Follow up to the TTC’s Fair Pass Transit Discount article.
What? You didn’t think just because I found housing I was going to disappear into the Ether, did you? Haha.
Nah, there’s still a lot of stuff I have to do, including things I didn’t get to finish do last year.
But what brings me back to the TTC and PRESTO is that I’ve discovered some other useful tips as I’ve been using it for a while now.
I was thinking about just updating the old article, but I figured it would be best if I posted it as a separate article.
The PRESTO Mobile App
I’ve been in Toronto for about 3-6 months now and obviously I use the PRESTO fare card system to travel. However, it’s only now that I realise that the app for it is much more useful than it seems at first glance.
I moved my PRESTO card to my Google Wallet as it was obviously way more convenient than the physical card.
Hence why I deleted the app at first. But that’s not the case, at least not anymore.
[Source: Prestocard.ca]
Auto Reloading
For a good while now, I was just using my debit card because it was just really bothersome to strictly monitor and remember to reload my PRESTO every time it ran out of funds, not knowing this feature existed exclusively within the app.
Now being able to auto-reload my PRESTO, it’s been an absolute game-changer for using public transit in Toronto.
The one downside though is that there’s a minimum amount to load and a minimum threshold for it to auto-reload at.
That would be $20 CAD for the minimum amount you can reload and a $5 CAD threshold for when it is triggered to charge your credit/debit card for the amount.
It’s a bit of an inconvenience as someone who tries to stretch their dollar as much as possible, but I guess that’s to cover fees and such.
Granted, I could see why someone wouldn’t want to enable this feature if they need to be very strict with their money.
GO Transit
GO Transit is another public transit system, as with the TTC.
Where the TTC operates within and near Toronto though, GO Transit is more for travelling throughout the Greater Toronto Area.
For example, it has trains that reach as far north as Barrie. And the buses are bigger and designed for the longer commute time.
All of that is to say, that if you’re using PRESTO, you’re most likely going to use GO transit at some point.
So please note that it is more expensive than the TTC, and your Fair Pass discount doesn’t apply for its transit. At least not if it’s your starting point of travel.
And unlike the TTC which charges one fee for two hours, since GO Transit has a far further reach than just the TTC, it has a system in place for calculating how much to charge you.
That means that when you travel from one GO location to the next, you have to Tap Off with your PRESTO card so it knows how much to charge you for your trip. If you don’t, it’ll charge you the default maximum.
Note: I had a particular situation recently. I travelled and tapped off at Union Station. I only went for a quick doctor’s visit, so when I tried tapping to get back on the train at the same station, the machine told me I already tapped. So that means when I tapped off at my final destination, the system thought I was starting a new journey, thus charging me the full default amount.
Thankfully I was able to get it resolved. But if you encounter a similar problem, you’ll have to fill out the Customer Comment Form or call the centre station at 1-888-438-6646. [Source: gotransit.com]
There is a way to thankfully avoid this situation as much as possible though, and that’s setting your Default Trip in the app.
Pretty useful feature if you take the GO transit regularly.
Text 898882
If you’ve used the TTC that isn’t in main Toronto, you know Google Maps isn’t 100% reliable when it comes to public transit schedules.
In fact, it gets less accurate the further you are from the city.
That’s why texting your stop number to the 898882 number to find out the next incoming bus can prove to be pretty useful.
That way you’re sure Google Maps doesn’t leave you standing out in the cold for an imaginary bus.
And sure, it’s a little old-fashioned, but it works.
Look out for charging ports
In case you didn’t already know, using the GPS on your phone is a massive battery drain.
I got a 25000Mah battery pack because my phone is usually going to be dead before I get back home.
But if you don’t have one, you may be lucky to get a seat on the TTC with a charging port.
Granted, these ports don’t have fast charging (from what I’ve experienced) but they’re a lifesaver if your phone is about to die.
You’ll fare better on the GO trains though, which have dedicated outlets for travellers.
The Fare Evasion Crackdown
And now for my final word of advice.
This isn’t about the PRESTO app, but advice to be careful when trying to evade fares on the TTC and GO Transit now.
I’m pretty sure Toronto’s Public Transit took note of how convenient it is to get a free ride, because there’s now stronger fare enforcement in place, with transit officers making surprise inspections at any time when you go to ride either the TTC or GO train.
How do I know? I got a ticket on the GO train lol ┐(￣∀￣)┌
Look, Mom, I committed my first Canadian crime. 🍁
No worries. In the words of Muta/SomeOrdinaryGamers, I’m already ethnically challenged, so let me take the fall to give you some insight lol.
I’ve scanned the QR code above so now, I have to put in the ticket number.
And here is where I have to pay.
So first thing you should note: You can dispute the ticket within 14 days.
I’ve been unfortunately too preoccupied so I missed that date.
Next off you may have noticed the small fine. That’s because it’s my first offence. So it’s basically a warning fine.
According to the TTC By-Law Item 6 (since my Google Wallet was showed as invalid), the set fine is $325/$425 payable [Source: TTC.ca]
Additional Travel Notes:
• There’s no cell service throughout the majority of the TTC’s subway tunnels. This makes doing anything that needs a constant stable connection not possible, such as making a call or playing a mobile game.
• GO Transit has WiFi, even on their buses. Although you’ll probably be better off just using your data as it’s quite slow.
• The TTC is going through major construction right now, adding to their unreliably. Go transit doesn’t suffer this as much.
• You can more accurately track your two-hour transfer window on the app, as every PRESTO tap is listed, including its time, location and fare charge.
Recommendation: HELPFUL
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