TTC riders will see an end to double fares starting Monday

Double fares for thousands of Toronto and GTA transit riders will be a thing of the past come Monday.

Starting Feb. 26, if you transfer between the TTC and other GTA transit agencies, you will only be charged one fare. This will bring the TTC in line with other GTA transit operators including GO Transit and local transit partners in Durham, Brampton, Mississauga, and York Region, which went to a one-fare system two years ago.

UP Express, the airport rail link connecting Union Station to Toronto Pearson International Airport, is not included in the one-fare program due to “added technical requirements” that would have prolonged the rollout, according to the TTC.

When travelling between systems, riders will be charged the price of the more expensive fare when they tap a PRESTO, credit or debit card, or PRESTO in Google Wallet. Riders must tap on and off using the same card to get the single fare rate.

For example, commuters switching from the TTC to another local transit system will be charged the TTC fare while those going from the TTC to GO Transit will see their TTC fare discounted.

All transfers will be valid for up to two hours for trips started on local transit systems and up to three hours for trips started on GO Transit.

The single-fare system is expected to save the average adult commuter who regularly transfers between the TTC and GO Transit $1,600 a year.

The TTC says approximately 13 per cent of its customers currently start or end their trip outside of Toronto, with one-third using GO Transit and the TTC.

The provincial government has committed $67 million to cover funding for the one-fare program until March 2026, with the option to extend it beyond that date. According to documents put forth by the TTC last fall, the program could end up costing the government – through Metrolinx – between $40 to $60 million to reimburse the transit agency for lost revenue.

Back in 2020, the Ford government discontinued a similar program that had been running for three years which offered discounted fares between GO Transit and TTC riders.