Toronto — TTC
Subway, streetcars, buses. Pay with a PRESTO card — tap on every ride. Monthly pass pays off if you ride 40+ times a month. ttc.ca →
Public Transit in Canada: A Newcomer's Guide
You probably won't have a car in your first weeks — and in Toronto, Montreal, or Vancouver, you may never need one. Here's how transit works in Canada's big cities, which fare card to get, and how to save money from day one.
Your city's system
Every major city runs its own transit agency with its own fare card. Learn yours first — everything else follows.
Montreal — STM
Metro + buses. Use an OPUS card — buy at metro stations. Monthly pass is the norm for commuters. stm.info →
Vancouver — TransLink
SkyTrain, SeaBus, buses. Compass Card required — fares are zone-based, so tap in and tap out. translink.ca →
Ottawa — OC Transpo
O-Train + buses. PRESTO card works here too (same as Toronto). octranspo.com →
Calgary / Edmonton
Calgary Transit (CTrain + buses) and Edmonton Transit (LRT + buses). Both moving to electronic fare payment — check current options on arrival. Calgary → · Edmonton →
Get a fare card on day one
Buy your city's fare card at the airport, a transit station, or a convenience store (Shoppers Drug Mart sells PRESTO in Ontario). Load it with a monthly pass if you'll commute daily — it's almost always cheaper than pay-per-ride. Most cards have a small purchase fee ($6 for PRESTO) but the savings start immediately.
Newcomer money-savers
- Monthly passes — do the math: if you ride twice a day, 5 days a week, the pass wins everywhere.
- Discounted fares — seniors, youth, and students get reduced fares in most cities. Some agencies offer low-income passes (e.g. Calgary's Fair Entry, Toronto's Fair Pass).
- Transfers are free — within a time window (usually 2 hours), switching between bus, subway, and streetcar costs nothing extra. Always tap.
- Transit apps — Transit, Citymapper, and Google Maps all show real-time arrivals in Canadian cities. Download before you need them.
Winter warning: Canadian transit runs in all weather, but winter storms cause delays. In your first winter, leave 15 minutes earlier than the app says, dress for the platform (not the heated train), and know that some bus routes get detoured in heavy snow. It gets easier — promise.
Beyond transit
For trips transit doesn't cover: Uber and Lyft operate in most Canadian cities, and many have bike-share systems (Toronto's Bike Share, Montreal's BIXI, Vancouver's Mobi). Taxis are regulated and metered. If you're considering buying a car eventually, read our driver's licence guide first — exchanging your foreign licence has deadlines.
Next in your first 14 days: Continue the 14-day checklist — driver's licence and settlement agencies round out week two.
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