TORONTO, August 6, 2026 – The TTC monthly pass that riders have used for years is about to undergo a major change. August will be the final month for adults, youth, seniors and Fair Pass users to buy a traditional TTC monthly pass. Starting September 1, the TTC will officially introduce monthly fare capping. Riders will no longer need to pay for a monthly pass in advance. After paying for 47 trips in a calendar month, the rest of their TTC rides that month will be free.
The new system applies to riders using a physical PRESTO card, mobile PRESTO, or direct payment by credit card, debit card or mobile wallet.
The easiest point to misunderstand is that “47 trips” does not mean 47 taps.
Under TTC rules, one paid trip begins when a rider first taps on and automatically includes a two-hour transfer window. During that two-hour period, taking another bus, streetcar or entering the subway does not count as another paid trip. For example, if someone takes a bus and then transfers to the subway for work, it still counts as one trip as long as it is within the two-hour transfer period.
After a rider reaches 47 paid trips, the system will automatically stop charging TTC fares for the rest of that month. No separate application is required. However, even after reaching the cap, riders must still tap every time they board a vehicle or enter a station so they have valid proof of payment.
Another important point is that riders should use the same card and the same device throughout the month whenever possible.
For example, if a rider uses a physical credit card for the first half of the month and then switches to the same credit card in a mobile wallet for the second half, the system may count those as two separate payment devices. Using a phone one week and a smartwatch the next may also create separate trip counts, delaying when the rider reaches the 47-trip cap.
Trip counts reset on the first day of each month. Unused trips from the previous month cannot be carried over.
With the new system coming into effect, regular monthly passes for adults, youth, seniors and Fair Pass Transit Discount Program users, as well as youth and senior 12-month passes, will end on August 31. However, adult 12-month contract passes and post-secondary student monthly passes will remain available for now, and the TTC advises those riders to continue using them.
For regular adults, the current single-trip PRESTO and electronic payment fare is $3.30. Forty-seven paid trips total $155.10, almost the same as the current $156 adult monthly pass.
The biggest difference between the two systems is how riders pay. In the past, buying a monthly pass meant paying the full monthly cost upfront. If a rider took time off, went on vacation or only used transit occasionally that month, the money had already been paid. Under the new system, riders pay based on actual trips first, and only reach the cap if they actually take 47 paid trips.
Starting in 2027, the TTC has already planned to lower the monthly fare cap further to 40 trips, meaning frequent riders will reach the free-ride stage earlier.
For residents using the TTC in August, traditional monthly passes will still operate under the existing rules. The real change begins on September 1. Riders do not need to buy a new “47-trip pass” in advance. As long as they keep using the same payment method, the system will count paid trips automatically.（LJI by Yuanyuan）
