Starting Monday, double fares for thousands of Toronto and GTA transit riders will be eliminated.
Effective Feb. 26, transferring between the TTC and other GTA transit agencies will only incur one fare. This change aligns the TTC with other GTA transit operators like GO Transit, Durham, Brampton, Mississauga, and York Region, which switched to a one-fare system two years ago.
UP Express, the airport rail link, is excluded from the one-fare program due to additional technical requirements that would have delayed the implementation, as stated by the TTC.
When riders switch between systems, they will be charged the higher fare price when tapping their PRESTO, credit or debit card, or PRESTO in Google Wallet. To receive the single fare rate, riders must tap on and off using the same card.
For instance, those transitioning from the TTC to another local transit system will pay the TTC fare, while individuals transferring to GO Transit will receive a discounted TTC fare.
All transfers will remain valid for up to two hours for trips starting on local transit systems and up to three hours for trips originating on GO Transit.
The single-fare system is anticipated to save the average adult commuter who frequently transfers between the TTC and GO Transit $1,600 annually.
The TTC reports that about 13% of its customers currently start or end their trips outside of Toronto, with one-third utilizing GO Transit and the TTC.
The provincial government has allocated $67 million to fund the one-fare program until March 2026, with the possibility of extending it beyond that date. Documents from the TTC suggest that the program may cost the government – through Metrolinx – between $40 to $60 million to reimburse the transit agency for lost revenue.
In 2020, the Ford government terminated a similar program that had been in place for three years, providing discounted fares for GO Transit and TTC riders.
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