Skip to main content

Moovit mines Sydney's Opal upgrade

Travel improvements in Australian city are part of wider investment by state government
By Adam Hill June 24, 2022 Read time: 2 mins
Since 2012 more than four billion trips have been taken using Opal (© Rafael Ben Ari | Dreamstime.com)

Moovit is delivering Transport for New South Wales' (NSW) new Opal Plus Mobility as a Service (MaaS) app.

The upgrade of the Opal travel card system is part of a $567 investment by the NSW government to improve travelling by public transit in Sydney, Australia.

With the upgrade, Opal cards can be added to digital wallets, such as Apple Pay, to use on a range of travel options.

The funding also means that Transport for NSW is setting up a 10,000-person, 12-month trial of Opal Plus which bundles public transport, ride-share, e-bike rentals, taxi and parking on the app.

“Since 2012 more than four billion trips have been taken using Opal, which has transformed the way we travel and it is now time to invest in keeping this system in line with our evolving needs and expectations,” said state treasurer Matt Kean.

“This gives us a window into the future, setting up the Opal network to keep pace with our changing needs whether that be a train, bus, e-bike, e-scooter, ride-share or even electric vehicle charging.”

Rob Stokes, minister for infrastructure, cities and active transport Rob Stokes, said: "This app will revolutionise the way we travel in NSW because it factors in first- and last-mile journeys, making it simpler and easier to leave the car at home and get from door to door."

Minister for transport and veterans David Elliott said: "The current Opal system has delivered an exceptional service for nearly a decade, but it is time to take it to the next level.”

Related Content

  • June 23, 2020
    Sydney's Opal fares to increase at peak times
    Off-peak reductions introduced in a bid to stagger commuting times
  • November 27, 2012
    Sydney to get transport electronic ticketing system
    After more than a decade of delays, the New South Wales (NSW) government in Australia is to begin trials of the Opal electronic ticketing system on select ferry routes, with a trial set to commence on Sydney ferries in December. NSW Transport Minister Gladys Berejiklian said that commuters would be able to use a single card to pay for tickets on ferries, trains, buses, and light rail by 2015. The Opal card will be available on all Sydney ferries and some trains in 2013, with buses and light rail to come on
  • August 1, 2013
    Milestone for Opal smart cards in Sydney
    Public transport passengers in Sydney, Australia, have enthusiastically welcomed the city’s new Opal smart card, being progressively rolled out across ferries, trains, buses and light rail in the greater Sydney area, with 10,000 already issued since trials began in December 2012. By 2015 the Opal system, being installed by the Cubic-led Pearl Consortium for Transport New South Wales, will cover 42 ferry wharves, more than 300 train stations and more than 5,000 buses and light rail systems.
  • April 22, 2014
    Sydney’s Opal card rollout completed ahead of schedule
    Cubic Transportation Systems and the New South Wales (NSW) state government have successfully completed the rollout of the new Opal smart card to all train stations in the greater Sydney, Australia, area, ahead of schedule. Opal became available to all train passengers in the region on 11 April in what state Minister for Transport Gladys Berejiklian described as an important milestone for public transport. The trains are the backbone of the public transport network in the greater Sydney area, carrying m