PRESTO Contactless

No cash? No problem. You now have more ways to pay when you use transit in Burlington and across the GTHA!

PRESTO contactless is an easy way to pay and get on the bus. You can use your credit or debit card to pay your Burlington Transit fare. This includes cards on your phone or watch. All you need to do is tap your card, phone or watch on a PRESTO machine when you get on the Burlington Transit bus. Visit prestocard.ca to find out where you can use PRESTO contactless to pay for transit.

When you use PRESTO contactless, the fare you pay is the same as the cash fare.

Most major credit cards, such as VISA, MasterCard and American Express, and Interac® debit cards are accepted. To tap your phone or watch, please select the payment card you’d like to pay with in your mobile wallet. For some phones and watches, you may need to unlock your device before you can tap.

You can pay with most credit cards to tap on PRESTO but some credit cards are not accepted on transit. You can check with your bank to see if you can use your card to pay with PRESTO contactless.

If paying with debit, some banking plans may charge additional fees. Before you tap on PRESTO, check with your bank to see if there are debit transaction limits and fees for your account and if transaction limits apply to public transit purchases.

PRESTO Contactless Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How much are transit fares with PRESTO contactless?

PRESTO contactless fares are the same as our cash fare.

Will I still get my student or senior discount fare?
No. If you qualify for a discounted fare, you will need to use your PRESTO card to get the discount.

How is my card charged when I use PRESTO contactless payment?
PRESTO will charge your credit card each time you use it to travel.

When will my transit fare be charged to my payment method?
Your card will be charged the total fare amount for your trip(s) taken that day by the end of the day.

Which card will be charged if I tap my physical wallet with multiple cards?
PRESTO devices can accept PRESTO, credit and debit cards, so tap only with the card you want to use. Remember to take the card you want to pay with out of your wallet, purse or phone case whenever you tap. Taking your card out to tap will make sure you pay with the right card.

How can I see my fare when I tap with my credit or debit card?
If you use your credit card to pay on Burlington Transit, you can check your transaction history on the PRESTO App, the PRESTO website; or check your credit card statement or bank account to see how much you were charged for the fare.

Your daily transactions will show up by the end of the day.

You won’t be able to see your fare on the PRESTO machine when you tap your PRESTO contactless payment method.

When you use a debit card on your phone or watch, The transaction history is not available on the PRESTO App or website.

Why was I charged an additional fee when tapping my debit card on a PRESTO device to pay my transit fare?
When you pay with debit, some banks may charge fees. Before you tap, check with your bank to see if there are debit transaction limits and fees for your account and if transaction limits apply to public transit purchases.

How do transfers work with PRESTO contactless?
Transfers are the same, whether you pay using PRESTO contactless (your credit or debit card) or your PRESTO card.

When you ride with transit agencies that offer PRESTO contactless payment:

  • Tap your credit or debit card when you get on the bus or before you get on the train.
  • Tap off at the end of your journey, if needed.

Your final fare will be calculated and charged to your payment method when you tap off at the end of your trip.

Can more than one person use the same card at the same time?

No, each person travelling will need to use a separate credit or debit card.

Can I use a credit card or bank card issued outside of Canada?
Yes, you can use international credit cards and internationally issued Visa Debit and Debit Mastercard cards. Please be aware that they may charge you currency fees and extra processing fees for out-of-country use. You cannot use regular debit cards issued by a bank outside of Canada

How do I register my credit or debit card to a PRESTO account?

After you use your credit or debit card to travel at least once, you can add it to your PRESTO account. If you don’t already have a PRESTO account, you can create one on the PRESTO app or website, then choose the “Add a Card” option and follow the prompts under “Add a contactless card”.

You can check to make sure your credit or debit card was added to your PRESTO Account by signing out and signing back in. If your card was added successfully, it will show up as one of the cards in your account.

Why should I register my credit card or debit card for PRESTO contactless payment?

When you register your credit or debit card and add it to your PRESTO account, you can see your transaction history for the last 180 days on the PRESTO app or website. If you don’t add your credit or debit card to a PRESTO account and you sign in anonymously, you can only see transactions for the last seven days. If you’ve used a credit or debit card at least once to take transit, you can add it to your PRESTO account and see more of your transaction history.

When you add a credit or debit card to a PRESTO Account you will also:

  • Receive notifications related to your contactless card through the PRESTO app.
  • Be able to manage your trips and PRESTO contactless payments.
  • Sign into the PRESTO app or website with your email address and password instead of your credit card number.

Note: If using your debit card in a mobile wallet on a phone or watch, transaction history is not available on the PRESTO app or website. You can check your bank account statement to see the fares charged to your card.