Compass Card rollout means end of paper monthly passes for TransLink

The extended roll-out of TransLink's Compass Card is marching on, and now Vancouver-area transit users who buy paper monthly passes will have to transition to the new, reloadable card before January 1.

December marks the last time paper monthly passes will be sold, TransLink announced Wednesday.

Other transit users, including those who buy prepaid FareSaver tickets, can also switch over to the Compass Card and get the same discount as they did with FareSavers but it's not required yet.

• Compass Card rolls out 1-zone bus fares
• Compass Card program delayed again

TransLink hasn't set a date yet to stop selling FareSavers.

Meanwhile, more fare gates will close this Saturday meaning you have to use a Compass Card to open them but TransLink hasn't decided when it will close them all.

"We're going to monitor and see how many people are using Compass before we make a final decision on a hard date for closing all of the fare gates," said TransLink's Jennifer Morland.

How to get a Compass Card

TrasnLink requires a $6 deposit to get your card, and then you can load up "stored value" to pay for a monthly pass or individual rides.

You can order the card online or by phone, or buy it from:

• vending machines at SkyTrain, SeaBus and West Coast Express stations
• BC Ferries terminals in Horseshoe Bay and Tsawwassen
• 18 London Drugs stores (pdf)
• "FareDealer" convenience stores

TransLink recommends registering your card to protect your balance if your card is lost or stolen.

How to load a Compass Card

You have to load money onto the Compass Card before you use it to pay your fare.

That can be straight-up "stored value," which works like cash to pay a single fare, without scrounging for change.

Stored value gives Compass Card users the same discount FareSaver tickets do so an adult one-zone fare costs $2.10 with that discount, instead of the actual cash fare of $2.75.

You can also load up a day pass or monthly pass and as of Jan. 1, this will be the only way to buy a monthly pass. The cost wil remain the same.

You can reload money or passes at the above locations. If your card is registered,you canset up automatic top ups or pass renewals, so you don't ever have to think about it.

If you don't go in for registering, note that the $6 deposit allows you to go into negative balance.

This might be useful if you have a one-zone pass, but unexpectedly need to travel two zones. Your AddFare comes out of your deposit, then you can reloadbefore your next trip.

How to use a Compass Card

On buses, you use your card to "tap in," which pays your fare. There is no need to "tap out"on buses, as all bus trips are one-zone now.

On rail and SeaBus, you have to tap in and out, so the system knows how far you travelled and whether to charge you for one, two or three zones.

When you tap in on rail and SeaBus, you won't see what you're being charged, or your balance. You see that on the fare gate on the way out.

For example, if you walk up to a SkyTrain station with no Compass Card:

• You can spend $26 at a vending machine to get a card ($6 deposit) and $20 in stored value.
• If you ride one zone, and tap out, you'll see a display on the way out that says the trip cost $2.10 and you have $17.90 left on your card.

If you forget to tap out, you could be charged extra.