Monthly Transit Pass or Pay Per Ride? Break-Even in 5 Canadian Cities
A monthly transit pass only saves money if you ride enough to beat the single fare. In five big Canadian cities, that line sits between 30 and 47 rides a month.
- Fares checked October 29, 2026
- By Krish Paul
- 6 min read
On this page
We took each transit agency’s current adult fares and worked out the break-even, then tested it against a five-day and a three-day office week.
The short answer
A monthly pass pays off if you take about 30 or more one-way rides a month in Montreal, 32 in Calgary, 34 in Ottawa or 42 in Vancouver. A full-time commuter usually clears that. A three-day hybrid worker usually does not.
Toronto works differently now. The TTC dropped most adult monthly passes and replaced them with a monthly fare cap, so you never pay for more than 47 fares in a calendar month. Ottawa caps PRESTO fares at the monthly pass price too. In those two cities you can skip the decision and simply tap.
Break-even rides by city
The break-even is the monthly pass price divided by one adult fare. Every ride past that point is a saving.
| City | Single fare | Monthly pass | Break-even | 26 rides pay-per-ride |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Montreal (STM, zone A) | $3.75 | $110.00 | 29.3 rides | $97.50 |
| Calgary Transit | $4.00 | $126.00 | 31.5 rides | $104.00 |
| Ottawa (OC Transpo, PRESTO) | $4.10 | $138.50 | 33.8 rides | $106.60 |
| Vancouver (TransLink, 1 zone, Compass) | $2.85 | $117.20 | 41.1 rides | $74.10 |
| Toronto (TTC, PRESTO or tap) | $3.30 | $155.10 cap | 47 fares | $85.80 |
Regular adult fares, checked October 29, 2026. Toronto has no regular adult monthly pass, so the figure shown is the most you can pay in a month: 47 fares at $3.30.
Round each break-even up to a whole ride. In Montreal the pass wins from your 30th ride, in Calgary from your 32nd, in Ottawa from your 34th and in Vancouver from your 42nd.
What a typical month costs
Here are two hypothetical riders in a month with 21 workdays. One commutes five days a week, which is 42 one-way rides. The other goes in three days a week, which is about 26 rides. Neither takes other trips.
Five days a week: 42 rides
- Montreal: $157.50 paying per ride, or $110 with a pass. The pass saves $47.50.
- Calgary: $168 paying per ride, or $126 with a pass. The pass saves $42.
- Ottawa: $172.20 at the PRESTO fare, but the cap stops you at $138.50, the pass price.
- Vancouver: $119.70 with a Compass card, or $117.20 with a pass. The pass saves only $2.50, and one sick day wipes that out.
- Toronto: $138.60. You stay under the 47-fare cap, so you pay for every ride.
Three days a week: 26 rides
Paying per ride wins everywhere. You would pay $97.50 in Montreal, $104 in Calgary, $106.60 in Ottawa, $74.10 in Vancouver and $85.80 in Toronto. A pass would cost $12.50 more in Montreal, $22 more in Calgary, $31.90 more in Ottawa and $43.10 more in Vancouver.
Montreal is the closest call. Four extra one-way trips in a month, such as two evenings out, bring a hybrid rider to 30 rides and make the $110 pass the cheaper choice.
How each city handles it
Toronto: the cap does the work
The TTC says most Monthly and 12-Month passes were discontinued on August 31, 2026, and monthly fare capping started on September 1, 2026. Once you reach 47 eligible fares in a calendar month, the rest of your TTC trips that month are free, according to the TTC.
The cap works with a PRESTO card, a debit or credit card, or a card in a mobile wallet. Cash fares, PRESTO Tickets and paper transfers do not count. You must tap the same card or device every time, and only trips that start on the TTC count. The cap resets on the first of each month.
Ottawa: capped at the pass price
OC Transpo charges $4.10 for an adult PRESTO fare and $138.50 for an adult monthly pass, under fares effective January 1, 2026. Its fares page says that if you ride all month you will not be charged more than the price of a monthly pass. Tap the same card each time.
Vancouver: how you pay matters
TransLink charges $2.85 for a one-zone adult fare on a Compass card but $3.50 when you tap a credit or debit card, according to its fare page. At the tap price the one-zone pass breaks even at about 34 rides instead of 42. If you ride often, a Compass card is the cheaper way to pay per ride.
Montreal: the lowest bar
The STM monthly pass for zone A costs $110 and is valid from the first to the last day of the month, on an OPUS card only, according to the STM. A single trip is $3.75. A weekly pass is $33.25, which pays off at nine rides in a week.
Calgary: higher fares in 2026
Calgary Transit raised the adult single ride to $4.00 and the adult monthly pass to $126 starting in January 2026, according to its fare announcement. The adult day pass is $12.65, which pays off on your fourth ride in a day.
A quick way to decide
Use last month as your guide, then adjust for anything you know is coming.
- Count one-way trips, not tapsTransfers inside the fare window are free, so a bus-to-subway trip is one ride.
- Compare with your city’s break-even30 rides in Montreal, 32 in Calgary, 34 in Ottawa and 42 in Vancouver on a Compass card.
- Check for a cap firstIn Toronto and Ottawa, tap the same card every time and let the cap protect you.
- Leave a marginIf you are within two or three rides of the line, pay per ride. Holidays and sick days usually push you below it.
Things people overlook
- Statutory holidays and vacation. A month with a long weekend or a week off can drop a five-day commuter several rides below the break-even.
- Employer help. Some employers subsidize transit passes. Ask before you decide, because a subsidy changes the math.
- Discounted fares. Youth, seniors, students and low-income riders often pay less, and the break-even shifts. The figures here are for regular adult fares only.
- Paying with a credit card. Tapping a cash back card earns rewards on each fare. Check whether your card’s annual fee is worth it in our break-even guide.
Frequently asked questions
How many rides a month do you need for a transit pass to pay off?
At current adult fares it takes about 30 rides in Montreal, 32 in Calgary, 34 in Ottawa and 42 in Vancouver with a Compass card. Toronto no longer sells a regular adult monthly pass; the TTC fare cap makes your rides free after 47 paid fares in a calendar month.
Does the TTC still sell a monthly pass?
Not for most adults. The TTC says most Monthly and 12-Month passes were discontinued on August 31, 2026, when monthly fare capping started. Once you pay 47 eligible fares in a calendar month, the rest of your TTC trips that month are free.
What is fare capping?
Fare capping stops charging you once you have paid a set amount in a period. On the TTC the cap is 47 fares per calendar month. OC Transpo caps PRESTO fares at the price of a monthly pass. You have to tap the same card or device every time for the trips to count together.
Does a transfer count as a ride for the break-even?
No. Count one-way trips, not taps. A TTC fare paid by PRESTO or card includes a two-hour transfer, an STM fare gives you 120 minutes, and a TransLink fare is valid for 90 minutes on bus, SkyTrain and SeaBus. Taps inside those windows do not cost another fare.
Is a monthly pass worth it if I go to the office three days a week?
Usually not. Three office days a week is about 26 one-way trips in a typical month. That is below the break-even in every city we checked, and it is $12.50 short in Montreal, the closest case. Add regular evening or weekend trips and it can tip the other way.
- Sources, checked October 29, 2026: TTC: Fares and passes; TTC: Monthly fare capping; OC Transpo: Fares; OC Transpo: Fare capping with Presto and O-Payment; TransLink: Pricing and fare zones; STM: Transit fares; STM: Monthly pass; STM: Transfers; Calgary Transit: Fares changing for 2026.
- Method: Break-even = adult monthly pass price ÷ regular adult single fare. Toronto’s monthly maximum = 47 fares × $3.30. Monthly cost = rides × fare, limited by the cap where one applies. Hypothetical riders assume a 21-workday month with no other trips and no transfers that cost extra. Calculated by script and checked with a second method. Fares change, usually once a year.
Important: This guide is general information, not financial advice. Fares, passes and capping rules can change; confirm them with your transit agency before you buy a pass. Gizly is not paid by any transit agency, and this page has no affiliate links. See our affiliate disclosure.
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