Opal has put $120 million back in the pockets of NSW transport customers over the past year alone thanks to the introduction of the Opal Transfer discount.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian marked one year since the end of paper tickets and the introduction of the transfer discount, with new figures showing showed 5.1 million customers had benefited from the travel rebate.
“Anything the NSW Government can do to ease cost of living pressures is important and we have always said we want as many people to move across trains, buses and ferries without being penalised. This anniversary Opal data shows we have achieved both of those aims,” Ms Berejiklian said.
“The numbers show more than half of all Opal users have benefited from the rebate, particularly in areas like Greater Parramatta, Western Sydney and South West Sydney.
“The NSW Government is committed to putting commuters first. Since Opal’s introduction in 2012, average Opal fares have not risen above CPI. While we’ve made plenty of improvements to public transport and are investing record amounts, we want to keep fares affordable.”
Minister for Transport and Infrastructure Andrew Constance said the transfer discount was introduced to benefit customers when they switched between modes of transport as part of the same journey, with Adult cardholders receiving a $2 rebate and concessions $1.
“Multi-mode travellers have become big winners with Opal, in fact, since the transfer discount was introduced there are many areas where it’s now actually cheaper to catch the bus to the station and then jump on the train – a reduced fare and you don’t have to battle for parking,” Mr Constance said.
“A year on, not only have we seen major savings for customers but we’ve also been able to encourage more people to leave the car at home.
“We’ve managed to keep fares low while still investing billions in new public transport infrastructure across the state, including more than $1.5 billion over the next three years on the More Trains, More Services program which will boost capacity through thousands of extra services, better infrastructure and new trains for Sydney.”
Along with the Opal transfer discount, customers can also make regular savings through the Weekly Travel Reward with customers receiving a 50 per cent discount on all fares after their eighth paid journey for the week plus for seniors the Gold Opal remains at $2.50 all day travel.
Top 10 postcodes with increase in inter-modal transfer since the rebate was introduced:
| Postcode Areas | Share of Journeys with intermodal transfer | Increase since transfer discount introduced |
| The Ponds | 47% | 39% |
| Homebush Bay | 36% | 33% |
| Rydalmere | 25% | 23% |
| Camden | 34% | 21% |
| Carlton | 12% | 20% |
| Campsie | 18% | 18% |
| Balmain | 17% | 18% |
| West Pennant Hills | 14% | 18% |
| Roseville | 12% | 20% |
| Caringbah | 10% | 19% |