How Does Public Transport Work in Canada?
Last verified: 2025-06 · Americas
1The Quick Answer
Each major city has its own transit system and card — Toronto uses PRESTO, Vancouver uses Compass, and Montreal uses STM cards.
2What You Need to Know
Canada has no practical national transit pass. Each city operates independently: Toronto and Ottawa use the PRESTO card for buses, subways, and streetcars; Vancouver uses the Compass card for SkyTrain, buses, and SeaBus; Montreal's STM system uses OPUS cards or tap-to-pay. Uber and Lyft operate in all major cities and are widely used. For travel between cities, domestic flights are almost always the fastest and often cheapest option — VIA Rail trains exist but are slow, infrequent, and expensive relative to flying.
3Practical Tips
Practical Tips
- 1Pick up the local transit card on arrival — PRESTO in Toronto/Ottawa, Compass in Vancouver, OPUS in Montreal
- 2Uber and Lyft are reliable and available in all major cities, often more convenient than taxis
- 3For intercity travel, check Flair, WestJet, or Air Canada for flights — usually faster and cheaper than VIA Rail
How does this compare?
Public Transport rules in nearby and similar countries:
Mexico City Metro costs around 5 pesos; use Uber instead of street taxis for safety, and colectivos for inter-town travel.
Uber and local app 99 are the safest and most practical options for tourists; São Paulo and Rio have metro systems, while city buses are cheap but difficult to navigate.
Buenos Aires has an extensive Subte subway and Metrobus BRT network, both accessed with the rechargeable SUBE card.
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