Lachlan Smith]

Sydney no-longer has station to station tickets with Opal. Just tap on, and tap off*.

*Except when catching the Manly ferry where you only tap on.

 

[dronus]

Sydney no-longer has station to station tickets with Opal. Just tap on, and tap off*.

*Except when catching the Manly ferry where you only tap on.

So if I’m visiting I need to get an opal card?
Hope they are recyclable!

 

[moa999]

Better you can tap on off with any common debit credit card.

Opal still has single use tickets (which are smart tickets made of paper) and can be tapped off like a normal Opal card, but not recommended as they are much more expensive and not available at all places.

Before Opal, Sydney had magnetic tickets and the famous 200+ button rail machines.

The Sydney system has always been distance based as it's huge.. not just Sydney as well, the system extends into Newcastle and Wollongong.

 

[RichardV]

So if I’m visiting I need to get an opal card?
Hope they are recyclable!

You can tap on and off with a credit or credit style debit card.

 

[dronus]

You can tap on and off with a credit or credit style debit card.

Ohh that’s even better! Thanks for the heads up!

 

[Vostok]

Also, rather than sit in a cab or Uber for hours it made sense to catch the train as it would be 1/4 of the commute time leaving more time more coffee, and the train stop was opposite where I was going.

If travelling to the airport by myself, I always catch the train. Not only is it waaaay cheaper than a cab or Uber, but paying $17 is fantastic value for not having to listen to a taxi driver for half an hour! Or not listening to the radio station they are tuned to, which is almost always 2GB.

 

[dronus]

If travelling to the airport by myself, I always catch the train. Not only is a waaaay cheaper than a cab or Uber, but paying $17 is fantastic value for not having to listen to a taxi driver for half an hour! Or listening to the radio station they are tuned to, which is almost always 2GB.

Yeah that was really cool, I got on a train in the cbd and got off basically inside the airport. Very cool. We don’t have anything like that here. Our cabbies would blockade it forsure.

 

[Quickst]

So if I’m visiting I need to get an opal card?

No

You can tap on and off with a credit or credit style debit card.

Yes but the physical card is not required - just use the contactless payment function on your preferred smart phone
In fact Apple (and likelySamsung ) has an express transit setting when you can tap on tap off without faceID or similar authenticaton. Just tap.

Apple/samung/ Pay for EV charging sessions if DCFC cannot incorporate plug and charge tech

 

[Vostok]

This is getting rather off-topic but if you are eligible for any form of travel concession in NSW, you still need to apply for the relevant Opal card. Using your smartphone or credit card charges the adult fare.

 

[SPadival]

Yeah that was really cool, I got on a train in the cbd and got off basically inside the airport. Very cool. We don’t have anything like that here. Our cabbies would blockade it forsure.

I have walked to the next station (Mascot) once. Walkable distance from the domestic airport. No station access fee. Also, there was a bus from the Melbourne international terminal to Broadmeadows train station. Wouldn’t advise doing either of these at night

 

[Vostok]

I have walked to the next station (Mascot) once. Walkable distance from the domestic airport. No station access fee.

That’s a 1.8km walk, which is a fair hike with luggage. I haven’t been to the airport for a while, but with the recent massive roadworks there and the Sydney Gateway being built, I can’t imagine that has been designed with the intention of improving access for people who want to get to and from the airport by walking!

 

[cafz]

*Except when catching the Manly ferry where you only tap on.

No fare discount if you get off half way!

 

[cafz]

The Sydney system has always been distance based as it's huge.. not just Sydney as well, the system extends into Newcastle and Wollongong.

Yeah I think the longest distance you can go on the commuter trains is Scone to Goulburn, about 540km by rail?

 

[PC__LoadLetter]

Yeah I think the longest distance you can go on the commuter trains is Scone to Goulburn, about 540km by rail?

Not Goulburn.

Bathurst (228.7km) is slightly further from Central by rail than Goulburn (224.9km via the main line or 215km via East Hills). The Bathurst Bullet wins this race. Perhaps the only race it ever wins!

 

[RichardV]

Not Goulburn.

Bathurst (228.7km) is slightly further from Central by rail than Goulburn (224.9km via the main line or 215km via East Hills). The Bathurst Bullet wins this race. Perhaps the only race it ever wins!

I think what @cafz was referring to was how far on a single trip. Not single train service.

 

[Quickst]

Bathurst

Albury

 

[RichardV]

Albury

Can't get to Albury on an Opal card. Context from a few posts up.