The Sydney Morning Herald logo

Opal

Advertisement
<p>

Hitchhiker’s guide to the presidency

Don’t panic, but I forgot my exit strategy.

Latest

The state’s Transport Minister said there were no plans to retire physical cards.

If you haven’t used your Opal card for a while, you’re about to lose your balance

There are about 17 million Opal cards with positive cash balances that have not been touched for five years. 

  • Alexandra Smith
Opal cards

Digital upgrade costs are turning Opal into a wild card

The long-awaited upgrade of the Opal ticketing system has drifted further into the future amid vaulting costs.

  • The Herald's View
The state’s new Mariyung trains are due to start operating on the Blue Mountains line in October.

No more purple seats: Mountains commuters finally get their new trains

The long-delayed rollout is also looming for commuters who use the South Coast line between Sydney and the Illawarra.

  • Matt O'Sullivan
Opal network.

The secret warnings of Sydney commuters being forced back onto Opal cards

A highly confidential business case reveals why a complex and costly upgrade of the ticketing system for public transport is urgently needed.

  • Matt O'Sullivan
Gasoline Pony in Marrickville.

Saturday night fever: Sydney’s changing party habits revealed

The Opal and credit card data is in: Saturday night is back, baby. And so are weekend trips to the gym after dark. 

  • Alexandra Smith
Advertisement
Opal cards

The staggering amount of money sitting on commuters’ unused Opal cards

Despite a cost-of-living crisis, a huge amount is sitting idle on nearly 18 million Opal cards that have not been used in more than a year.

  • Matt O'Sullivan

Sydney’s metro is world-class. Shame the Opal card isn’t

Why is it that we can enjoy a world-class metro transport system, but still need a physical card to use it? A digital Opal card is beyond overdue. 

  • Daniel Lo Surdo
The ageing Opal ticketing system is “reaching end of life”.

How much your Opal fares will rise on Monday

Fear not – the weekly cap will stay in place, as will discounted Friday travel.

  • Matt O'Sullivan
Philip Gargett’s Opal card is among the oldest still in use on the network.

The decade-old Opal cards that are still tapping on

Last month, the Sun-Herald reported 86 cards from the original Opal launch were still in use today. Dozens of readers wanted to know if theirs was one of them.

  • Mary Ward