Minister for Transport Gladys Berejiklian recently announced thousands of students will be able to tap on with the Concession Opal Card in February next year – giving students access to cheaper and more convenient travel on public transport.
The NSW Liberals & Nationals Government has now completed the rollout of Opal on all trains, buses, Sydney Ferries and light rail, and more than 1.5 million Adult, Child and Gold Senior/Pensioner Opal cards have been issued.
Ms Berejiklian said five major tertiary institutions had already signed up to be part of the Concession Opal Card rollout, paving the way for thousands of students to start tapping on with Opal from February next year, in time for O-Week.
“I am pleased we have been able to start the rollout of the Concession Opal card from early next year, so students can take advantage of Opal’s benefits, including cheaper fares, weekly travel rewards and the convenience of never having to queue for a ticket again.
“More than 250,000 students will be eligible to apply for the Concession Opal card which offers a 50 per cent discount on the already cheaper Opal fares, making Opal cheaper than the current concession paper tickets students use.”
So far eligible students from the following tertiary institutions will be able to apply for their Concession Opal card from early next year, with more institutions expected to come on board:
- University of NSW
- Notre Dame University
- Macquarie University
- Navitas English
- Australian Catholic University
Tertiary institutions are getting their systems ready for electronic ticketing and working with Transport for NSW to ensure their students are part of the rollout.
To apply for a Concession Opal Card, students need to:
- Enrol in a participating tertiary institution
- Fill out relevant forms with their tertiary institution to confirm Concession Opal eligibility
- Apply for a card on the Opal website or over the phone
Tertiary students can contact their university for more information, and when their institutions comes on board, Opal cards can be ordered 24/7 from opal.com.au or over the phone by calling 13 OPAL (13 67 25).
Concession Opal card fares – tertiary students:
| Trains | Peak | 0-10 kms | $1.69 |
| Trains | Peak | 10-20 kms | $2.10 |
| Trains | Peak | 20-35 kms | $2.41 |
| Trains | Peak | 35-65 kms | $3.23 |
| Trains | Peak | 65 kms | $4.15 |
| Trains | Off-peak | 0-10 kms | $1.18 |
| Trains | Off-peak | 10-20 kms | $1.47 |
| Trains | Off-peak | 20-35 kms | $1.68 |
| Trains | Off-peak | 35-65 kms | $2.26 |
| Trains | Off-peak | 65 kms | $2.90 |
| Buses | All day | 0-3 kms | $1.05 |
| Buses | All day | 3-8 kms | $1.75 |
| Buses | All day | 8+kms | $2.25 |
| Light rail | All day | 0-3 kms | $1.05 |
| Light rail | All day | 3-8 kms | $1.75 |
| Sydney Ferries | All day | 0-9 kms | $2.87 |
| Sydney Ferries | All day | 9+ kms | $3.59 |
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