UP Express becomes first in Canada to allow riders to use debit cards to 'tap-on'
UP Express customers can now tap-on and pay for their ride using debit cards instead of having to pre-purchase a ticket or load their PRESTO card.
In March, Metrolinx launched a pilot program allowing for contactless payment on UP Express, the rail link that connects Union Station with Toronto Pearson International Airport.
The transit company started the pilot project with allowing customers to tap their physical credit card or the credit card in their mobile wallet to pay for their fare.
On Thursday, the transit agency said customers will also be able to tap on and off using their Interac Debit, Visa Debit and Debit Mastercard, or by adding these cards to their mobile wallet and tapping with their phone or smart watch.
“This not only means more choice and convenience for UP Express customers, it also makes us the first transit agency in Canada to offer a Canadian contactless debit option as a way to pay,” spokesperson Nitish Bissonauth said.
“These new payment options are all about giving our customers more choice. Customers will have the freedom to choose how they’d like to pay – whether that’s with their PRESTO card or with one of these new options we’re introducing.”
Customers can continue to use their Visa, Mastercard or American Express credit cards (physical or digital version in their mobile wallet) to pay, as well as more traditional options like a PRESTO card and e-tickets.
The transit agency said that for both credit and debit card use, customers will still need to tap on and off in the same way as when they use a PRESTO card.
“If a rider taps on with a debit card, they must tap off with the same debit card. If they tap on with a phone or watch, they must tap off with the same phone or watch using the same card set up in their mobile wallet,” the company said.
“Before you go tapping away, it’s worth mentioning that when a customer taps a debit card at the beginning of a trip, a temporary $15 pre-authorization may be placed on that card, even if the actual fare is less.”
Metrolinx said this amount may be held by a bank until PRESTO calculates the actual fare for the trip and charges the customer’s bank account, and that final charges should typically appear within 24 hours.
The company said it plans to be rolling out its credit, debit, and mobile wallets payment program to “more transit agencies across the region.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Couple randomly attacked, 1 stabbed, by group of teens in Toronto, police say
A man has been transported to hospital after police say he was stabbed in a random attack carried out by a group of teens in Toronto on Friday night.
Ron Ellis, who played over 1,000 games with Maple Leafs, dead at 79
Ron Ellis, who played over 1,000 games with the Toronto Maple Leafs and was a member of Canada's team at the 1972 Summit Series, has died at age 79.
Wildfire that forced evacuation of Fort Nelson, B.C., caused by tree falling on wires, mayor says
The wildfire that prompted the evacuation of more than 3,000 people near Fort Nelson, B.C., was caused by a tree falling on wires, according to the municipality's mayor.
Eurovision Song Contest final kicks off after protests, backstage chaos and a contestant's expulsion
The final of the 68th Eurovision Song Contest kicked off Saturday in the Swedish city of Malmo after days of protests and offstage drama that have tipped the feelgood musical celebration into a chaotic pressure cooker overshadowed by the war in Gaza.
IN PICTURES Northern lights dance across the night sky in southern Ont.
From London, to Grand Bend, Collingwood and Guelph, here are some highlights of Friday night and Saturday morning's northern lights display.
'I am angry': Alberta farmers will continue fight over world class motorsport resort
The rolling hills leading to the hamlet of Rosebud are dotted with sprawling farms and cattle pastures -- and a sign sporting a simple message: No Race Track.
opinion How to use your credit card as a powerful wealth-building tool
Irresponsibly using a credit card can land you in financial trouble, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew says when used properly, it can be a powerful wealth-building tool that can help grow your credit profile and create new opportunities.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
Haitians demand the resignation and arrest of the country's police chief after a new gang attack
A growing number of civilians and police officers are demanding the dismissal and arrest of Haiti's police chief as heavily armed gangs launched a new attack in the capital of Port-au-Prince, seizing control of yet another police station early Saturday.