AMT lets kids under 12 ride free*

The Agence métropolitaine de transport has announced that, effective immediately, children under the age of 12 can ride free on commuter trains if they’re accompanied by a paying adult.

Buried in the release is that this only applies to July and August (though The Gazette reports they might consider making it permanent). Children 6-11 who aren’t accompanied by an adult still have to pay their fare (and have to get an Opus card to take advantage of reduced fare).

Children who already have a pass for July can get a refund.

The move not only encourages family outings on public transit (the STM has a similar program for kids under 12 on weekends and holidays), but means a lot of kids won’t have to worry about getting Opus cards (under the pre-Opus system, only those age 13 and up needed student ID) until they start school in the fall.

The STL in Laval has a similar system in place for the summer.

4 thoughts on “AMT lets kids under 12 ride free*

  1. Jean Naimard

    That kind of program could be bolder; the STM could catch more people going out by offering pass holders to bring a friend for free after, say, 19h or 20h on every day.

    It’s not like the system is overloaded on evenings; the extra people would, at worst, double ridership on evenings, and this would probably let people who would never do so otherwise try transit.

    Reply
  2. Jim J.

    The TTC has a somewhat similar program for weekends and statutory holidays; you can buy a $9 one-day pass, for example, on Saturday morning, and two adults can use the one pass to ride on buses, subways and streetcars.

    The pass can also be used by 2 adults and up to 4 children; or one adult and up to 5 children.

    http://www3.ttc.ca/Fares_and_passes/Passes/Day_Pass/index.jsp

    I know that STM has the tourist card, which IIRC, costs $9 per person for a one-day pass.

    However, when I have gone to Toronto as a tourist, their TTC weekend pass is an excellent deal for two people or a family with children.

    Reply
  3. Maria Gatti

    Shawn, although I agree, I’d much rather see seniors’ fare start at age 60 – many people are retired or semi-retired by then. La Carte vermeil in France starts at 60.

    Reply

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