Using Contactless Credit Card instead of Opal Card

[Retirement2016]

We will be in Sydney before our Ruby Princess cruise.  Our Costco Citibank credit cards in the USA is a contactless credit card.  Has anyone had success using the credit card to pay for train and  bus fares?  We are only using the train/bus roundtrip to Featherdale Wildlife.  We wanted to avoid purchasing Opal cards for the four of us.  All four of us each have our own credit cards.

[MadWoofter]

Hi

I haven't used it myself as I have an Opal card, but I just checked the Opal website and so long as your card is a Visa, M/Card or Amex with the contactless logo it should be fine.  Adult fares are charged and overseas transaction fees may be applied.

 

https://transportnsw.info/tickets-opal/opal/contactless-payments/how-to-use-contactless

 

I see a lot of people using their credit cards now

[MicCanberra]

We have Opal cards but my son has used his credit card for the travel on the trains and buses and had no issues.

[Thorpe]

I’m from Australia but have used my MasterCard and Visa card instead of an Opal card for both trains and ferries. 

[lyndarra]

21 hours ago, MicCanberra said:

We have Opal cards but my son has used his credit card for the travel on the trains and buses and had no issues.

When applying the charge to a credit card can the machine readers distinguish between seniors and non-seniors rates?

[MicCanberra]

3 minutes ago, lyndarra said:

When applying the charge to a credit card can the machine readers distinguish between seniors and non-seniors rates?

No, it is the full adult price no concessions..

[lyndarra]

1 minute ago, MicCanberra said:

No, it is the full adult price no concessions..

Thanks. I'll stick with the Opal card.

[MicCanberra]

11 minutes ago, lyndarra said:

Thanks. I'll stick with the Opal card.

Better off if you have a concession.

[Retirement2016]

Thank you all for your replies on the Opal card.  Unfortunately, visitors cannot purchase senior opal card.  I read that you can go into the negative balance.  Is this true?  I calculated the fares, and we will be 8 cents in the negative after purchasing a $10 Opal card.  We are starting at a train station that only accepts Opal or contactless payment.  Don't want to take a chance of our USA credit card not working.

[MicCanberra]

5 hours ago, Retirement2016 said:

Thank you all for your replies on the Opal card.  Unfortunately, visitors cannot purchase senior opal card.  I read that you can go into the negative balance.  Is this true?  I calculated the fares, and we will be 8 cents in the negative after purchasing a $10 Opal card.  We are starting at a train station that only accepts Opal or contactless payment.  Don't want to take a chance of our USA credit card not working.

If you are worried, you can always top it up with some extra cash.

[lissie]

7 hours ago, Retirement2016 said:

 Unfortunately, visitors cannot purchase senior opal card.  I read that you can go into the negative balance.  Is this true?  

Yes you can still have a negative balance - 8c will no doubt work. It used to be a lot higher than that! 

 

Its not something you need to worry about in advance try your  credit card at the airport - if it doesn't work - buy an opal 

[Brisbane41]

Opal cards are better to use as you have more control over the fare and can monitor spending on the app. 

 

Just to be aware you need to check the balance every time you tap on and tap off. Particularly on buses you can be charged the wrong fare. As buses move and vibrate there are sometimes connection problems between the bus fare machine and the opal reader. If the bus computer system freezes at a certain stop it could end up charging you more. This happens when the bus computer freezes at stop 4, the bus gets to stop 15 and a passenger taps on, the get charged from stop 4 where the computer froze, by the time the bus reaches the end the computer would have restarted and will charge people the wrong fare.

 

If you have a credit card you cannot stop the funds coming out. If you have a opal card and you have enough funds to meet the minimum fare then you can get off in negative balance and dispose of the card.

[floridababa]

What is a contactless card?

[MicCanberra]

It is a credit card or debit card with a chip in it so you can tap it rather than insert it or slide (magnetic strip) it.

[lyndarra]

59 minutes ago, MicCanberra said:

It is a credit card or debit card with a chip in it so you can tap it rather than insert it or slide (magnetic strip) it.

Don't even have to tap, just "Wave" or pass it close to the card sensor. Not only will the card have a chip but it will have the "Wave" symbol on it somewhere.

 

[Docker123]

looking at the website, it has some interesting information.

 

You can use a card or an enabled device (phone).

Calculates the same full adult fare and related discounts as the Opal card.

 

Beware, it warns to only use the same card or device, otherwise it will not recognise the fares or daily caps, etc.  It even says if you touch on with one and touch off with a different one, you will be charged 2 full adult fares for the journey.

 

 

[MicCanberra]

10 minutes ago, Docker123 said:

looking at the website, it has some interesting information.

 

You can use a card or an enabled device (phone).

Calculates the same full adult fare and related discounts as the Opal card.

 

Beware, it warns to only use the same card or device, otherwise it will not recognise the fares or daily caps, etc.  It even says if you touch on with one and touch off with a different one, you will be charged 2 full adult fares for the journey.

 

 

That makes sense.

[Maui Girl]

On 1/17/2020 at 11:27 PM, lyndarra said:

Thanks. I'll stick with the Opal card.

The information that I read said that only Aussie's  get a senior discount, not tourists.  So we will pay full adult fare either with a credit card or opal.  

[Chiliburn]

5 minutes ago, Maui Girl said:

The information that I read said that only Aussie's  get a senior discount, not tourists.  So we will pay full adult fare either with a credit card or opal.  

Yes

Theres a daily cap of $16.80 so it’s still good value.

Edited January 23, 2020 by Chiliburn

[lyndarra]

4 hours ago, Maui Girl said:

The information that I read said that only Aussie's  get a senior discount, not tourists.  So we will pay full adult fare either with a credit card or opal.  

That's correct. Sorry, I was a little OT, just looking for a quick answer from those in the know.