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Have your say in the final phase of the Transit Fare Review!

Have your say in the final phase of the Transit Fare Review!


We’re in the final phase of reviewing our transit fares. The Transit Fare Review phase four is here and we’re ready to share our recommendations with you!

After months of public consultation, research, and technical analysis, we’re proposing a new distance-based fare structure on rapid transit with prepaid passes updated to reflect this change. Buses will be kept as a flat fare to ensure simplicity. We are also proposing recommendations for changes to how we price by time of day and discounts for customers.

“TransLink has received over 55,000 responses through this review, many from people wanting a system where paying for transit is fair for more people, while also being affordable and simple to use. Replacing our zone-system with pricing that is more gradual and incremental based on distance between stations is a way to do that.” —Geoff Cross, TransLink’s vice-president of transportation planning and policy

We're proposing a new transit fare structureHere’s a few more details on the recommendations we’re asking for input on (you’ll want to read the draft report on recommendations for full details!):

  • Distance: In previous phases, three-quarters of respondents told us the current zone-based fare system doesn’t work well and they’d like to see a system that prices fares more closely to distances travelled. Based on that feedback, we are proposing to:
    • Eliminate zones and shift to pricing by the distance between stations on SkyTrain, SeaBus and future rapid transit while maintaining a flat fare on bus. Under this system, the maximum fare would be about the same as a three-zone fare, meaning people travelling the longest distance on SkyTrain would continue to pay the same price as they do under the current system.
    • HandyDART would remain a flat fare and the West Coast Express price structure would remain the same.
  • Fare products: in previous phases, we heard strong support for a system that’s affordable for frequent riders. So we are proposing to update prepaid adult Monthly Passes to reflect the proposed distance-based pricing system. Concession Monthly Passes would remain a flat rate.
  • Time of day discounts: we are recommending that current time-of-day discounts be maintained in the near future and expanding off-peak discounts at targeted times and locations when funding is available in the future.
  • User discounts: we are recommending a number of changes and options for the future if funded through senior government, while maintaining current Concession discounts as they are today.

What do you think? Between June 18 and 29, we’re asking for the public to review our recommendation and have their say at translink.ca/farereview.

Have questions? Join the online discussion forum and send us an email at farereview@translink.ca.

How we got here

Through the first three phases of the Transit Fare Review, we heard from more than 55,000 people!

The key themes we heard from respondents was that they want to see a system that’s promotes fairness for more people, while also being simple and affordable. Three quarters of respondents said they’d like to see a structure that prices fares more closely to distance travelled.

What’s next

After we complete this phase of consultation, we will finalize our recommendation and present it to the Mayors’ Council and TransLink Board later this summer for endorsement.

Through June 29, review the draft report on recommendations and take the survey at translink.ca/farereview!

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