Gold Opal discounts go contactless for Newcastle seniors

newy.com.au – Charlestown MP and Minister for Seniors Jodie Harrison says up to 800,000 seniors and pensioners can now access discounted public transport fares by tapping on with a bank card, phone or smart watch instead of a physical Gold Opal card.

From Tuesday, eligible passengers can open a Transport Connect account online, add their Seniors or Pensioner Concession card details and link a credit or debit card. They will continue to receive capped fares of $2.50 a day and $17.50 a week when using the linked payment method.

For eligible Novocastrians, the change will make it easier to use public transport around Newcastle or travel to Sydney without having to remember a separate Gold Opal card. Passengers who prefer the physical card can continue using it.

“Public transport is a vital service for seniors, helping them to independently travel in a way that is safe, affordable, and accessible,” Ms Harrison said.

“This is about making it easier for them to tap on and tap off like everyone else but still be able to access their seniors concession fares of $2.50 a day, and pay no more than $17.50 per week.”

Ms Harrison encouraged seniors to register themselves or seek help from family or friends.

“I’d encourage seniors to sign up, or ask family or friends to help you, so that even if you don’t have your physical card, you won’t have to forego your discount,” she said.

The contactless concession rollout began with students, apprentices and job seekers in mid-April. Almost 8000 concession holders have signed up over the past three months, while Transport for NSW modelling predicts between 30 and 40 per cent of seniors and pensioners will switch to contactless payments over time.

Minister for Transport John Graham said the option would give Gold Opal passengers greater flexibility without removing the existing card.

“This is a great win for hundreds of thousands of Gold Opal travellers who can now access their travel discounts with a swipe of their phone,” Mr Graham said.

“We also know many of our Gold Opal card holders love using the physical card – and we want to assure them that it isn’t going anywhere.”

The contactless concession system is the first stage of Opal 2.0, a broader overhaul that will include real-time public transport information, screens on buses, real-time bus tracking and patronage data, an improved Opal app, upgraded integrated event ticketing and digital Opal cards that can be added to devices.

About 25,000 new Opal readers will be installed across rail, metro, bus, light rail and ferry services, replacing readers that have been in use for more than a decade and have reached the end of their working life. Detailed design work is progressing after contracts for the new ticketing and bus technology systems were signed.

Transport for NSW Secretary Josh Murray said the expansion meant about 970,000 passengers, including tertiary and TAFE students, trainees, apprentices, seniors and pensioners, could use contactless concessions.

Retired insurance professional Chris Grant said he planned to use the option after previously forgetting his wallet and Gold Opal card.

“I even forgot to take my wallet and my Gold Opal card with me the last time I travelled on public transport, which meant I had to pay full fare, so I’ll definitely be using this contactless option from now on,” he said.

The Opal network stretches from Newcastle across the Hunter to Scone and Dungog, south through the Central Coast to Sydney, west to Bathurst, south-west to Goulburn and down through the Illawarra and South Coast to Bomaderry.

Opal fare increases have also been frozen for the next 12 months. The current daily and weekly fare caps are: