Transit riders will soon have to validate electronic tickets at CTrain platforms

Big changes are coming for Calgary Transit riders who will soon be required to validate electronic tickets before they hop on a CTrain.

Starting July 16, anyone boarding a train who bought tickets using the My Fare app will have to validate their ticket at a station platform.

Crews started installing the ticket validator machines on platforms last month and installations throughout the transit system are expected to be done by June.

The My Fare app will be updated so that riders will be required to activate their ticket on the app, and then validate it at a platform, or on a bus. Currently, riders are only required to activate their electronic ticket on the app.

Day passes or monthly passes will also need to be activated on the app and then scanned at a platform validator, but only on the first trip the pass is used for.

Calgary Transit says one of the reasons behind the new validation machines is to prevent fare evasion and the changes are being made to increase the proper use of e-tickets.

“Just like our paper tickets, customers riding without a validated proof of fare could face a fine,” says the transit agency.

Confusion among riders on validation changes

CityNews spoke with transit riders on Tuesday who said more information could have been relayed about the new machines.

“There is nowhere that indicates that as an upcoming thing,” says one rider. “I’ve seen the advertisement on the bus, but not about the validation for the tickets.”

“There is room for improvement,” says another rider. “We didn’t really have that information, so maybe it’s better for them to spread the news in advance.”

One rider said they were completely unaware the new machines were in place.

CityNews has reached out to the City of Calgary on if there are any plans to roll out an information campaign for the new machines. More information on the ticket validation changes can be found here.

Calgary city council approved a motion earlier this year that included a number of suggested changes for transit riders, including extending the duration of valid CTrain or bus fares from 90 minutes to two hours, eliminating or extending the expiration of digital tickets, and including the cost of a transit fare in the admission price of a hockey game or large event.

Calgary transit adult fares increased from $3.70 to $3.80 in 2025, while an adult monthly pass went up to $118 from $115.