Contactless bus fare payment is coming to the STM next week

The Autorité régionale de transport métropolitain (ARTM) has announced that contactless bus fare payment will become an option throughout its network as of September 1.

The digital ticket will allow “simple and rapid access” on the exo, RTL, STL, and STM bus lines.

The ARTM says, given the ongoing pandemic, this is a good time to test out the contactless fare pilot project, which will be offered until the end of 2020.

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At its regular price of $3.50, the contactless bus pass will allow riders to travel and connect to all the ARTM’s bus lines throughout the Montreal metropolitan area for up to 120 minutes. Riders will also be able to buy several tickets and activate them simultaneously on a single phone in order to travel with family members or friends.

As of  September 1, the digital tickets will be available for smartphone purchase exclusively through the mobile apps Chrono and Transit.

“Since the gradual resumption of activities in the metropolitan area, the most significant increase in demand and ridership has been observed on the bus networks,” says Benoît Gendron in French, Director General of ARTM.

“While travel habits remain disrupted, this initiative is in addition to the health measures put in place by the region’s transport companies, to allow users more flexibility to purchase bus tickets without contact. This project will also make it possible to advance the development of a one-stop mobility center for the user.”

ARTM

If the pilot project proves to be successful, the ARTM says it will permanently allow contactless mobile payments in the future and will expand the option to other modes of transit besides only buses.