A look back at the history of TTC tickets, tokens and passes

Sunday marks the final day that Toronto commuters can use legacy TTC tickets, tokens, and day passes.

The shift is part of the TTC's ongoing fare modernization, but for some riders, these analog items are more than just payment methods — they're pieces of the city's history.

"As someone who has a small collection of older fare media, it's sad to see it go," said transit advocate Steve Munro.

The original deadline for phasing out the payment forms was Dec. 31, but it was extended to June 1 to give riders more time to use what they had left. After Sunday, passengers will need to use PRESTO cards, debit or credit cards, or cash to pay fares.

"It'll be interesting to see how long it takes between the point which they're no longer accepted and when all of the physical machinery that used to deal with them disappears from the system," said Munro.

The TTC says fewer than one per cent of customers still use tickets or tokens, but like physical concert tickets and paper maps, the payment methods are another example of the disappearing pieces of the city's past.

The TTC, which has operated for over a hundred years, has seen its fare system evolve significantly over its history.

A century of fare evolution

• 1921: Legacy tickets were introduced when the TTC began operating.

• 1954: Tokens debuted with the launch of Canada's first subway.

• 1980: The first paper Metropass was introduced at a cost of $26.

• 1990: Magnetic stripe passes entered circulation.

• 2005: Metropasses became transferable, removing the need for photo ID.

• 2018: Monthly Metropasses were replaced by PRESTO-based equivalents.

• 2022: Tickets were pulled from third-party retailers.

• 2023: Token sales ended at third-party retailers.

• 2025: Legacy tickets, tokens, and day passes will no longer be accepted.

Turning old passes into new art

For Toronto artist Nina Okens, the fare media still hold meaning. She transforms old TTC passes into intricate mosaic art, cutting them into tiny pieces to create something entirely new.

"I kind of feel like everyone's energy is a little bit in there, and that's what I'm trying to put in the art," Okens said.

She says Torontonians have donated thousands of old passes to support her work, and she's now working on a 1.5-by-2.1-metre mosaic map of the city, including sparkly spots to mark happy memories people have shared.

"These passes are almost like a passport," said Okens. "You hold them and think of all the places you went with them."