REGINA — Starting March 2, Regina Transit riders can pay their bus fares with Interac debit, a credit card, or a mobile wallet, adding more convenience to the city’s public transit system.
The new open payment option lets riders tap their Visa, Mastercard, American Express, or mobile wallet on a Umo validator when boarding. Existing payment options, including Umo cards, the Umo app, and cash, remain available.
“This is another step in making Regina Transit easier to use,” said Corey Tochor, Regina’s Executive Director of Transit and Fleet Services. “Most people already carry a card or use a mobile wallet, and now that can also be their transit fare.”
Open payment comes with fare capping, meaning that once a rider pays the cost of three adult trips in a day, any additional rides that day are free. Over a month, the system automatically limits charges to the cost of a monthly adult pass. Each rider in a group must tap individually using their own payment method. Transit officials remind riders to remove cards from wallets or phone cases before tapping to ensure the correct payment is processed.
Regina Transit has a long history of evolving payment methods. From the city’s first streetcars in the early 1900s to buses using tokens, paper passes, and eventually electronic Umo cards and apps, payment systems have gradually modernized. The Umo system launched in 2022 allowed riders to store fares digitally, and the new open payment builds on that foundation by letting passengers use everyday payment methods.
Riders have welcomed the change. “I don’t always remember to load my transit card,” said local rider Jamal Sinclair. “Now I just tap with my card and go. It saves so much time.”
Studies from other North American cities show that contactless payments reduce boarding times and make public transit more appealing, particularly for occasional riders and tourists. Regina’s move aligns with broader trends toward seamless urban mobility, where riders expect transit to work as smoothly as a tap at a store or a rideshare app.
Transit officials emphasized that no one will be left behind. Cash payments, Umo cards, and the Umo app remain fully supported, and staff are available to assist riders with the new system.
Starting today, anyone boarding a Regina Transit bus can tap their card or mobile wallet and automatically benefit from fare capping. The system covers dozens of routes across the city, helping tens of thousands of daily riders travel efficiently.
