Prepare to use Public Transport

By Madison De Silva

February, 2023

Public transport is a popular way of commuting for many people across the GTHA. Before hopping on the bus, there are some things that should be done beforehand to prepare you for your trip.

Presto cards are the key to the GTHAs public transportation system. To get on and off public transit, you must tap your presto card on the indicated area as payment. If you do not tap your Presto card to pay, you risk being fined. There are multiple places you can get a Presto card:

Some Retail Stores and Customer Service Outlets: Purchasing a presto card this way is good if you feel you would rather talk to a salesperson who can provide extra guidance and answer questions rather than using a machine. You can purchase a presto card from places such as Shoppers Drug Mart, Loblaws, Fortinos and more. For a list of all the retail locations which sell Presto cards visit the Presto card website.

Fare Vending Machines: These vending machines are good for busy people who don't have the time to go in person to a retail store. These machines are found in all TTC subway stations. Although these machines are easy to find and use, we recommend you arrive 10-15 minutes prior to the time you hope to depart so you have more than enough time to make mistakes and familiarize yourself with your surroundings. If you do face confusion while attempting to purchase your Presto card, find a TTC employee or visit the customer service office. The first thing you will do at the machine is to purchase your Presto card and add funds to it. These two steps can be done using cash, debit card or credit card.

Ticket Vending Machines: Much like purchasing your Presto card at a fare vending machine, at a ticket vending machine, you must first purchase your Presto card and then load funds onto it using cash, debit card or credit card. In addition to this, we recommend that you arrive at an early enough time prior to your departure to have adequate time to make mistakes, get oriented, find the ticket vending machine, make the purchase and get to where your bus or train will pick you up. Find what locations carry ticket vending machines here.

Once you purchase your Presto card, you should create a Presto account. Creating a presto account allows you to manage up to 10 cards, auto-renew, autoload and recover your funds if the card is lost or stolen. This account can be created online here.