Get to know more about Opal+

We’re trialling Opal+ to test a new, streamlined way of planning, booking and paying for weekly travel, including paying for public transport through subscriptions, and having the option to include private transport – which is new for transport!

It’s an exciting opportunity to be involved in trialling a new digital product and helping us understand how you – our customers – prefer to travel. The trial will help improve future transport products and services.

The Opal+ trial will run for 12 months; however, you’re not locked into a contract and are free to cancel your subscription at any time. We’ll be in touch to let trial participants know when the trial will finish.

If you travel on multiple types of public transport, in a single journey, and sometimes use private transport services to get to your destination, then Opal+ might be right for you. The trial is also suitable for you if you’re interested in trialling subscription fares for your weekly travel.

We’ll be reviewing registrations of interest to see if you meet the eligibility criteria. Through the information provided in your registration of interest form, we’ll look at if you:

• Travel regularly on public transport services
• Travel occasionally using private transport services, like taxis, rideshare and parking
• Live and travel within the Opal network (Greater Sydney, the Blue Mountains, the Illawarra, the Central Coast, or the Hunter region)
• Use an Apple iPhone (model 6S or later with an iOS 13 operating system) or Android device
• Are open to providing feedback on Opal+ and participating in research if required

If you’re selected to be part of the Opal+ trial, you’ll pay for your public transport fares and optional private transport costs throughout the 12-month trial. When setting up your Opal+ account and selecting your subscription bundle, you’ll need to enter your preferred payment details. You’ll have the option to auto-renew your subscription payment on a weekly basis, or pay as you go.

There are a few ways that the Opal+ trial is different to Opal:

• Opal+ fares are different to the standard Opal fares, as they’re pre-paid, bundled to include the costs for your weekly multi-leg journeys, and calculated based on the distance you travel regardless of the type of public transport you use
• The Opal+ journey planner plans across multi-leg journeys, to include the multiple types of public transport you use in a single journey – from bus, train, light rail and ferry
• You’ll use a digital Opal+ card in your digital wallet, on your smart device to tap on and off public transport, instead of a physical Opal card.

You can change or cancel your subscription any time before to your weekly renewal date.

To change or cancel your subscription, select the 'subscriptions' tab in the Opal+ app. Select 'edit' and follow the prompts.

No, Opal+ is a new way of paying for your public transport journeys on the Opal network. Opal+ fares are different to the standard Opal fares, as they’re pre-paid, bundled for your weekly multi-leg journeys, and calculated based on the distance you travel regardless of the type of public transport you use. You can view the Opal+ subscription bundle pricing here .

The Unlimited anytime and Unlimited weekender bundles are one price, for unlimited travel, either seven days a week or on weekends*.

Journey bundles are calculated based on the distance you travel, from your starting point through to your destination, and based on the number of journeys you choose per week. You’ll pay the one price per bundle, no matter how many types of public transport you use in a single journey. *Travel on the metro, train, bus or light rail on the Opal network. Ferry rides are charged an additional $3.00 per journey.

*When you’ve subscribed to any of the Opal+ subscription bundles and are travelling by train to the Sydney Domestic or International Airport, you’ll pay a Sydney Airport Station Access Fee, as you would when paying with an Opal card, credit or debit card.

The Opal+ subscription bundles are designed to give you flexibility in how you travel, while providing more certainty on how much you pay for regular weekly travel. We know that sometimes plans change, so that’s why you’ll also have the option to pay as you go when you need to.

You can pay as you go with Opal+ when:

• You need to travel further than the 10km, 20km, 30km or 40km distance you’ve selected for your journey bundle – for example, you’ve subscribed to a 10km journey bundle and need to travel further than your regular 10km journey for one day in a week
• You need to make another journey outside of the number of journeys you’ve chosen – for example, you’ve subscribed to a 2 journeys bundle, but need to travel another day in a week
• You need to travel during peak times when you’ve subscribed to an off-peak journey bundle
• You no longer have an active Opal+ subscription.

When you pay as you go with Opal+, you’ll pay the adult peak and off-peak fares outlined below. The maximum you’ll pay with pay as you go fares will be $16.80 per weekday, and $8.40 per day on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays.

Transfer discounts don’t apply to Opal+, as your Opal+ fare includes the cost for the multiple types of public transport you use in a single journey.

Opal+ subscription bundles don’t have daily or weekly caps like Opal fares, as they’re bundled based on the number of journeys you take each week.

Weekly Travel Rewards only apply to standard Opal fares. Instead, Opal+ offers a range of add-ons. You can view the add-ons available through Opal+ here.

If you have subscribed to a Journey bundle and want to catch a ferry as part of your journey, you will be charged an additional $3.00 per journey.

If you’ve subscribed to a Unlimited bundle, the ferry surcharge is included in your bundle price. 

If you’re travelling by train to the Sydney Domestic or International Airport, you’ll pay an Airport Station Access Fee. This fee applies to all payment methods for the Opal network – including Opal+, credit and debit cards, and an Opal card. Station access fees are not included in Unlimited bundles, Journey bundles or pay as you go fares. It is charged by the Airport Link Company who privately-owns the airport stations.

Your fare is calculated at the end of your journey, after you tap off. You can transfer between as many different types of public transport within four hours from when you first tapped on. If your journey is longer than four hours, a second journey will automatically start.

When using multiple types of public transport in a single journey, every transfer between metro/train, ferry, bus or light rail, needs to be within 60 minutes from the last tap off.

The maximum number of transfers you can make within a single journey is seven.
A journey consists of one or more trips on public transport, where transfers between services occur within 60 minutes.

If you’ve subscribed to a journey bundle but need to travel outside of your pre-paid distance, you’ll pay the Opal+ pay as you go fares for any additional travel. You can view the Opal+ pay as you go fares here.

If you don’t have an active Opal+ subscription, or have used up the number of journeys in your journey bundle, you’ll pay the Opal+ pay as you go fares for any additional travel. You can view the Opal+ pay as you go fares here.

Yes, every time you travel on public transport with Opal+ you need to tap on and off with your Opal+ digital card, like you have to with any other way to pay for transport. If you transfer to another public transport service in a single journey, you need to tap on again and tap off at your destination.

If you don’t tap on and off with Opal+, you’ll be charged a default fare, as you would if you didn’t tap off with your Opal card, credit or debit card.

You are free to cancel your subscription at any time. To cancel your subscription, head to the Subscriptions tab in the Opal+ app.

After you’ve purchased an add-on to include in your journey, you can book and pay for your travel:

1. Ola rideshare – You’ll need the Ola app and an Ola account to link to your Opal+ account and receive your Ola credits. You’ll then book and pay for the rideshare part of your journey through the Ola app.
2. Silver Top taxi – You’ll book and pay for the taxi part of your journey through the Opal+ Journey Planner. Your discount will be automatically applied.
3. Secure Parking – You’ll book and pay for your parking through the Secure Parking website and apply your discount code.
4. Beam e-bikes – You’ll need the Beam app and a Beam account to receive your credit. You’ll then book and pay for the cycling part of your journey through the Beam app.

More information on add-ons

You can get a refund if you’ve been charged an incorrect fare. Refunds apply if you were:

• charged a default fare due to a service disruption or equipment outage
• unable to tap on or tap off due to an emergency evacuation, or power or equipment outage
• charged an incorrect fare, including for add-on purchase (see question below).

To request a refund, sign into Transport Connect using your login details you created when you signed up to Opal+ through Transport Connect. View your travel activity and select the incorrect transaction you want to request a refund for.

Your Opal+ subscription and account will be suspended if any additional payments fail.

For example, payments fail for the Sydney Airport Station Access Fee, the $3.00 ferry charge, the extra payment for travelling outside of your journey bundle distance or number of journeys, or payments for your selected add-ons.

If your Opal+ account has been suspended, please check the following:

• If your payment details are correct in the Opal+ app
• If your payment card has sufficient funds  
• If you have unpaid fares
• If your payment card has expired.

You’ll get an email from us about your Opal+ suspension and how you can settle your account. Until you settle any outstanding payments, you won’t be able to travel using your Opal+ digital card or purchase add-ons through the Opal+ app.

If you have any outstanding payments, you’ll receive a notification in the Opal+ app and via email. You can settle outstanding payments by following the prompts through the notification in the Opal+ app.

To download the Opal+ app you need to

1. Confirm you are signed into your Google account on your device
2. Ensure your Google account matches the email address you provided us when registering for Opal+
3. Click the link we provided using the same Google device

If you provided us with an email address not linked to your Google account, we can send a new invite.

Once you have successfully downloaded the Opal+ app you will be able to register your chosen email address within the app.

The Opal+ trial does not support Service NSW Logins at this time.

You have two options to complete your registration for the Opal+ trial.

1. Select the option to ‘Sign up’ in the Opal+ app and provide a new email address not associated with your Service NSW Login
2. Close your existing Transport Connect account that you use with Service NSW login. Please note the account closure process will take a minimum of 10 days. Then you will be able to sign up in the Opal+ app with your SNSW Login email address.

If you have gone directly into TestFlight and clicked “Redeem” you may be asked for a code, this is not required.

All you need to do is click the “View in Testflight” link in the email you have been sent from TestFlight to proceed.

This issue can occur when a new version of the Opal+ app is released and you don’t have auto app updates enabled.

To update the Opal+ app manually, open the TestFlight app and click  the 'update' button next to the Opal+ app.

Currently Opal+ is only supported on one device at a time.

When setting up your account, you will be able to select a device to provision the card.

Should you decide to change your mind later, you can delete the card off the initial device and reprovision your Opal+ card on the other device.

It is not recommended to switch devices during travel as this may affect your fare calculations.