Ontario's One Fare Now Covers TTC Transfers To These Transit Lines & There's A Big Exception

Ontario's One Fare transit program officially came into effect on Monday, giving riders a bunch of free transfer options on trips across Toronto and the GTA — with one major exception.

The new program, which was announced early in February, makes it so you only have to pay once to take a trip on most transit systems, even if that means switching from one transit provider to another. Just tap your Presto card and you're good to go.

For instance, you can take a GO Transit train into Toronto and then transfer to the TTC for free under the new program, rather than paying for each service.

However, you'll still have to pay extra if you want to take one of Toronto's fastest transit routes.

"We're saving people across the GTA on average $1,600 every year," Ontario Premier Doug Ford tweeted Monday morning. "That's real money back in your pocket."

Ontario's One Fare program came into effect on Monday, February 26.

Here's what you need to know about it.

Which transit routes are part of Ontario's One Fare program?

Ontario's One Fare program allows you to pay once for a trip across the GTA, regardless of whether it's one a bus, a train, a subway or a streetcar. It also works regardless of how you pay, meaning you can use Presto, credit card or cash and simply grab a transfer to link it all together.

Here are all the transit systems involved in Ontario's One Fare program:

• Toronto Transit Commission (TTC)
• GO Transit
• Brampton Transit
• Durham Regional Transit
• MiWay
• York Region Transit

How long do transfers last under Ontario's One Fare program?

Your free transfer lasts for two hours if your trip starts on local transit, or three hours if it starts on GO Transit, according to Metrolinx.

Does Ontario's One Fare program include the UP Express?

While One Fare uses Presto and includes GO Transit, it does not include the UP Express. That means you'll still have to pay extra if you want to take the speedy train service that runs between Union Station and Toronto's Pearson Airport.