York Region Transit riders stand to save a buck a trip with the province's announcement it will remove the fare for most local transit services when riders transfer to and from GO buses and trains.
The fare reduction being implemented March 14 throughout the GTA means riders will no longer have to pay 25 per cent of the local fare when transferring between services. In York Region, this means riders transferring from GO stations will no longer have to pay $1 to do so each trip.
The province also announced it would increase current PRESTO discounts for youth age 13 to 19 and post-secondary students by 40 per cent off the full adult fare, up from 22 per cent. Kids under 12 continue to ride free on GO Transit.
The province estimated that someone taking three return trips per week in York Region could save $312 annually through the change.
“Affordability and cost of living concerns are very much on the minds of families throughout Ontario, and that is why our government is taking action to make riding transit cheaper,” Associate Minister of Transportation Stan Cho said in a news release.
The new discounts will apply to more than a dozen transit services, including Durham Region Transit, Bradford West Gwillimbury Transit and Barrie Transit.
"These initiatives show fantastic progress on our efforts to build a seamless transit experience and connect people to and from GO Transit across the Greater Golden Horseshoe, all while making transit more affordable,” Metrolinx president and CEO Phil Verster said. “This is made possible through effective collaboration with partners across the network, enabling us to work together to best meet the needs of customers.”
York Region has opted to freeze its transit fares for the past three years, maintaining an adult fare of $4.25 for cash or $3.88 when using a PRESTO Card or payment app.
The region and Toronto Transit Commission are also working toward scrapping a cross-border double fare, allowing for a free transfer between the two services in the future.
