Paper tickets are now a thing of the past on Newcastle trains, buses and ferries, with the Opal card now the only way to get around.
Commuters only need to tap on at the start of the journey and tap off at the end.
Time-based ticketing on Newcastle Buses is also being replaced with a distance-based system.
The adult fare for bus trips up to 3 kilometres will cost $2.10; trips between 3 and 8 kilometres will be capped at $3.50, while trips over 8 kilometres will cost $4.50.
For those without an Opal card, single-trip Opal tickets are available but will cost 20 per cent more.
Train fares will also run to a streamlined distance-based system, with 5 bands ranging from distances between 0 and 10 kilometres ($3.38) up to journeys in excess of 65 kilometres ($8.30), with off-peak fares for the same categories ranging from $2.36 to $5.81.
The Opal fare for a trip on the Stockton Ferry will remain at $2.10, 50 cents cheaper than the former cost of a single paper ticket.
