Sydney Ferries Question

[groundloop]

I'm spending a few days in Sydney before we get on our cruise..... Took the ferry from Circular Quay to Watson's Bay for lunch yesterday and I think I may have unknowingly overpaid (I didn't bother buying an Opal Card, I just paid with a credit card). Hopefully I can get this figured out  before heading over to Taranga Zoo in two days.

 

Before boarding the return ferry at Watson's Bay I paid with my credit card at the pier, but noticed that there weren't any gates to keep people honest.  Upon getting off the ferry back at Circular Quay I had to pay again before leaving..... so am I correct in guessing I shouldn't have paid at Watson's Bay?  

 

Also, I tried tapping my credit card a second time for my wife and I got an error message that the card had already been used.  Luckily I had my backup credit card handy (or else I'd have had to leave my wife behind 😁 ).

 

Thanks in advance for educating me.

[yarramar]

The Sydney transit system has a maximum payable per day of $17.80 M-Th and $9.80 F-Su. If you only tap once when you got on you will be charged the full fare for that journey, e.g the full fare is $8.40 to Circular Quay but if you were to get off and tap at Cremorne point it would be cheaper. If you only tapped when you got off, they would probably think you were going the other way and pay the full fare. If you kept going back and forth all day the maximum would be the capped amount for that day.

 

Each traveller must have their own unique card, you cannot pay for another person using the same card, Opal or CC.

 

If you are using a foreign credit or debit card, don't forget that it may be incurring FX fees and/or international usage fees. It may be cheaper to just get and use an Opal (minimum top up is $20) card or purchase single journey fares.

[daydreamer16]

Do you buy the Opal card online? We plan to go to the zoo one day & Manly beach another day So better to get the card?  Thanks

[yarramar]

45 minutes ago, daydreamer16 said:

Do you buy the Opal card online? We plan to go to the zoo one day & Manly beach another day So better to get the card?  Thanks

The Opal card is free but you need to put money onto it for it to be activated.

All the info you need is here

[groundloop]

Thanks for the information, that's exactly what I was looking for.  

[daydreamer16]

Thanks me too!

[beatleman]

On 2/4/2024 at 2:58 PM, groundloop said:

Thanks for the information, that's exactly what I was looking for.  

Just remember to Tap On and Tap Off enjoy Sydney the Public Transport is the best in Oz.😃

[yarramar]

4 hours ago, beatleman said:

Just remember to Tap On and Tap Off enjoy Sydney the Public Transport is the best in Oz.😃

Except, for maybe, the tram network in Melbourne

[jean87510]

On 2/3/2024 at 10:08 PM, yarramar said:

The Opal card is free but you need to put money onto it for it to be activated.

All the info you need is here

You can't order these online as they need an Australian phone number for contact to set up an account.

[possum52]

14 hours ago, jean87510 said:

You can't order these online as they need an Australian phone number for contact to set up an account.

Yes you are correct, but the link shows other options than just ordering online. You would use the option that is appropriate to you.