With PRESTO in Apple Wallet and PRESTO in Google Wallet now available, it’s easier than ever to pay your transit fare with your phone or watch. (Fun fact: Mobile wallets have been more popular than ever among transit users, with usage almost doubling since November 2024 to 67 million taps.) 

Now there are two ways that you can use a PRESTO card – physical card or a digital card in your mobile wallet. 

But if you’re trying to decide between the two options, it’s good to know that once you convert a physical PRESTO card to a digital version – PRESTO in Google Wallet or Apple Wallet – your physical card will no longer work. 

Why does converting to PRESTO in Mobile Wallet cancel your physical card? 

The reason for this is simple: PRESTO follows a journey. The location of the tap is very important for PRESTO to understand the journey and charge the correct fare. 

Currently, a PRESTO account does not function like a debit account – where the same card/account has a physical and digital version. If a customer was tapping with two versions of the same PRESTO card, the cards could theoretically be used in two places at once and the PRESTO system wouldn’t know where the journey started and ended. 

As a result, each payment method used to pay your fare, whether that is a physical PRESTO card or a card in your mobile wallet on your phone or watch, is treated as a unique card by the PRESTO system.  

Can you have both a physical PRESTO card and a digital one? 

Yes! Just don’t convert your existing card if you want to have both. Instead, you can get a new digital PRESTO card for free and keep your current physical card as an extra or back up.  

Just be aware that the cards won’t be linked, so you will need to load the new card with funds and set up things like Autoload, a discounted fare type, or GO default trip again separately with PRESTO in Mobile Wallet. And make sure you remember which card you used to tap on during each journey, so PRESTO can account for transfers and tap-offs.  

What are the benefits of using a PRESTO card? 

There are many benefits to paying for your transit fare with a PRESTO card. With a PRESTO card you can receive discounts based on your fare type, save on fares, buy passes, receive loyalty discounts, and access PRESTO Perks savings. Customers are always encouraged to choose the fare payment option that is best for their individual travel needs.  

It is important to note that there are also advantages to using the PRESTO payment system more broadly, which includes a PRESTO card, or tapping your debit/credit card onto a PRESTO device. Free transfers across the region are enabled by PRESTO, so customers can transfer between GO Transit and participating local transit agencies without paying a double fare. PRESTO customers can also get free transfers between participating local transit agencies. 

Are there any differences between a physical PRESTO card and PRESTO in Mobile Wallet? 

A physical card costs $4, whereas a new digital card is free. But you’ll need a smartphone or smartwatch – running Android 7.0, iOS version 16.4 or watchOS version 9.4 or higher – to use PRESTO in Mobile Wallet.  

Some PRESTO features, like a Transit Usage Report and Loyalty summary, are only available with a physical PRESTO card. With a physical card, you can load funds or adult passes using cash at our Fare Vending Machines. It’s also important to note that only physical PRESTO cards can be used on OC Transpo. 

Learn more about PRESTO in Mobile Wallet. 

What do you need to know about converting your physical PRESTO card to mobile wallet? 

There are many reasons why you may want to convert your physical PRESTO card to a digital one. It’s easy and convenient – you just tap your phone or watch to pay your transit fare and make updates and load funds in real-time.  

Your newly converted PRESTO in Mobile Wallet card will still be registered to your PRESTO account and will be displayed on the PRESTO website, and can be managed using the PRESTO App.  

Most details will be carried over to your new digital card, including all fare types (except child), balance, products, card settings, Autoload, Autorenew, loyalty and more. However, your transaction history will not be transferred; we recommend that you download your history before making the conversion.  

Once you convert a physical PRESTO card to a digital version – PRESTO in Google Wallet or Apple Wallet – the physical card will be cancelled, and you will not be able to use it anymore.