Savings: How to SAVE using Opal card (Sydney)

Where to buy Opal cards -->  Opal retailers


News Update: 09-Sept-2014
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Sydney Morning Herald publish on their paper that even the Transport Minister  ( Gladys Berejiklian) has backed commuters who manipulate their travel to get the best deal out of their Opal card, potentially saving them, and costing the government, hundreds of dollars a year.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/transport-minister-backs-commuters-who-beat-the-opal-man-20140908-10dv5f.html
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This article was originally posted on 2-Sept-2014

Main goal is to travel short trips from Minday to reach 8 trips as quickly as possible so that all travel after 8 trips is free until Sunday.


Example:  Weekly Train fare using MyTrain: $35.00 weekly (Rockdale to Town Hall / 14kms )


Opal rules:
-  Free trip after 8 trip starting on Monday.
-  You can travel to multiple station within an hour for a single fare/trip
-  Maximum you will ever get charged per day is $15.

To save money using opal is to travel at least 3 trips a day but make sure you are going to travel at least 4x a week so you can complete the 8 trips as soon as possible.
You may not be able to save is are NOT travelling from Mon-Fri or think that you cannot reach 8 trips for the week.

Here is how you can save money using Opal.


If I am using MyTrain weekly - I pay $35per week.
- the travel in the morning ($2.87) is OFF-PEAK price if you enter the station before 7AM


Normal trip per day: (home-->office-->home)
DAY            To work   Lunch    To Home
Monday:        $2.87                    $4.10
Tuesday:        $2.87                    $4.10
Wednesday:   $2.87                    $4.10
Thursday:      $2.87                    $4.10
Friday:           FREE                   FREE
Saturday:       FREE                   FREE
Sunday:         FREE                   FREE

Total Cost per Week: $27.88   (Still cheaper than MyTrain $35 weekly)


If I travel during peak hours in the morning and afternoon  ($4.10 one way trip  x 8 trips = $32.80 per week). I still save compare to $35 my train weekly plus I get to travel free from Friday-Sunday.



Traveling three trips a day:
DAY                To work   Lunch      To Home
Monday:          $2.87       $2.31       $4.10
Tuesday:          $2.87                       $4.10
Wednesday:     $2.87                       $4.10
Thursday:        $2.87                      FREE
Friday:             FREE    
Saturday:         FREE             
Sunday:             FREE

Total Cost per Week: $26.09


Travelling three trips a day:
DAY               To work    Lunch      To Home
Monday:         $2.87       $2.31         $4.10
Tuesday:         $2.87       $2.31         $4.10
Wednesday:    $2.87       $2.31        FREE
Thursday:        FREE    
Friday:            FREE    
Saturday:        FREE             
Sunday:          FREE             

Total Cost per Week: $23.74


The farther you are from the city, the more you save.


Suggestion:
- Travel single trip on train or bus during lunch break to the next station and walk back to your office.
- If you are short on time, take the train back to your station within 1 hr and you will only be charge as single trip.



Two benefits:
1. Short trip on train or bus means paying lowest fare that will help reach 8 trips as quickly as possible.
2. Gives reason for you to excercise (walking).


See you at the train station during lunch break :-)



SMH just publich yesterday on their news paper that even the Transport Minister has backed commuters who manipulate their travel to get the best deal out of their Opal card, potentially saving them, and costing the government, hundreds of dollars a year.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/transport-minister-backs-commuters-who-beat-the-opal-man-20140908-10dv5f.html