Are there ways to check my balance on the PRESTO card other than at the Self-Serve Reload Machines?

Question

How do i register my PRESTO card and why should i do so?

Answer 1

You can check your card balance and transaction history:

1. At PrestoCard.ca. Click on "Sign in", then use your username and password to sign in to your account. Once you are signed in, you will find an option to reload your Presto Card with funds using your bank account information or Credit Card information, or you can choose to have the option of "AutoRenew" your funds balance once it reaches certain amount like $20, for example. 

Remember that it takes about 24 hours to 48 hours for the updated funds balance changes in your Presto Card to be recognized throughout the TTC transit system. What this means is that if you have just loaded up your funds into your Presto card (Whether Online or Through reload machines), after your balance dropped to almost zero earlier, then you go on to use your Presto Card immediately, you will be surprised to see that your Presto Card had been declined in TTC buses, streetcars or Subway Stations. This is because it takes 24 hours to 48 hours for the Presto Tap machines located in the TTC buses, streetcars and Stations to be updated to reflect the changes in your Presto Card (Funds loaded into your Presto card). So, try to activate the Auto load or Auto Renew features which will automatic deposits funds into your Presto Card when your balance falls below certain amount. Or you can add funds into your Presto Card two days before actually wanting to use the card (If you know your Presto Card Fund balance is low).

2. By calling 1-877-378-6123

3. At any of the 11 other transit agencies that use PRESTO. 

• Brampton Transit
• Burlington Transit
• Durham Region Transit
• GO Transit
• Hamilton Street Railway (HSR)
• MiWay

• Oakville Transit
• OC Transpo
• Toronto Transit Commission (TTC)
• UP Express
• York Region Transit/Viva (YRT/Viva)

You can register your Presto Card online at PrestoCard.ca.

Registration has many benefits:

1. Registered PRESTO cards can be replaced if lost or stolen and the cash balance will be restored.

2. You can access their public transit usage statement online to help with a claim for federal public transit tax credit.

Answer 2

Pros and cons of presto card:-

Pros:
1. Presto card replaces the need to carry heavy tokens or coins for paying for the bus fares, street car fares or subway fares.

2. Instead of having to buy tokens at the subway station or from some convenience stores, you can simply load up on your balance online or at any of the presto card machine available at several location throughout the subway stations.

3. If you lose your presto card, you can put a halt on the account until you get a new replacement card. But if you lose a token or metro monthly pass, other people can still use the lost card or token. If you have monthly metro pass loaded into the presto card, and you lost your presto card, you can ask to have a new replacement presto card sent to you for a small fee. Whereas in the past, if you lost your monthly metro pass, there is no way to recover the card and all the money that you paid for them the remaining days of the month is lost with it.

4. Sometimes for whatever reason the presto card reader doesn't function in a bus or streetcar, and you don't have another token or coins to pay for your fares, the driver would usually make an exception to paying for the fares since the presto card reader wasn't working.

5. You can setup an alert system wherein when your balance in your presto card falls below a certain set amount, you will get a reminder to fill up on your balance if you want to continue using the presto card. Keep in mind though that the presto card system needs at least a 24 hours time to update your just refilled balance. If you just renewed and filled up on your presto card balance a few minutes ago and you want to pay for the bus fares or streetcar fares, the presto card reader will decline your card.

6. You can either check your presto card balance or refill your balance online at Prestocard.ca or at any of the presto card machine located at various subway stations.

Cons:
1. When we tap our presto card on the reader, it simply just show the green tick arrow accepted symbol but it doesn't display any card balance. Other countries from around the world have transit card reader which display the balance that you have on the card, so the user can decide whether to fill up on the balance or wait for some more time.

2. If your presto card is demagnetized due to whatever reason, it won't work properly when tapping on the presto card reader.

3. If you have a thick wallet containing all other credit cards or points card in the same wallet, chances are you will have to take out your presto card from your wallet and scan it on the presto card reader. You can't simply scan your entire wallet on the presto card reader thinking that it will scan through.

4. Sometimes if your presto card is bent to a certain degree, it will stop functioning. The only fix for bent presto card is to get a new replacement Presto card.

Comments

You should remember the biggest CON of the prestocard account is that once you attach a card to it that you regularly use, your entire history of travel will then be recorded and kept track of.  This has already been used by Toronto Police services to track individuals - but more importantly, I would not for a moment believe this information is held so securely that it cant be hacked and obtained or sold off byanyone network administrator who has access.

Answer 3

Watch video on "Three easy ways to reload your presto card without any stress":

Answer 4

Metrolinx had recently updated its presto card balance system, and unlike in the past which used to take 24hrs to 48 hrs for its presto card reader to recognize customer's account balance update, it now can do so instantly. 

Whereas in the past customers often had problems gaining access to Regional Buses, Trains or subways after they reloaded their presto card, these days customer can reload their presto card in an instance within minutes, using online account reload features. And the presto card reader throughout the Ontario transit system will recognise the customer's updated account balance right away. 

Whenever my presto card was denied by the presto card reader when i am travelling by Bus, GO Train or Subway Trains, i could go online using my phone data and reload my presto card balance. Immediately after that, i tried my presto card again and it worked like charm.