Learn what happens if you forget to tap off with your PRESTO card on GO Transit

Tapping Off

You need to tap off using a PRESTO device when travelling with GO.
Learn what happens if you forget to tap off with your PRESTO card on GO Transit

Tapping Off

You need to tap off using a PRESTO device when travelling with GO.

Forgot to Tap Off?


If you forget to tap off at the end of your trip, an amount for Missed Tap Off or Underpayment will be deducted from your PRESTO card, PRESTO in Mobile Wallet or charged to your credit or debit card at the start of your next trip in the GO network.

The fare to the last stop on the train line or bus route will be deducted from your PRESTO card, PRESTO in Mobile Wallet or charged to your credit or debit card along with your fare type and any applicable loyalty discounts applied.  If you have sufficient funds on your PRESTO card, the Underpayment amount you owe will be automatically deducted from your card balance, along with the fare for the new trip. If your physical PRESTO, PRESTO in Mobile Wallet or credit card doesn’t have enough funds, it’ll be blocked from further use on GO Transit until you load more money on it.

Set a Default Trip

A default trip means you only tap on a PRESTO device at the beginning of your train trip and you don’t need to tap off.

Learn More
Youth tapping PRESTO card on-board GO Bus

How to Avoid Missed Tap Offs

  • Always check the screen on the Fare Payment machine when you tap your card on and off to ensure your tap was accepted and your fare is deducted
  • Set a GO default trip on your physical PRESTO card, PRESTO in Mobile Wallet, physical credit card, physical debit card, or credit card on your mobile wallet, especially if you travel regularly between two train stations. 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
  • Remember to always tap off at the end of your trip if you do not have a default trip set (because defaults are only for GO Trains, not GO Buses) and/or you override your default trip by pressing the "mode" button on the PRESTO device
  • Pay careful attention to your PRESTO card’s balance since an underpayment will be deducted from that balance

Missed Tap Off Cost

If you don’t have a default set on your card and you forget to tap off at the end of your trip, you’ll be charged the fare to the last stop on the train line or bus route and with your fare type and any applicable loyalty discounts applied. This is because the PRESTO system doesn’t know where you’ve travelled to. If your physical PRESTO card, PRESTO in Mobile Wallet, physical credit card, physical debit card, or credit card on your mobile wallet has a default trip set for travel between two specified train stations, you only need to tap on. If you take a trip that begins or ends at a different station, you’ll need to tap on and off. If you forgot to tap off and the fare deducted from your physical PRESTO card, PRESTO in Mobile Wallet, or charged to your credit or debit card, is incorrect, you can request a refund by either calling the GO contact centre at 1-888-438-6646 or by filling out our webform.

  • For any trips that start at Union Station, you’ll be charged the same amount as the cost of a trip to Kitchener
  • For trips that start at stations on the Lakeshore East, Lakeshore West, Richmond Hill, Milton, Stouffville, Kitchener and Barrie lines, you’ll be charged the fare to the farthest station on that line

Below is a list of what station you’ll be charged to, on your line, if you forget to tap off:

LAKESHORE WEST

STATION

CHARGED TO

Aldershot

Union

Appleby

Union

Bronte

Union

Burlington

Union

Clarkson

Hamilton

Exhibition

Hamilton

Hamilton

Union

Long Branch

Hamilton

Mimico

Hamilton

Oakville

Union

Port Credit

Hamilton

Union

Kitchener

West Harbour

Union

LAKESHORE EAST

STATION

CHARGED TO

Ajax

Union

Danforth

Oshawa

Eglinton

Oshawa

Guildwood

Oshawa

Oshawa

Union

Pickering

Union

Rouge Hill

Oshawa

Scarborough

Oshawa

Union

Kitchener

Whitby

Union

MILTON

STATION

CHARGED TO

Cooksville

Milton

Dixie

Milton

Erindale

Milton

Kipling

Milton

Lisgar

Union

Meadowvale

Union

Milton

Union

Square One Bus Terminal

Last stop on bus route

Streetsville

Union

Union

Kitchener

KITCHENER

STATION

CHARGED TO

Acton

Union

Bloor

Kitchener

Bramalea

Kitchener

Brampton

Kitchener

Etobicoke North

Kitchener

Georgetown

Union

Guelph

Union

Kitchener

Union

Malton

Kitchener

Mount Pleasant

Kitchener

Union

Kitchener

Weston

Kitchener

York Mills Bus Terminal

Last stop on bus route

Yorkdale Bus Terminal

Last stop on bus route

RICHMOND HILL

STATION

CHARGED TO

Gormley

Union

Langstaff

Union

Old Cummer

Gormley

Oriole

Gormley

Richmond Hill

Union

Union

Kitchener

BARRIE

STATION

CHARGED TO

Allandale Waterfront

Union

Aurora

Allandale Waterfront

Barrie South

Union

Bradford

Union

Downsview Park

Allandale Waterfront

East Gwillimbury

Union

King City

Allandale Waterfront

Maple

Allandale Waterfront

Newmarket

Union

Rutherford

Allandale Waterfront

Union

Kitchener

York University

Allandale Waterfront

STOUFFVILLE

STATION

CHARGED TO

Agincourt

Old Elm (formerly Lincolnville)

Centennial

Union

Danforth

Oshawa

Kennedy

Old Elm (formerly Lincolnville)

Old Elm (formerly Lincolnville)

Union

Markham

Union

Milliken

Union

Mount Joy

Union

Scarborough

Oshawa

Stouffville

Union

Union

Kitchener

Unionville

Union