Tap into style with Compass Wristbands
Tap into style with Compass Wristbands
We know transit takes you to school, work, and everywhere in between. To help make Metro Vancouver’s transit system a little more convenient, we’re introducing Compass wristbands. A wearable Compass Card made of food grade silicone that you wear on your wrist!
To gauge public interest in Compass wristbands, we’re doing a limited release of 1,000 adult wristbands and 1,000 concession wristbands starting December 3. Compass wristbands work the same as Compass Card—tap in and out when travelling on transit and reload online, at a Compass Vending Machine, by phone or in person.
There’s no cost for the Compass Wristbands, however just like a Compass Card, your Compass Wristband includes a $6 refundable deposit that will live on the wristband. Remember to tap the part of the wristband that displays the contactless symbol or your tap won’t work.
Want to get your hands on your very own Compass Wristband? Visit the Compass Customer Service Centre at Stadium–Chinatown Station (Monday – Friday 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.) or the West Coast Express Office in Waterfront Station (Monday – Friday 6:45 a.m. to 6 p.m.) to pick up a wristband while supplies last. Our Compass Wristband trial was a hit and our first batch sold out on day one. We’ve placed another order and will update you when they’re on sale! You can still win one until December 16 in our 12 Days of Giftmas giveaway! Head over to translink.ca/12Days to see how to win!
Can’t make it to the Compass Customer Service Centre? No worries! Stay tuned to the blog later this week for an amazing giveaway opportunity!
Author: Sarah Kertcher
Can’t provide them online?
Hi Marcel. We have to encode them with a special machine before they’re used for the first time and this can only be done at our two customer-service centres in Vancouver.
We need renew the monthly pass till November 30rd. However the wristbands will be available only December 3rd. What happends with the monthly pass already paid? I will need pa6 again the montly pass in the wristband?
Hi Vanessa! You can transfer Compass products onto the wristband but this can only be done at one of our customer service centres, because we need to encode the wristband before use. This link has some helpful tips for you.
Will the orange ones go small enough to fit round a 5-year-old’s wrist? If so, these things will be great for child riders, in terms of letting them carry their own Compass cards without the risk of the cards getting lost.
Hi there! The wristbands are adjustable and can accommodate small and large wrists.
Sister went to get one. Line was so long and she didn’t even find the end of the line to start. She gave up due to work.
Wonder if there will be wristbands available for PWD.
Comment and questions:
The wristo is a great idea to keep Compass data separate from financial data on credit and debit cards. Unfortunately it’s made from plastic and our world is choking on pollution.
When will you release a Compass microchip that goes under the skin or between layers of nail polish?
Am I able to refund the deposit from my Compass card when purchasing the wristband?
Good concept but it should be virtual card instead. More waste is created in this implementation yet the MIFARE IC chip doesn’t provide any more electronic functions than what a physical card already provides. Compass Card needs to be hosted on OEM Pay platforms like Suica, Beijing and Shanghai Transit Card on Apple Pay, iPASS on Fitbit and Garmin Pay, HOP Fastpass and recently, myki (also referred as mobile myki for the NFC mobile implementation), on Google Pay, Chinese transit cards (including China T-Union cards) on Huawei and Xiaomi Mi Pay, T-money on LG and Samsung Pay, Octopus (branded as Smart Octopus), CashBee, Beijing Yikatong, Shanghai Public Transport Card, Wuhan Tong, Lingnan Pass, and Shenzhen Tong on Samsung Pay. Hosting Compass on many OEM Pay platforms would provide better short and long term benefits for both TransLink and riders. This include opportunities for instant top-ups for virtual Compass cards (2+ hrs wait required for Compass readers be ready to load purchased product onto physical card or wristband; with virtual Compass, the purchased fare product would be instantly loaded directly via device’s internet connection to a virtual Compass once payment is processed), inexpensive and rapid app deployment, flexibility for NFC technology change (e.g. one day MIFARE is no longer used and is changed to Calypso, same technology used in OPUS in Montreal and Rav Kav in Israel; software update would be issued so no hardware change on the user end) and user choice of mobile device (i.e. letting user choose the device for storing and using their virtual Compass), and encouraging elimination of excess plastic waste (p.s. also letting user transfer physical Compass card or wristband to their mobile device of choice).
I didn’t get a chance to have wristband, How long its gonna be release the second batch? I do really like it , I can’t wait :( and also my suggestion its better to have apps application for android or iPhone , and its good for all the traveller or tourist person that can easily to pay and access all the information for all type of card and fare :)
How much the wristbands compass?
Hey there! There’s no “cost” for a wristband, but rather the same refundable $6 deposit as there is for the Compass Card. Hope that helps!