Cheaper fare coming for transit users who ride both TTC and GO

Transit riders who transfer between GO, the TTC or the Union-Pearson Express will soon see their TTC fare cut in half under a deal formally announced Friday between the city and the province.

Transit riders who use the Presto card and transfer between GO Transit or the UP Express and the TTC in either direction will be eligible for a 50 per cent discount on the Toronto transit portion, Wynne said. An adult, senior and youth/student fare of $1.50 will apply.

Terms of the deal were announced a couple of days ago by Mayor John Tory's office.

The discount, which still must be approved by the TTC and Toronto city council, will come into effect in January 2018.

The fare reduction will save regular commuters about $720 per year, the premier said.

"It needs to be easy, it needs to be seamless and it needs to be affordable in order for people to make the choice to take transit," Wynne told reporters outside Union Station on Friday morning.

Ontario Transportation Minister Steven Del Duca said some 50,000 trips involving transfers between the TTC, GO and UP occur daily.

Tory said fair integration is complicated, but the agreement is a "first step" in that process. Making transit easier and cheaper for users of multiple systems is key to getting people out of their cars, he said.

"We have to continue to find ways to make transit a more attractive option than getting in a car," Tory said.

The mayor noted that the discount will not negatively impact TTC revenues.

Meanwhile, Metrolinx, which operates GO Transit, has 12 co-fare agreements with local transit services around the Greater Toronto Area. At a recent board meeting, GO heard a recommendation to implement co-fare deals throughout its system.