PRESTO change-o – more options are now available for Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) customers to get moving on express routes as well as routes that cross neighbouring municipal lines, without the hassle of juggling additional fares.

Metrolinx has recently rolled out further improvements to the PRESTO system to make it easier to pay on a number of TTC bus routes. The upgrades will make for a more convenient and seamless transit experience, especially for those making longer journeys.

Customers can now use their PRESTO card to pay their full fare on any of the TTC’s five Downtown Express bus routes and on any TTC bus route that crosses into York Region or Mississauga.

These special routes require customers to pay an additional fare. Downtown Express bus routes offer fewer stops for an extra TTC fare. And there are also a number of other TTC bus routes that cross into York Region and Mississauga that require customers pay a YRT or MiWay fare in addition to their TTC fare when municipal boundaries are crossed.

Previously, customers could pay their base TTC fare with PRESTO, but were required to pay the extra fare – including their MiWay/YRT fare – by other means. This could include cash, tokens, or other products that weren’t on PRESTO.

Now customers have the option of paying their full fare using their PRESTO card. For Downtown Express buses, customers can also purchase a special TTC Monthly Downtown Express Pass, or 12 Month Downtown Express pass, at prestocard.ca. These changes went into effect on August 26 for Downtown Express routes and any routes going into York Region, and have been in place for routes going into Mississauga since July 29.

If you haven’t yet taken advantage of these new features, the TTC’s website has some pointers about how to pay using PRESTO on Downtown Express and cross-boundary bus routes.

Metrolinx has also made it easier for TTC customers to purchase PRESTO tickets.

While the PRESTO card is still the ultimate way to travel, PRESTO tickets provide a payment option for occasional riders, visitors or for those who may have forgotten their PRESTO card. Metrolinx has now finished rolling them out across the system so customers can buy them at all Shoppers Drug Mart locations in Toronto, in addition to any TTC subway station.

But remember — PRESTO tickets can only be used to pay your fare on the TTC. They are not accepted on any of the other transit agencies that use PRESTO, which means they can’t be used to pay the MiWay/YRT fare on any of the TTC’s cross-boundary bus routes.

To learn more about the many benefits of using PRESTO on the TTC, just click here.