You can now tap on and off with your credit card on a PRESTO device, including those cards on your phone or watch to pay for your GO adult fare!
We offer a variety of fares and payment methods because we know that the same payment method isn’t the best one for every person.
We offer you the freedom to pick the payment method that’s right for you, and PRESTO’s newest contactless payment option - tap to pay with your credit card - gives you one more choice and makes it even easier to travel with GO!
How Does The Credit Card Tap To Pay System Work?
Paying your GO Transit fare with a credit card is simple:
- Tap on a GO PRESTO device with your credit card, including those cards in a mobile wallet on your phone or watch at the beginning of your trip.
- If the PRESTO device indicates that your payment was not accepted, try adding the card to your mobile wallet on your phone or watch to pay. If you’re still having trouble, you can also check with your credit card provider to see if your credit card is ready for use on transit, or use another payment method to pay your fare.
- Remember to tap off at your destination using the same card, phone or watch that you tapped on with. This avoids being overcharged the fare to the last stop on the train line or bus route. This is because the PRESTO system doesn’t know where you’ve travelled to.
- Use the same credit card to tap on and off. If you tap on with your credit card, you must tap off with the same credit card. If you tap on with your phone or watch, you must tap off with the same phone or watch using the same card set up in your mobile wallet. This will avoid a possible duplication of fare payment.
- PRESTO devices can accept both PRESTO and credit cards, so tap only with the card you want to use. Remember to take the card you want to pay with out of your wallet, purse or phone case whenever you tap. Taking your card out to tap ensures you pay with the right card.
- If you travel between the same two GO Train stations consistently, you can have a default trip set on the credit card you tap on a PRESTO device to pay your fare. A default trip means you only tap on at the beginning of your train trip and you don't need to tap off at the end of your train trip. Default trips ae only for GO Train trips, not for GO Bus trips. Learn how to set a default trip on your card.
Yes, You Can Tap Your Phone or Watch To Pay!
Don’t like carrying around a lot of cards with you? Or, maybe you forgot your credit card at home. No problem! Use the credit card on your phone or watch for a convenient way to pay your fare.
- Make your payment through the credit cards that you’ve added to the mobile wallet on your phone or watch.
- Use your phone or watch to tap on and off at a PRESTO device, just like you would with a physical card.
Can I Tap My Credit Card To Pay For Local Transit?
That depends on your local transit agency!
- Be sure to check with your local transit agency ahead of time to find out if they accept PRESTO contactless payment with credit cards. Currently you can tap with a credit card on GO Transit, Burlington Transit, Brampton Transit, Durham Region Transit, HSR, MiWay, Oakville Transit, UP Express, and YRT. PRESTO is planning to bring more contactless payment options to these and other transit agencies in the future – stay tuned for more updates.
- When you tap on with credit between GO Transit and your local transit service, PRESTO automatically calculates your co-fare discount and applies it to your credit card. Co-fare discounts are only available for travel between GO Transit and participating transit agencies in the 905 region: Burlington Transit, Brampton Transit, Durham Region Transit, HSR, MiWay, Oakville Transit, and YRT.
- If you are transferring to another transit agency that does not accept PRESTO contactless payment, you’ll need to use a PRESTO card or other accepted form of payment or you will not be eligible for the co-fare discount and you will be charged the full fare for your local transit.
Do I Need a PRESTO Account To Make a Tap Payment With My Credit Card?
Similar to using your PRESTO card, creating a PRESTO account isn’t necessary, but there are advantages to setting one up and adding your cards.
- If you tap to pay with a credit card, you can view your transaction history on the PRESTO website or app. The length of time for charges to appear may vary depending on your bank.
- Creating a PRESTO Account will allow you to see more transaction history details – you will be able to see transactions for the last 180 days, while anonymous users will only see a week’s worth of transactions.
- If you’re keeping track of your travel expenses for business or personal reasons, creating an account will make it easier for you.
Is PRESTO Contactless Payment Right For Me?
That’s up to you! We’re offering more ways to pay so it’s easier to travel with us but, before you tap with your credit card, make sure you’re choosing the payment method that’s the best choice for you.
Here are some things to consider:
- Learn about all our fares to decide which one fits best for you and your travel.
- If you’re a frequent GO Transit rider, you may still benefit from using your PRESTO card in order to receive PRESTO discounts such as Youth, Post-Secondary Student, and Senior fares.
- If you prefer to use the mobile wallet on your phone or watch as much as possible, then the contactless payment with a credit card is a convenient choice.
- Even if you generally prefer to use your PRESTO card, it’s great to know that there’s another easy option in case you ever forget it at home!
GO Loyalty Discount Program
You still qualify for our GO Loyalty Discount Program when you tap your credit card to pay your fare – but here’s some things to know!
- Each time you travel on GO and tap to pay with your credit card, you’ll receive automatic fare discounts of 15% or more based upon the number of trips you take within a calendar month.
- To get the most of the GO Loyalty Discount Program, use the same method of payment - your physical credit card OR your phone OR your watch - to tap on and off all month long.
- If you tap to pay with your physical credit card for one week, and then tap your phone to pay the next week, you will have one week worth of travel for each individual payment method, even if your mobile wallet is connected to the same physical credit card that you previously used.
- To earn GO Loyalty Discounts you will need to tap and pay with the same form of payment for all your trips within an entire month - for example switching between a PRESTO card and credit card, or mobile wallet can’t be combined to provide the loyalty discount.
- When you use your credit card to tap to pay, you also still may qualify for a credit under the GO Transit Service Guarantee if your GO train was delayed. Find out how to apply for a credit here.
More Choices When You GO!
PRESTO contactless payment with credit is just one more easy and convenient option to pay for travel on GO Transit – giving you more choices to pay the way you want to.