Extra 60 Opal top-up machines should make life easier for bus users in regional NSW
Bus users in New South Wales will soon be better catered for with the number of payment machines at stations to increase three-fold.
The roll out of Opal top-up machines is now extending from more than 30 locations to almost 100 bus and train stations around NSW.
NSW minister for transport and infrastructure Andrew Constance says the extra 60 machines will go live at bus and train stations in the coming weeks, and make it easier for customers to top-up.
“Opal has transformed the way people catch public transport, putting an end to Sydney’s ticket queues,” he says.
“These 60 extra top up machines will make it even more convenient for customers.”
The new machines will go live at suburban Sydney stations including Campbelltown, Liverpool, Cabramatta, Fairfield, Holsworthy, Revesby, Merrylands, Mount Druitt, Padstow, Riverwood, Blacktown, Seven Hills, Marrickville and Petersham this month.
The move also sees a real emphasis put on the regions, with new machines installed at Sutherland, Thirrou, Hamilton and Katoomba over the next month or so.
Existing machines allow customers to top-up their Opal card using a debit or credit card, but are not set up to take cash payments just yet – but will be reconfigured to do so next year.
If customers can’t find a machine, they must either call 13OPAL, top-up online or find a retailer who tops-up Opal cards, but with just 100 machines state-wide – there is a definite need for more machines in more areas.
Close to 350 additional machines will be rolled out across bus and light rail stops, train stations and ferry wharves early next year.
More than 5,000 buses have been fitted with Opal live card scanners across NSW at this point and about eight million trips a week are taken with Opal across all modes.
The single-payment Opal Card system introduced across the network last year has seen 3.2 million cards issued so far and a huge 320 million journeys taken.