[DarnDirtyApe]

It's almost like a savings plan for long haul GO users from Barrie, Hamilton, and Oshawa. You are guaranteed to get $400-700 hundred docked from your tax bill or refunded to you every year.

Almost enough to make up for the misery of living in Barrie, Hamilton or Oshawa!

 

[ssiguy2]

Doesn't quite answer my question.
If I take GO bus to the station or local bus to the GO rail station, which is cheaper or is there any difference?

 

[Megaton327]

Presto fare payment machines have been installed at Davisville station (source: https://twitter.com/PRESTOcard/status/615611048222011392), I believe the TTC's customer service staff in the Metropass Discount Plan offices there have had the backend machines for a while to sell cards/set discounted fares/do loads/etc.

With Queen the other day and Davisville I believe that is the end of the 26 stations for the Pan Am games. TTC Presto location list here: http://www.getpres.to/where-can-i-use-it/

I guess the 511 will technically get it on July 11th when the Pan Am Games scheduling takes effect and the LFLRVs start getting placed on that route as well. As for subway stations, if they are installing the readers on all streetcars by the end of the year, they should really prioritize St Clair, St Clair West, and Main stations to be completed by the end of the year to go with their scheme of having Presto-enabled streetcars always have Presto at their terminus stations.

 

[mdrejhon]

Almost enough to make up for the misery of living in Barrie, Hamilton or Oshawa!

LOL

Or the misery of living in downtown Toronto!

....Just had to throw that in there.

Interesting side note: Me and my spouse has made more friends in Hamilton in 6 months, than we did in all of 3 years when we lived in two parts of downtown Toronto (including Riverdale). And we pay less in mortgage now than we paid in rent in Toronto (for far less space). Our neighbour surprised us with an apple pie when we moved in. You don't see that much in area code 416 anymore. Toronto's a fun city, but if you're settling down or having a family on a limited budget and don't want to be house-poor, and still have enough money to go vacationing, then... It depends on what you're looking for in a city -- Toronto can be quite miserable on the wallet -- but fun when you can afford it.

 

[Megaton327]

Something that occurred to me as I was on Queen's Quay today, with massive numbers of tourists--anybody know if there's been movement on Presto coming to the Toronto Island Ferries? There are often huge lines to buy tickets, the ticken vending machines have been out of service for at least a month, and while 311's website had said you can buy tickets online, I tried recently and ended up calling them, and apparently even though it says that you can't as there was a delay in that system going live. Even a single presto reader, either on a turnstile they can jerry-rig out of a TTC station, or on its own where the ticket checking employee can see it (like they have at Union in the south side faregate line during busy times), would likely be absolutely sufficient. The fact that it's a flat one-way fare, with no need to tap off at the island, no need to tap for the return trip, and no need for fare inspectors makes this seem, to me, like a stupidly simple decision to make. Especially if we're pushing presto on tourists now, with the significant price difference on the UPX and the TTC moving to ditch tokens and day passes for presto, it seems to make a lot of sense to just put a single one in at the ferry docks.

I recall seeing--and just searched now to verify--that some old TTC or Metrolinx board minutes mentioned the possibility of exploring this but I can't seem to find anything more recent or concrete. Anybody have info on this? I might drop a line to my councillor, see if inquiries can be made...

 

[animatronic]

They have considered the ferry (and many other uses) at various times but rightly or wrongly the decision was made to prioritize projects for existing network members. They would obviously like to get there eventually but it's hard to overestimate how time and effort consuming the OTC, TTC and Presto 2.0 rollouts have been.

 

[EastYorkTTCFan]

The tax benefit will likely push a lot of people over to Presto if they actually do the math. For me a Metropass only makes sense given that I can get VIP pricing and the effective cost is only 85% of the sticker price. With Presto I can get the same discount but not have to buy the pass so I'm going to switch over entirely to Presto when I can actually use it throughout the system.

That's my thoughts to once the stations I use most add presto to them I think I'll just put cash on a presto card and use it for what I need and if I plan to use the go train I'll add extra to it.

 

[PinkLucy]

I'm loving the auto load feature

 

[ehlow]

Something that occurred to me as I was on Queen's Quay today, with massive numbers of tourists--anybody know if there's been movement on Presto coming to the Toronto Island Ferries? There are often huge lines to buy tickets, the ticken vending machines have been out of service for at least a month, and while 311's website had said you can buy tickets online, I tried recently and ended up calling them, and apparently even though it says that you can't as there was a delay in that system going live. Even a single presto reader, either on a turnstile they can jerry-rig out of a TTC station, or on its own where the ticket checking employee can see it (like they have at Union in the south side faregate line during busy times), would likely be absolutely sufficient. The fact that it's a flat one-way fare, with no need to tap off at the island, no need to tap for the return trip, and no need for fare inspectors makes this seem, to me, like a stupidly simple decision to make. Especially if we're pushing presto on tourists now, with the significant price difference on the UPX and the TTC moving to ditch tokens and day passes for presto, it seems to make a lot of sense to just put a single one in at the ferry docks.

I recall seeing--and just searched now to verify--that some old TTC or Metrolinx board minutes mentioned the possibility of exploring this but I can't seem to find anything more recent or concrete. Anybody have info on this? I might drop a line to my councillor, see if inquiries can be made...

Great point. It would be good if the island ferries took Presto. Reminds me of Boston where my 3 day transit pass covered the ferry from Charlestown to downtown. Also SF where a tourist can buy a pass that covers Muni and Cable-cars (but not BART if I remember correctly).

 

[dowlingm]

Something that occurred to me as I was on Queen's Quay today, with massive numbers of tourists--anybody know if there's been movement on Presto coming to the Toronto Island Ferries? There are often huge lines to buy tickets, the ticken vending machines have been out of service for at least a month, and while 311's website had said you can buy tickets online, I tried recently and ended up calling them, and apparently even though it says that you can't as there was a delay in that system going live.

My understanding is that the "new" ferry ticketing system is NOT supposed to be Presto. Not a mention on the ferry website. But that's what happens when Parks and Rec get to run what amounts to a transit service. I also suspect there might be a fear in the City bureaucracy that revenue for the ferries will take a big hit if people start expecting TTC fare norms on a Presto-ised ferry (kids go free, day passes good for TTC extended to ferries etc.)

 

[ttc1700]

It's such a ridiculous set-up indeed. Almost as silly as those fare machines on the platform that only take tokens and coins. Presto? Credit/Debit? Cash in bills? Forget it!

The TTC machines were supposed to get NFC readers to accept Credit/Debit late Q1 but Presto has been taking their sweet time prioritizing the "limited supply" of them for the self-reload machines. The only reason why you can't tap on at the machines on the platforms is because they arenn't live and connected to the presto network. The practice of tapping you're presto card by the door and on the SRVMs will cease once Presto is fully implemented system wide.

 

[Megaton327]

The two Presto self-serve reload kiosks in the TTC portion of Union Station (located in the north side fare unpaid area, just by the Royal Bank Plaza PATH doors, or just west of the row of turnstiles) are now operational. They were active and usable and there was even a Presto customer service rep standing by one, looking like he was present to help people who might be using it for the first time.

The roster of these kiosks is now up to 5 locations that I know of: UP Pearson+Weston+Bloor (1 each, I think?), Union York Concourse (1), and Union TTC (2).

 

[W. K. Lis]

Presto Card? Why? When we have TTCConnect. See link.

A new E-Ticketing option will be available early July to make taking the TTC easier for customers. You will be able to purchase either a Single Day Pass or Group Pass using the TTCconnect app on your iOS or android device.​

 

[EastYorkTTCFan]

Presto Card? Why? When we have TTCConnect. See link.

A new E-Ticketing option will be available early July to make taking the TTC easier for customers. You will be able to purchase either a Single Day Pass or Group Pass using the TTCconnect app on your iOS or android device.​

my guess is once presto roles out that will go away or it could just be temporary for the summer too.

 

[Megaton327]

Presto Card? Why? When we have TTCConnect. See link.

A new E-Ticketing option will be available early July to make taking the TTC easier for customers. You will be able to purchase either a Single Day Pass or Group Pass using the TTCconnect app on your iOS or android device.​

Maybe people don't always want a day pass, but a single ride at token rates? Completely different purposes.