Travelling is not always about the flying.....

[vetrade]

Should have just built it 30 years ago

There have been at least a couple of feasibility studies done on this over the years and the cost/benefit analysis is clear that for our population (even allowing for predicted increases) is far too small to make bullet trains a realistic investment.

 

[UpInTheAir:)]

Thanks for the insights coriander but if you are at a train station with $70+ credit and unable to get home I do not think that this is considered immediately available. Also not sure how keeping $10 of credit is going to help me in this instance. I don't know why topping up on the Web should be any different to topping up at a station.. The money has left my account it should be on my myki.

 

[coriander]

I don't know why topping up on the Web should be any different to topping up at a station.. The money has left my account it should be on my myki.

The myki system, like many transport smartcards, is a card-based system - your credit is held on the card, not anywhere else.
If you top up at a station (ie on the system), the card is in contact with a myki machine and the balance is transferred onto the card instantly.

But on the web, you authorise a transfer which can't be completed until the myki card comes into contact with a myki reader. When you touch on, your credit balance is immediately transferred to your card and removed from the system. BUT if you don't touch on within 90 days, the credit balance is archived but not lost: the credit data is removed from all the myki readers. When you touch on, the transaction is reactivated and the balance is transferred to your card within 24 hours: myki readers are not all connected to the central server all the time so updates on a tram or bus are generally not in real time.

Now that you have $70 on your card, it will stay there forever. If you don't use the card for 6-12 months, it doesn't matter - the card keeps its credit balance. I suggest you register your card and have an online log-in: if you lose your cardm your credit balance can be protected if it's registered.

 

[UP4014]

Myki: as someone in the rail sector, Myki is known to be one of the poorest fuctioning ticket systems of it's type and I have seen it used as an example at an international public transport conference on what not to end up with.

Opal has improved over time, I myself have an Opal card but do not get one with you details and name registered, the NSW Govt does giveaway data to other agencies, mine is an anon card with cash top ups.

For Sydney siders who complain about Opal, next time you are at a suburban station look around and you might still see the built but never used card readers from a system never completed, about waist hight, silver flat plate with a yellow rubber sheild shaped surround, that baby cost $250M and was never switched on.

Matt

 

[UpInTheAir:)]

The myki system, like many transport smartcards, is a card-based system - your credit is held on the card, not anywhere else.
If you top up at a station (ie on the system), the card is in contact with a myki machine and the balance is transferred onto the card instantly.

But on the web, you authorise a transfer which can't be completed until the myki card comes into contact with a myki reader. When you touch on, your credit balance is immediately transferred to your card and removed from the system. BUT if you don't touch on within 90 days, the credit balance is archived but not lost: the credit data is removed from all the myki readers. When you touch on, the transaction is reactivated and the balance is transferred to your card within 24 hours: myki readers are not all connected to the central server all the time so updates on a tram or bus are generally not in real time.

Now that you have $70 on your card, it will stay there forever. If you don't use the card for 6-12 months, it doesn't matter - the card keeps its credit balance. I suggest you register your card and have an online log-in: if you lose your cardm your credit balance can be protected if it's registered.

Ok.. Now I understand the touch system.. My card is registered (I checked the balance before I left home and it said $55 +/-) and at that time I registered (online) for automatic topup.. That's how it became $70+..
If you are part of the myki world my recommendation (as a consumer) would be that the online topup would result in credit without a touch on. Or at least allow the staff at the station or on the phone to activate the credit.

 

[Boca68]

Well, best I've seen, in no particular order, are Singapore, London, Paris, Lima (yes, Lima, Peru!) , Los Angeles and Madrid.

Recognising that Los Angeles and Lima are limited in their scope, probably they need to be considered on a different level. Lima's system is very similiar to the Paris Metro style, I think. Either you can purchase a card (a la Oyster) or you can purchase a book (a la Carnet) or even a single trip (a la old school Melbourne). The train is only 2 routes, but a couple more being added as we speak.

But all in all, Singapores MRT is outstanding and simple.

 

[UP4014]

Well, best I've seen, in no particular order, are Singapore, London, Paris, Lima (yes, Lima, Peru!) , Los Angeles and Madrid.

Recognising that Los Angeles and Lima are limited in their scope, probably they need to be considered on a different level. Lima's system is very similiar to the Paris Metro style, I think. Either you can purchase a card (a la Oyster) or you can purchase a book (a la Carnet) or even a single trip (a la old school Melbourne). The train is only 2 routes, but a couple more being added as we speak.

But all in all, Singapores MRT is outstanding and simple.

Don't forget Peru is in the top 5 countries to have a large Japanese population outside Japan, they would have some good new tech despite the 'average' nature of the rest of the place.

Matt

 

[coriander]

my recommendation (as a consumer) would be that the online topup would result in credit without a touch on.

Without the card touching a myki machine how can the credit be transferred onto your myki card?

The top up transfers instantly as soon as you touch on if it's less than 90 days. Remember the smartcard stores the credit balance, not the backend system.

No I'm not associated with myki, everyone in our family has had and used a myki since day one - all on auto top-up, never had a problem. I agree myki is geared towards commuters, not occasional users, but it works well enough.

 

[moa999]

Opal has improved over time, I myself have an Opal card but do not get one with you details and name registered, the NSW Govt does giveaway data to other agencies, mine is an anon card with cash top ups.
t

With the amount of CCTV and facial recognition around, don't fool yourself that you are totally anonymous

 

[moa999]

Without the card touching a myki machine how can the credit be transferred onto your myki card?

The top up transfers instantly as soon as you touch on if it's less than 90 days. Remember the smartcard stores the credit balance, not the backend system.

Simarly with Opal if a top-up (either auto or online) is not collected within 60 days it will be cancelled.
This does not occur at a retailer out machine where the card is present and collected immediately.

Remember "Card is King". TfNSW had recently updated it's Android Opal Travel app which allows a NFC compatible handset to read the live/actual balance from an unsecured area on the Opal Card (other info is encrypted). Not currently possible with iPhone as Apple hasn't released NFC APIs.

Also reportedly not easy for Myki of GoCard to have a similar app as they don't have a similar unencrypted portion

 

[JohnK]

With the amount of CCTV and facial recognition around, don't fool yourself that you are totally anonymous

Big Brother anyone?