Sydney's Opal system gets $820 million overhaul

0:00The way we pay for and use public transport is about to change with the opal system getting its biggest overhaul since it was introduced 13 years ago. Integrated payments, accurate bus time tables and easier refunds are just some of the improvements promised. Tapping on to Opal 2.0, an $820 million overhaul to how Sydney moves around. More of a bespoke experience for people that use public transport every day. 25,000 new and improved card readers to be installed in what will be the biggest change to the opal system since its inception. This takes technology that is 30 years old and projects us into the future with so much more opportunity. The new upgrades will see the current card-based system convert to an account cloud, faster and more accurate patronage data, integrated free travel for events and automatic adjustment

1:02for incorrect fares. With a promise the physical opal card is here to stay. This will be fully integrated with your phone, your watch, your credit card, whatever way you would like to use it. The state's bus network also getting back on track with information screens to be installed on more than 5,000 buses and better tracking data, promising to end the so-called Ghost Bus. Buses that appear on the app, appear online but don't appear in real life will come to an end. With the updates mainly software, base passengers won't notice any major difference to their daily trips but are being promised a smoother ride, with the rollout expected to be completed over the next two years. People are far more likely to save money, in fact, save significant money, using this new system. The reality is this opal upgrade has been a long time coming, first announced by the former coalition government, it's currently running at three years behind schedule and

2:04facing a budget blowout, going from costing over $500 million to more than three quarters of a billion. Though the government insists it is fully costed and then after years of expensive investment in Metro lines, it's time that commuters on other parts of the network got their fair share of some of the funding. Taylor, I can travelling on the T4, thank you.