PRESTO

PRESTO is a reloadable smartcard which allows customers to pay their fare with the simple tap of a card. You can use your PRESTO card to travel within and between participating transit systems across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area and Ottawa.

With the technology doing all the work, it's never been more convenient to ride transit – within and between systems.

For more information on PRESTO, visit the PRESTO website.

PRESTO FAQ's

What is PRESTO?

PRESTO is an electronic payment system that makes travelling on transit faster and easier by eliminating the need for tickets, tokens, passes and cash.

PRESTO works across local transit services in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA) and Ottawa, making paying for your trip simple, convenient and secure.

For more information about PRESTO, visit the PRESTO website.

How does PRESTO Work?

PRESTO uses smartcard technology and special reading devices to collect and process payments. With a single card (about the size of a debit card), you can pay fares on a number of transit systems – no cash fare, paper tickets or paper passes required!

The card stores a pre-loaded dollar amount called your card balance. Each time you travel, the cost of the trip is deducted from your card’s balance. All it takes is the tap of a PRESTO card and your fare is paid!

Brampton Transit passes (weekly or monthly) for Adults, Youth and Seniors can be loaded onto a PRESTO card at Brampton Transit terminals/facilities and online at prestocard.ca. Passes CANNOT be refunded or exchanged.

Important: You can transfer to another Transit Agency using your card balance or a Brampton Transit pass loaded on your PRESTO card. A two-hour transfer is valid from the time of issue. Your card can be loaded with both a card balance and one transit pass per Transit Agency. When travelling outside of Brampton with a transit pass, once the two-hour transfer has expired, you will be required to pay with your card balance or transit pass of that Transit Agency for your return trip.

How do I use PRESTO?

1. Purchase a Card
Purchase a PRESTO card online or at one of the following Brampton Transit terminals/facilities:
   • Bramalea Terminal
   • Downtown Brampton Terminal
   • Brampton Gateway Terminal
   • Trinity Common Terminal
   • Clark Transit Facility
   • Sandalwood• Sandalwood Transit Facility

There is a $6 non-refundable issuance fee upon purchase.

Note: A minimum of $10 is required upon purchase and at each load. This minimum load of $10 can be used towards the purchase of a Brampton Transit pass (weekly or monthly).

The maximum amount of money that you can load onto your PRESTO card is $1000. You can load money onto your card as frequently as you need to.

If you want to create a My PRESTO Account, you must wait 24 hours after purchase from a Brampton Transit terminal/facility.

2. Creating a My PRESTO Account

Note: If you want to create a My PRESTO Account, you must wait 24 hours after purchase from a Brampton Transit terminal/facility.

You can create your My PRESTO Account online or by mail (My PRESTO Account forms are available online or at Brampton Transit terminals).

Note: 24 hours after you create your My PRESTO Account online, you must tap on to any PRESTO device* within a 30-day period to complete the My PRESTO Account set-up.

*PRESTO devices include: Balance checkers at Brampton Transit terminals and facilities or fare payment devices on Brampton Transit buses. It is recommended to use the fare payment device to activate your account only if it is part of your trip, as it will deduct a fare upon tap.

3. Setting Discounted Fares
Although it is recommended that you create a MY PRESTO Account for your PRESTO card, cards without an account can be set with the student or senior discounted fares.

What are the benefits of creating a My PRESTO Account for your card?

Lost or stolen cards
Report a missing card to PRESTO and have it cancelled. You will be responsible for the value spent within 24 hours of reporting the loss. You must purchase a replacement card and load a minimum of $10 on to the card. Do NOT create a My PRESTO Account for your new card. Contact PRESTO and request your My PRESTO account, any applicable card balance, valid Transit pass(es) and fare type be transferred to your replacement card.

Autoload
Autoload reloads your PRESTO card automatically through your bank account or credit card when your card balance drops below a dollar amount chosen by you - the minimum amount you can choose is $5. The minimum autoload amount is $20, up to a maximum of $980.
Note: Your new balance will show up immediately on your card. The minimum and maximum amounts are subject to change by PRESTO without notice.

Autorenew
This feature automatically reloads a monthly pass each month. Six days before the end of each month, your method of payment is charged for the value of next month’s pass. When you tap your card as part of a regular trip, the next month’s pass is loaded to your PRESTO card.
Note: To set up Autorenew you first must have a monthly pass on your card.

Ontario Seniors Public Transit Tax Credit
If you are 65 years of age or older and have a My PRESTO Account, you may be eligible to receive refundable tax credit. Click here for more information.

Emergency Trip
My PRESTO Account card holders without sufficient funds to complete a trip are entitled to a single tap on and receive a two-hour transfer from the time of issue.

• The card will drop into a negative balance and will automatically be cleared the next time you load your card
• A negative balance settlement charge is $0.25 at the time of reload

Track your Usage
Check your card balance and access your history online. You can have up to 10 cards registered under the same account.

IMPORTANT NOTES
- You will be required to create a username and password for existing/new My PRESTO Accounts. Card holders without an account will use the card number and a pin.

- For Cardholders with a My PRESTO Account: If your PRESTO card is loaded with a transit pass (weekly or monthly) and it becomes lost, stolen or damaged, you CANNOT load a pass to the card until AFTER the pass from your lost/stolen/damaged has been transferred to your new card; otherwise, the pass from the old card will NOT transfer to the new card.

How do I transfer?

With PRESTO, you no longer have to ask the bus operator for a paper transfer.

PRESTO’s smartcard technology recognizes your continuous travel each time you tap your card and allows you a two-hour transfer period from the time of issue.

If you are connecting to or from GO Transit, the GO co-fare is automatically calculated on the card.

If you travel from Brampton to York Region using PRESTO, and you need to transfer onto a TTC bus (contracted by YRT) to complete your trip, you must:

Request a special transfer upon boarding the Route 501 Züm Queen service.
Note: The special transfer will only be issued on the Route 501 Züm Queen service and will not be accepted at anytime by Brampton Transit or any other YRT buses.
Show this transfer to the TTC bus operator upon boarding.

Click here to view the special transfer.

For information on YRT services, visit www.yrt.ca

If you are transferring from a Brampton Transit bus to the TTC Route 58 – Malton bus at Westwood Mall, you must request a special transfer.

Request a special transfer upon boarding a Brampton Transit bus.
Note: The special transfer will only be issued on routes going to Westwood Mall and will only be accepted by TTC Route 58 - Malton bus at Westwood Mall.
Show this transfer to the TTC bus operator upon boarding.

How does the GO co-fare payment work with PRESTO?

PRESTO will calculate and deduct the co-fare discount for your local transit trip to or from a PRESTO activated GO Train station or GO Transit bus. The local transit system must also be PRESTO active to receive the co-fare discount when travelling with your PRESTO card.

Click here for more information on how co-fares work with PRESTO.

I loaded value onto my card, why is my card not working?

If you load your PRESTO card online or over the phone, you must wait up tp 24 hours before your purchase can be validated. You must then tap onto a fare payment device onboard a bus or a balance checker located at Brampton Transit terminals, within 30 days to complete your transaction.

Will PRESTO affect Brampton’s bus fares?

No. Fare increases are determined and established system-wide based on cost versus revenue ratios. City of Brampton Council approves all fare increases based on the costs associated with providing transit service and the revenues required to maintain, improve and offer additional service.

Should I create a My PRESTO Account for my card?

It is your choice. Creating a My PRESTO Account for your card has numerous benefits. Cards that are lost or stolen can be reported to have future transactions blocked. You will be responsible for the value spent within 24 hours of reporting the loss. The remaining value can be transferred to a new card.

Although it is recommended that you create a My PRESTO Account, cards without an account can be set to provide the student or senior discounted fares.

IMPORTANT NOTE for My PRESTO Account Cardholders: If your PRESTO card is loaded with a transit pass (weekly or monthly) and it becomes lost, stolen or damaged, you CANNOT load a pass to the card until AFTER the pass from your lost/stolen/damaged has been transferred to your new card; otherwise, the pass from the old card will NOT transfer to the new card.

How is my privacy protected?

The PRESTO system meets all legislation and applicable guidelines designed to protect your privacy. Your name will not appear on your PRESTO card nor is any personal information stored on it.

Click here for more information.

Which transit systems are participating in PRESTO?

PRESTO, an operating system of Metrolinx, is a partnership involving GO Transit and nine municipal transit authorities:

Who can I contact for more information?

For PRESTO customer service, call 1.8.PRESTO.123 (1.877.378.6123), or visit prestocard.ca for more information and answers to frequently asked questions.

What should I do if my PRESTO card has been lost or stolen?

Contact the PRESTO Customer Service Centre immediately to have your card cancelled at 1.8.PRESTO.123 (1.877.378.6123) Monday to Friday from 6am to 10pm; Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays from 9am to 9pm.
Call Brampton Transit’s Lost and Found at 905.874.2750 extension 62732 to find out if your card has been returned. If your card has a My PRESTO Account associated with it, you must provide verification to obtain your lost card, if found. If your card is without an account and is lost, you must provide the transaction history to prove the card belongs to you, if found.
If you have a My PRESTO Account, your money is protected. PRESTO Customer Service can cancel your card and transfer your card balance to a new card. You are responsible for any costs incurred on the card up to the first 24 hours after reporting it lost. There will be a $6 issuance fee to replace the card.

We recommend that you record the 17-digit serial number of your PRESTO card to help us determine if a lost or stolen card is yours, should it be found and returned to us.

How do I create a My PRESTO Account for my card?

Creating a My PRESTO Account is easy!

For more information and to create your account online, click here.
To complete a paper registration form, click here.

How do I load my PRESTO card online or over the phone?

Here are the options:

1. Visit prestocard.ca and load money onto your card using your bank account or credit card information every time you reload.
Note: Your new balance will show up on your card in 24 hours.

2. If you don’t want to provide your bank account or credit card information every time you request a load online, set up a saved payment method; this stores your credit card or debit account information in your PRESTO account so you don't have to enter it each time you load funds online or by phone. When you load funds or purchase a transit pass online there will be an option to use your Saved Payment Method at checkout.

This allows you to reload the card’s balance via the PRESTO Call Centre at 1.8.PRESTO.123 (1.877.378.6123) or the PRESTO website at prestocard.ca.

Note: Saved Payment Method does not automatically load funds - if you would like your card to reload automatically please set up Autoload.

Note: The minimum requested reload amount is $10 and the maximum is $1,000; these amounts are subject to change by PRESTO without notice.

3. To never worry about your card balance again, set up an Autoload Contract. Reload your PRESTO card automatically through your bank account or credit card when your card balance drops below a dollar amount chosen by you. However, this dollar amount must be between $5 and $60. The minimum autoload amount is $20, up to a maximum of $980.

Note: Your new card balance will show up immediately on your card.The minimum and maximum amounts are subject to change by PRESTO without notice.

If you are using your credit card, you can set up a contract online or by mailing in a paper form.

If you are using your bank account information to set up a contract, it must be done by mailing in a paper form that can be downloaded from the PRESTO website or obtained at a Brampton Transit terminal.

4. The Autorenew feature automatically reloads a monthly pass each month. Six days before the end of each month, your method of payment is charged for the value of next month’s pass. When you tap your card as part of a regular trip, the next month’s pass is loaded to your PRESTO card.

Note: To set up Autorenew you first have to have a monthly pass on your card. This can be done online at prestocard.ca or in person.

When I load funds online, why is there up to a 24 hour delay before the funds reach my card?

Your card balance is stored on the chip inside your PRESTO card. It does not update automatically when you load funds online.
The details of your transaction need to be downloaded to each PRESTO device, which can take up to 24 hours.
Your card balance is then updated when you tap your PRESTO card on a PRESTO device. If your balance is low, load your card at least 24 hours before you travel to make sure you’ll have sufficient funds.

Transactions conducted online or by phone have three parts:

1. When you activate, register, load, or report a lost card online or by phone, you have created a transaction. This transaction is then delivered to all PRESTO devices however, it may take a few hours.

2. When you tap on-board a bus to complete your transaction, on-board devises may only update once per day. All PRESTO devices update within 24 hours.

3. Your card is updated when you tap. The transaction is applied to your card when you use it to travel. The transaction will expire in 30 days if you do not tap.

Can I connect to TTC using my PRESTO card?

Visit the TTC website for an up-to-date listing of where the PRESTO card can be used on TTC.