More than 150 people have bought Opal public transport cards in the first weeks of them going on sale in Orange.
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The cards can now be bought, balances topped-up, concession cards ordered and balances checked at the Service NSW centre in Kite St – however from Monday you have less time to do it as the centre’s opening hours have been slashed.
A spokesman for Service NSW said: “Orange is one of our busiest centres in regional NSW for Opal cards.”
You can pay, you can top-up, you can check your balance online.
- A Service NSW spokesman
“You can pay, you can top-up, you can check your balance online.”
He said people could buy adult and child cards on the spot but concession cards needed to be ordered.
That can be done online or by applicants coming to the centre where staff could help them apply on computers in the office.
The Opal card covers train, bus, ferry and light rail travel in Sydney, and on the Intercity train network that extends as far west as Lithgow.
It also covers travel on the daily return Bathurst Bullet service.
Passengers travelling to and from Orange still need paper tickets to travel on all other services beyond Lithgow.
A spokesperson for Transport NSW said Orange was one of the first cities in regional NSW to be stocking Opal cards. They can also be bought in Mudgee and Parkes.
“Dubbo will be coming online fairly soon.”
She said customers could also order an Opal card online at opal.com.au or by calling 13 67 25 and having the card posted to their home.
There is also the Opal Travel mobile phone app available for Apple and android smart phones.
As part of a statewide rationalisation program office hours at Service NSW centres have been reduced from Monday.
Since it opened in 2013 the Orange centre has operated from 7am-7pm weekdays and 8.30am-3.30pm on Saturday. That has now been cut to 8.30am-5.30pm weekdays and 8.30am-12.30pm on Saturday.
The Service NSW spokesman said: “Only 7 percent of customers in Orange were using the service outside of peak hours.”
He said the peak times in Orange were noon-1pm and after school (3pm-4.30pm).
“There is zero change to staff levels. It is just a case of re-shaping staff rosters. We will have more staff on during lunchtimes and just after school.”