*Opal Card INFRASTRUCTURE roll-out progress ONLY*

[kypros1992]

Infrastructure Overview Latest Update 4th July (last one)

Opal activated:
All services expect regional trains, some regional bus companies, coaches and private ferries

Timeline of Opal:
- April 2010: NSW Labor Transport Minister David Campbell announces a new contract with Cubic Constructions for a new electronic ticketing system after the failed Tcard project
- September 2011: Transport Minister Gladys Berejiklian announces that Sydney’s electronic ticketing system will be called Opal after 665 names were considered
- Early 2012: New ticketing consoles are installed on private buses in Sydney
- February 2012: New ticketing poles are installed at Sydney train stations and ferry wharf's removing the previous ‘iron cover’ stands intended for the Tcard
- June 2012: New ticket barriers (similar to ones used on the train network) are installed at major Sydney ferry wharf's. With these, new ticket barrier indicators are also installed replacing the old LED ones
- October 2012: Opal Card is discussed in the TfNSW Transport Masterplan that it will be NFC capable and will reduce the number of existing ticketing types
- Late 2012: Opal Card readers are installed at Neutral Bay wharfs and some STA buses are fitted with Opal Card bases
- December 2012: Opal Card officially launches with a trial rollout starting on the Neutral Bay line first
- April 2013: Customer Trial extended to the Manly ferry service (HCF)
- June 2013: Customer Trial begins on the City Circle and Eastern Suburbs Line
- August 2013: Customer Trial extended to remaining HCF lines and the North Shore Line up to Chatswood
- September 2013: Customer Trial begins on buses for the first time with 594/594H as the first route
- December 2013: Customer Trial extended to route 333
- January 2014: Customer Trial extended to Strathfield, Epping, Hornsby, Gosford and Wyong
- February 2014: Customer Trial extended to Carlingford, Casula, Penrith, Richmond and Olympic Park
- March 2014: Customer Trial extended to all Sydney Trains stations
- April 2014: Customer Trial extended to all NSW Trainlink stations, Child/Youth Opal card made available and rollout extended to Region 12 and some Nightride and Waverley services
- June 2014: Customer Trial extended to Region 14 and Region 5
- July 2014: Customer Trial extended to Region 3, 5 and 9, advertising campaign launched and anonymous cards available at pop-up kiosks
- August 2014: Opal extended to Regions 1, 8, 10, 11 and Outer Metropolitan Region 8 and anonymous cards available at retailers
- September 2014: Various MyZone tickets are retired including MyTrain Off-Peak Returns and MyFerry TravelTen. Opal extended to Outer Metropolitan Regions 2 and 4
- October 2014: Opal extended to Regions 2, 6, 15 and Outer Metropolitan Regions 6 - 8
- November 2014: Opal Senior / Pensioner Card released, Various Newcastle Buses & Ferries tickets are retired and Opal extended to Newcastle STA, Region 7 and Outer Metropolitan Regions 9-10
- December 2014: Opal extended to Light Rail - rollout officially "complete" (as per media release)
- Feb 2015: Opal Top Up Machines (first stage), Opal Ticket Barriers and Opal Concession being to roll out
- Dec 2015: IPART announces a major review into Opal fares. Final decision to be handed in mid-2016
- Jan 2016: All MyZone tickets (expect single ride) retired. Opal school cards begin to roll out
- Apr 2016: Transport staff cards being to roll out and start of the Opal Ticket machine (second and third stage) being to rollout
- Aug 2016: Magnetic-stripe tickets retired. Opal transition complete

[Daniel]

On private buses Opal compatible ticket consoles have been installed at Oliveri's Metro-link, all Veolia Transdev depots, CDC in the Hunter, Bonnyrigg, Girraween and Bundeena Maianbar Bus Service so far. I am sure others have been fitted, but we are yet to have been advised here. STA will be the last to be fitted.

[hornetfig]

They've been doing market research on the card and the readers too. What pitch do you like the "ding" of a valid read? (apparently they're currently fond of a tone that's deceptively similar to a tram's bell). Does "activate" or "register" read better on the card's instructions. That sort of nonsense.

[boxythingy]

They've been doing market research on the card and the readers too. What pitch do you like the "ding" of a valid read? (apparently they're currently fond of a tone that's deceptively similar to a tram's bell). Does "activate" or "register" read better on the card's instructions. That sort of nonsense.

Know how one could take part in this?

[boronia]

Ask someone who gets to contribute to radio station ratings.

[Simes]

I wonder where they'll do some real world testing? Last time it was meant to be punchies and K areas (I guess at the corresponding railway stations too)

[hornetfig]

Know how one could take part in this?

Umm, I can ask. Wait a few days and let me see (assuming I don't forget!)

[boxythingy]

Know how one could take part in this?

Umm, I can ask. Wait a few days and let me see (assuming I don't forget!)

Oh, thanks

[crimsontide]

I wonder where they'll do some real world testing? Last time it was meant to be punchies and K areas (I guess at the corresponding railway stations too)

Role out will start July on the ferries, if memory serves me correctly

[kypros1992]

awsgc24 from Railpage confirms new poles are been installed on North Shore Line (http://www.railpage.com.au/f-t11366973.htm)

[kypros1992]

Blackadder from Railpage says that Artarmon will be one of the trail stations for Opal.

Correct..on the Shore, Artarmon is going to be a trial station if my memory serves me correctly.

I'm assuming that the lines taking part in this trail will be the Northern Line and North Shore Line

[whodyanickabollockov]

Sound: Wouldn't a simple 'beep' work? Is there any real need for a study into a pleasing sound? One 'beep' for acceptance and a possible quick series of 'beeps' for non-acceptance i.e. invalid, not working, reading etc.

As for the fare structure it should remain the same and similar to London's zoning the trains should stay they are but include everything else within.

The MyMulti should be scrapped as this should all be integrated regardless and all forms of transport should be included. Structure should be based on the current map found at http://www.cityrail.info/tickets/pdf/my ... re_map.pdf
and the ticket structure should be simple:

Zone 1 ticket
Zone 1-2 ticket
Zone 1-3 ticket

All transport should be accessible with this ticket (bus, train, tram, ferry). The tickets can be bought monthly, fortnightly or on a top-up basis and if the later is used then a simple 'one day travel pass' cost is applied for multiple trips. How can a modern city divide its transport system by your ticket? Everything should be on the one ticket with no exclusions.

If paying for a single journey with cash on a bus it should be a flat fare regardless of distance being traveled or direction and a 'continuation of journey' system applied for transfers onto another bus as the current 'section' system is purely guess work by both driver and passenger and you can say goodbye to a Travel10 in a few days at the moment.

[Andrew]

I personally much prefer the Translink QLD zone system - a larger number of more discrete zones is more equitable I think.

[Geoff]

On private buses Opal compatible ticket consoles have been installed at Oliveri's Metro-link, all Veolia Transdev depots, CDC in the Hunter, Bonnyrigg, Girraween and Bundeena Maianbar Bus Service so far. I am sure others have been fitted, but we are yet to have been advised here. STA will be the last to be fitted.

Slight correction if I may - most CDC buses in Sydney have had the ticket machine base installed - as yet to have the actual machine installed.

Geoff.

[crimsontide]

Blackadder from Railpage says that Artarmon will be one of the trail stations for Opal.

Correct..on the Shore, Artarmon is going to be a trial station if my memory serves me correctly.

I'm assuming that the lines taking part in this trail will be the Northern Line and North Shore Line

Nope will be selected stations on a number of lines.

[Rick R]

Some suspicious holes appeared on the platform at Pymble Station today.

I'd prefer the tones from the old Family Feud TV show being used. A plesent sound when the pass reads correctly, and gives off a loud 'Duh-Daa' sound if your pass isn't valid

[boxythingy]

The register tones should be one of the three notes that make up the cityrail chime. ie. 3 consecutive Opal validations will make up the cityrail chime.

Also, Does anyone know if the OPAL card will still validate even if it stays in your wallet or contained in something that's not significantly thick?

[kypros1992]

Some updates:

- Poles have been installed at North Strathfield
- Old T Card Infrastructure has been removed from the Carlingford Line

The current count:

West Ryde: 4 poles concourse, 3 poles platform 3
Meadowbank: 6 poles platform 1, 3 poles platform 2
Rhodes: 3 poles concourse, 1 pole platform 1 (not sure if this is correct)
Concord West: 2 poles platform 1, 3 poles platform 2
Nth Strathfield: 3 poles platform 1/2, 2 poles platform 3

[crimsontide]

The register tones should be one of the three notes that make up the cityrail chime. ie. 3 consecutive Opal validations will make up the cityrail chime.

Also, Does anyone know if the OPAL card will still validate even if it stays in your wallet or contained in something that's not significantly thick?

That's still to be decided by the powers that be.

[swtt]

Rhodes: 3 poles concourse, 1 pole platform 1 (not sure if this is correct)
Concord West: 2 poles platform 1, 3 poles platform 2
Nth Strathfield: 3 poles platform 1/2, 2 poles platform 3

There are 3 poles on the Concord Road side as well, just as you enter the unpaid area of the station.

[Fleet Lists]

Also, Does anyone know if the OPAL card will still validate even if it stays in your wallet or contained in something that's not significantly thick?

That's still to be decided by the powers that be.

More likely time and experience will tell.

[boxythingy]

Some Railpage users have noted that the technology is no different to that of MyKi and other similar systems which shouldn't hinder it from working.

[Connex]

Some Railpage users have noted that the technology is no different to that of MyKi and other similar systems which shouldn't hinder it from working.

If it's anything like myki, some credit cards with RFID chips can affect the reader and throw up a "Multiple Cards detected" message.

[boxythingy]

What are these on the barriers?

[Fleet Lists]

Where?