Before boarding the train, simply tap ON by touching your card to the PRESTO Fare Payment Device at the station. Be sure to check the screen on the device to confirm that a fare has been deducted from your card. You’ll also hear a beep and see a green/yellow light indicating a successful transaction.

Once you’ve completed your trip, tap OFF by touching your card to the Fare Payment Device as you exit the station. If you’re like the majority of our train customers, and travel between the same two GO stations every day, you can have a default trip set to your card and not have to worry about tapping off at the end of your usual train trip. You’ll only need to tap on at the start of each trip and your full fare will be deducted.

Defaults can only be set by GO Station Attendants and can only be used for GO Train trips.

For more details on setting a default trip, see page 3 of the How to use PRESTO on GO Transit user guide.

When boarding, tap your card ON to the PRESTO Fare Payment Device inside the bus near the driver. The machine will validate your card, record the starting point of your trip and deduct the fare to the next zone on the route.

When you reach your destination, tap your card OFF to the Fare Payment Device as you exit the bus. The PRESTO system will debit or credit your card for the balance of the trip.

Transfer credits will be automatically applied when transferring between GO Buses, GO Buses to GO Trains or GO Trains to GO Buses.

Due to the nature of bus travel, defaults cannot be set or used for GO Bus trips.

For more details, see page 4 of the How to use PRESTO on GO Transit user guide.

With PRESTO, a fare is deducted from your card each time you travel. There is a built-in loyalty program and GO riders will receive fare discounts based upon the number of rides taken and the value of the fares accumulated within the calendar month.

Adults:
With the built-in loyalty program, adults will receive fare discounts similar to the discounts currently offered with GO adult 10-ride tickets and monthly passes.

If you take the same GO trip each time you travel within a calendar month, your GO fare* will be:

• Rides 1 – 35, 7.5%** off the single adult GO fare

• Rides 36 – 40, 87.5%** off the single adult GO fare

• Rides 41+, 100% off the single adult GO fare

If you do not take the exact same trip each time you travel on GO within a calendar month, your first 35 rides on GO will be 7.5%** off the single adult GO fare*. For rides 36 and onwards, your discount will be based on the value of the rides you’ve taken that month.

Students:
As a full-time student (13+), you are also eligible for fare discounts with PRESTO. After purchasing your ccard and registering it online at prestocard.ca, take it to a PRESTO activated GO station to have it set with a student classification to receive the discount. For university and college students, the student classification must be added to the PRESTO card each school year. When travelling on GO be sure to have your valid Student ID with you at all times.

If you take the same GO trip each time you travel within a calendar month, your GO fare* will be:

• Rides 1 – 30, 15%** off the single adult GO fare

• Rides 31 – 40, 95%** off the single adult GO fare

• Rides 41+, 100% off the single adult GO fare

If you do not take the exact same trip each time you travel on GO within a calendar month, your first 30 rides on GO will be 15%** off the single adult GO fare*. For rides 31 and onwards, your discount will be based on the value of the rides you’ve taken that month.

Child and Senior:
GO fares for children (ages 6 to 12 years) and seniors (65+) will be 50%** off the single adult GO fare*. After purchasing your card and registering online at prestocard.ca, take it to a PRESTO activated GO station to have it set with a child/senior classification to receive the discount. While travelling on GO you may be asked to show proof of age.

*Fares and discounts subject to change
**Actual discount may be .1% lower due to rounding.

You can register your card, so if it is ever lost or stolen, it can be replaced and the value restored. Registered card holders are also eligible for the federal public transit tax credit. For info visit prestocard.ca.

As an added customer benefit, the co-fare discount program between GO Transit and participating local transit systems is enhanced for PRESTO card users.  PRESTO users get an automatic discount when transferring between GO Train or Bus services and PRESTO-activated local buses anywhere across the entire GO network, not just at GO Train stations.

If the local bus that you take to or from a GO Train or Bus is not PRESTO-activated, the co-fare discount program will continue for customers transferring between GO Transit and participating local transit systems at GO Train stations and the local transit fare must be paid in cash, tickets or tokens.    

Transfers between GO Transit and participating systems must occur within 2 1/2 hours.

Co-fares are not applicable to the TTC.

Examples of how co-fares work

For GO Train riders:

PRESTO card with default trip feature set:

• In the morning, Sue taps on when she boards the Oakville Transit bus to the Oakville GO Station and the Oakville Transit fare is deducted from her card’s e-purse. Before boarding the train, Sue taps on at Oakville station and pays her GO fare. PRESTO’s smartcard technology recognizes that Sue should only be paying the co-fare for the Oakville Transit trip so her GO fare is reduced accordingly.
  
• In the evening when Sue is travelling home, she taps on at Union Station and her GO fare to Oakville station is deducted from her card’s e-purse. When Sue taps on while boarding the connecting Oakville Transit bus at the station, the co-fare is deducted from her card’s e-purse. Again, the PRESTO system realizes that Sue has just travelled on the GO Train and therefore qualifies for the co-fare.

PRESTO card without default trip feature set:

•  In the morning, John taps on when he boards the Oakville Transit bus to the Bronte GO Station and the Oakville Transit fare is deducted from his card’s e-purse. Before boarding the train, John taps on at Bronte station and pays the minimum GO fare. When John taps off at Union Station, PRESTO’s smartcard technology recognizes that he should be credited for part of his Oakville Transit fare, and his GO fare will be adjusted accordingly.
  
• In the evening, when John is travelling home, he taps on at Union Station and the minimum GO fare is deducted from his card’s e-purse. When he taps off at Bronte, the remaining balance of his GO fare will be deducted from his e-purse. When John taps on his connecting Oakville Transit bus at the station, the co-fare is deducted from his card’s e-purse.

For details about default trip settings, please refer to the How to Use PRESTO on GO Transit user guide.

For GO Bus riders:

• In the morning as Maria is heading to school, she taps onto the Brampton Transit bus and the full local fare is deducted from her card’s e-purse.  When Maria transfers and taps onto the GO Bus, the GO fare is deducted.  When Maria taps off as she exits the GO Bus, her GO fare is reduced by the applicable co-fare discount. 

• In the afternoon when Maria is heading home, the GO fare to the next zone on the route is deducted from her card’s e-purse as she boards the GO Bus.  When she taps off as she exits the bus, the balance of her GO fare is deducted from her e-purse.  When she taps onto a connecting Brampton Transit bus, the discounted local fare will be deducted from her card’s e-purse.

There is a 2 1/2 hour travel window in which to complete your GO trip. Transfer credits will be automatically applied when transferring between GO Buses, GO Buses to GO Trains, or GO Trains to GO Buses.

If you have a default set on your card and you are taking a second trip on GO within 2 1/2 hours, you'll need to press the override button then tap on before taking that trip, and tap off at the end.Your second GO trip will be charged at the regular adult base fare and only the fare will count towards the loyalty program.

For customers who do not have a default set and are taking a second trip on GO within 2 1/2 hours, tap on at the start of your trip and tap off at the end.Your second GO trip will be charged at the regular adult base fare and only the fare will count towards the loyalty program.

Transfers between GO Transit and other participating systems must also occur within 2 1/2 hours.

You'll see different types of PRESTO machines at our stations.

The Fare Payment Device is used to pay your fare. Be sure to tap onto this machine each time before you ride to ensure your fare is paid. You'll also need to tap off at the end of each trip unless you have a default set on your card.

OR

The Balance Checker shows your card balance and transaction history. You can scroll through the information stored on your card by holding it to this machine. If you ordered your PRESTO card on-line, you can also activate your card on this machine. The Balance Checker is not for fare payment.

Download the PRESTO brochure for GO riders.
Download the How to Use PRESTO on GO Transit user guide.
Watch the PRESTO video on YouTube.

For more information about PRESTO, please visit www.prestocard.ca or download the general user guide.