You Can Now Finally Use A Credit Or Debit Card To Tap Onto Sydney Trains

Starting today, you can now tap on and off all Sydney metro train services with a credit card, debit card, or mobile device if you’ve got it hooked up for payments. While certain ferries and light rail services have allowed for contactless payments as part of a trial program for a little while, it’s the first time the payment method has been extended to the train network.

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Any Visa, Mastercard, or AMEX card is now accepted for tapping on at a train station and will also receive the same daily, weekly, and Sunday travel caps standard Opal cardholders currently enjoy. Other Opal benefits like weekly travel discounts, concessions, and transfer discounts, however, will not be available when tapping on with a bank card, credit card, or mobile device.

The trial has been running as part of a partnership between Transport for NSW and the Commonwealth Bank, Cubic and Mastercard, which began on the Manly F1 ferry only.

“Nearly all of an individual’s daily transactions across the city can now be accessed with a single card or device,” CBA’s Business Customer Solutions Executive General Manager, Clive Van Horen, said in a statement. “This is in direct response to a growing demand for contactless payments, and the use of digital wallets.”

While there’s no word on if or when the trial will be replicated elsewhere, it seems like something which will trickle over to other Australian cities at some stage.

I gotta say, it’s gonna be a pretty handy option to have when you forget your Opal card at home.


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