End of an era as last TTC Metropass goes on sale tomorrow
A mainstay of TTC fare payment for nearly 40 years and a regular fixture in the lives and wallets of nearly 300,000 Torontonians every month, the Metropass is coming to the end of the line. This milestone is a key part of the TTC's transition to the PRESTO fare payment system. Tickets and tokens will be discontinued by the end of 2019.
The December Metropass, featuring the Cabbagetown Neighbours Heritage Mural on Parliament St. by Poonam Sharma and Michael Cavanaugh, will be the last. It goes on sale tomorrow, Nov. 23, until Dec. 5 and is good for unlimited travel for the month of December.
The first Metropass was a paper card that required TTC photo ID to use. It went on sale on April 7, 1980 for the month of May at a cost of $26. The pass immediately proved a hit with 693,000 adult monthly passes sold from May to December 1980. In 2017, 2.4 million adult passes were sold.
Over the years, other passes were introduced for seniors, students and bulk purchasers. In 2005, the pass became transferable between customers.
Since 1980, more than 78 million Metropasses have been sold.
December Metropasses are available for purchase at collector booths and participating TTC fare agents and are $146.25 for adults and $116.75 for seniors (65+), students (13-19) and post-secondary students with valid ID.
The TTC is encouraging those who have not done so already, to switch to PRESTO before January.
TTC Monthly Passes and 12-Month Passes are available on PRESTO. These passes cost the same and provide the same unlimited travel as a regular Metropass or Metropass Discount Plan (MDP). These monthly passes on PRESTO are also available for sale from Nov. 23 until Dec. 5. Customers can purchase a TTC Monthly Pass from any Shoppers Drug Mart location, from a Fare Vending Machine at TTC subway station entrances, from the TTC's Customer Service Centre or online at prestocard.ca. Twelve Month Passes on PRESTO are only available online at prestocard.ca
With a PRESTO card, customers will be able to take advantage of a number of benefits. Customers are encouraged to register their PRESTO card by creating a My PRESTO Account online at prestocard.ca. Registering a PRESTO card protects the balance or monthly pass on the card if it's ever lost or stolen. With a registered card, customers can also take advantage of Autoload or Autorenew so they never have to worry about loading money or a monthly pass on their card each month, as it automatically happens. For more information about PRESTO, please visit www.ttc.ca/presto
Throughout December, the TTC will promote the switch to PRESTO with giveaways of a limited number of cards which customers can load with any PRESTO pass product online, at Shoppers Drug Mart or through a Fare Vending Machine at any subway station.