Opal Card Fare Issues

[jpp42]

This Opal card is going to take a bit to fix up!

http://i.imgur.com/P953TgR.jpg

[boxythingy]

The staff member at the TSG at Ashfield refused to serve me, after I said that I wanted to top up my Concession Opal with $5. She told me that the minimum top up amount was $20. Are they allowed to do this? Rest assured, I submitted a complaint about this ridiculous situation.

Sneaky fares
http://www.news.com.au/finance/money/bu ... 7981871222

[Fleet Lists]

I suggest you read https://www.opal.com.au/en/get-an-opal-card/top-up/

[simonl]

A top up machines allows $10 top ups.

[boxythingy]

I suggest you read https://www.opal.com.au/en/get-an-opal-card/top-up/

[Fleet Lists]

That should answer your question - so why ask in the first place?

[boronia]

Comment recently in Column 8 of the SMH:

"I have a Gold Opal card," writes John Kirkland, "and recently used it to travel from Kirrawee to Miranda and return. Curiosity caused me to check how much it cost for each of these short trips. Kirrawee to Miranda cost $1.18, but, to my surprise, the return trip cost $1.32. I realise that this totals the $2.50 maximum under the seniors entitlement, but why the difference? Was it because the train was travelling uphill on the return journey? If this happens on my short journey, what happens to full fare-paying passengers on longer trips who don't check the amounts they are charged?"

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/comment/column-8/ ... z3vHaXmF89
Follow us: @smh on Twitter | sydneymorningherald on Facebook

[simonl]

Probably the return trip was in peak hour.

[Daniel]

Not that it is at all relevant, but it is downhill from Kirrawee to Miranda.

[jpp42]

Not that it is at all relevant, but it is downhill from Kirrawee to Miranda.

Technically correct, the best kind of correct

[Newcastle Flyer]

That should answer your question - so why ask in the first place?

Because according to Boxythingy, the station assistant" (or whatever the PCB title is these days!) said that he can only top up with a minimum of $20.

[Fleet Lists]

He asked whether the assistant who was not a station assistant, was correct or not - the answer was obvious - No he was not correct. So why did he need to ask? His complaint appears to be valid.

[boxythingy]

The issue here is, the people working in third party retailers can be anyone. Anyone who does not know about the minimum top up amounts! No accountability because they are not directly employed by TfNSW.

[andy_centralcoast]

There's also another issue that's recently come to light with many of these retailers adding extra surcharges for Opal topups. So you ask for a $20 top up and they charge you $21 for it.
http://www.news.com.au/finance/money/bu ... 7981871222

[Geo101]

There's also another issue that's recently come to light with many of these retailers adding extra surcharges for Opal topups. So you ask for a $20 top up and they charge you $21 for it.

It only seems to be when a credit card is involved, I've only seen one place which had a surcharge for using a debit card.

It's pretty common that larger organisations such as the supermarkets offer and/or absorb credit card fees for any purchase amount, smaller places not so much.

http://www.news.com.au/finance/money/bu ... 7981871222

That newspaper article talks about Circular Quay which has two top-up machines available, one at the train station and one near the ferry wharfs.

[moa999]

There's also another issue that's recently come to light with many of these retailers adding extra surcharges for Opal topups. So you ask for a $20 top up and they charge you $21 for it.
http://www.news.com.au/finance/money/bu ... 7981871222

I suspect the fee that a retailer gets from TfNSW (I believe 2.5%) is below some credit card fees (particularly Amex) for a convenience store operation,

Suspect TfNSW doesn't really care - they would prefer people to use auto top-ups or machines, where they don't have to pay a commission.

[Newcastle Flyer]

What fare band would this be in?

1. First bus straight line distance = 2 km in say a east-ish direction, then walk about 200 metres to another bus stop in a north-ish direction, then the second bus straight line distance = 500 metres?

Ie: Because you're transfering at a different stop, would it be counted as 1 or 2 trips?
OR would it be calculated as the total distance of 2.7 km?

2. If you have two ways of going by bus, and the longer way you need to change to another bus, is the Opal fare straight line distance of A to B plus straight line distance of B + C.

OR is it just the straight line total of your STARTING point to your DESTINATION?

EXAMPLE:

The shortest route, for Westfield Kotara to John Hunter Hospital (JHH) = the 0 - 3 km band, but what if you do the below instead = 2.67 km?

Longer Route: 1st Bus = Westfield Kotara to Charlestown (Pearson St) = 2.87 km, 2nd bus = Charlestown (Pearson St) to John Hunter Hospital = 4.43 km?

[moa999]

One journey. Changing bus stops pretty common.
Straight line distance A-C so probably closer to 2.5km

[Newcastle Flyer]

Moa, I've added an example.

[simonl]

Board bus 1 from A to B
Board bus 2 from C to D
Fare: A to D

AIUI.

Pretty interesting if there's a fast ferry ride in the middle.

[Passenger 57]

[quote="Newcastle Flyer"]What fare band would this be in?

The return fare for the indirect journey would be in Band 2, as Opal on buses, and according to recent reports on Whirlpool now trains as well, uses the maximum distance from the start point to calculate the fare. I for one think think a good fare system should have fares that are symmetrical.

[boronia]

The issue here is, the people working in third party retailers can be anyone. Anyone who does not know about the minimum top up amounts! No accountability because they are not directly employed by TfNSW.

Surely the software could be configured to accept a minimum top up amount?

[crimsontide]

The issue here is, the people working in third party retailers can be anyone. Anyone who does not know about the minimum top up amounts! No accountability because they are not directly employed by TfNSW.

Surely the software could be configured to accept a minimum top up amount?

Already is.

[Fleet Lists]

The problem was that they were asking for MORE than thew minimum amount.

[boxythingy]

The other day, a staff member at Burwood Rail News & Bookshop 164 Burwood Rd, Burwood, NSW 2134 right outside the station asked me for proof of concession to get a Child Opal Card Are retailer staff now part of bus driver/railway station staff/Transport or Police Officer gang that can request such documents? He certainly lost my business, if he was under the impression that he had to check for concessions.