BE THE GOLDEN CHILD: HELP GRAN AND POP GET A GOLD OPAL THIS GRANDPARENTS DAY

Minister for Transport and Infrastructure Andrew Constance and Minister for Ageing John Ajaka have encouraged customers to take five minutes while celebrating Grandparents Day to help their Gran or Pop apply for a Gold Senior/Pensioner Opal card.

“Across NSW thousands of families will be spending time with grandmothers and grandfathers today and saying thank you for the important role they play,” Mr Constance said.

“This is a great opportunity for grandkids to help their Gran or Pop out by jumping onto opal.com.au or calling Opal Customer Care and sorting out a Gold Opal for them.

“With just over two months left until the Pensioner Excursion Ticket is no longer sold, time is running out for seniors and pensioners to make the switch to the Gold Opal card.

“Just like the Pensioner Excursion Ticket, the Gold Opal gives customers unlimited travel across the public transport network for just $2.50 a day, as well as many other benefits.”

Minister for Ageing John Ajaka said more than 500,000 Gold Opal cards have now been issued in the 12 months since the card was launched.

“Since November 2014 there have been around 23 million journeys on public transport by Gold Opal users, including around eight million free journeys” Mr Ajaka said.

“Gold Opal customers now make around 700,000 thousand journeys every week. And we’ve seen a large increase in the number of people applying for a card since we announced the phasing out of paper tickets.

“We’ve been out there every day talking to seniors and pensioners about the change and helping them switch to Opal, with more than 40 shopping centre kiosks and about 50 sessions in retirement villages and libraries in the last three months.

“But we know there are still a lot of seniors and pensioners who haven’t made the switch. Some of them may incorrectly think they will lose the $2.50 all-day travel available with paper tickets; others might think that applying online or over the phone will be difficult.

“I want to reassure customers that getting a Gold Opal card is really easy and you don’t need the internet or a credit card to apply.”

Gold Opal cards can be ordered online at opal.com.au or by calling 13 67 25 (13 OPAL). Customers will need the details of their NSW Seniors Card, Pensioner Concession card, or DVA NSW War Widow/ers card when applying.