New, steeper GO Transit and UP Express fare evasion penalties beginning
If someone riding GO Transit and UP Express is caught for fare evasion a second time, the fine jumps up to $300.
Starting from Tuesday, GO Transit and UP Express passengers will face significantly harsher penalties for failing to pay fares, according to Metrolinx. The fines, which were approved by the Metrolinx board of directors earlier in the year, are set to increase with each subsequent offense. The first offense will now carry a $200 fine, up from the current $35.
The second offense will see a $300 penalty, including the existing $25 late payment charge. Third offenses will incur a $400 fine, third offenses will see a $500 fine, and six or more offenses will result in a maximum provincial summons with a fine of up to $1,000. These substantial increases come after staff projections estimated the new fines could generate an additional $6.79 to $10.18 million in revenue during the 2025-2026 fiscal year, compared to a range of $4.48 to $7.87 million in the previous year.
In 2025-2026, there were 1,557,243 inspections on GO Transit and UP Express vehicles, with 5.02% of those finding passengers without valid fares. For every one percent reduction in fare evasion, it is projected to result in $4,276,598 in recovered revenue.
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