Arc is the Edmonton region’s electronic transit fare payment system. Arc allows you to travel seamlessly between six transit regions: Edmonton, St. Albert, Strathcona County, Beaumont, Fort Saskatchewan and Spruce Grove. With daily and monthly fare caps, you only pay for the transit you use.
Arc allows you to pay for transit when and how you use it. With Arc, you can:
- Tap on and off buses and LRT without needing to carry exact change
- Pay for transit using credit and debit
Having an Arc card gets you additional benefits:
- Avoid paying upfront for a monthly pass and get the best fare through regional price caps
- Load as little as $4 to your Arc card or as much as you need
- Check your balance and add money to your Arc card anytime, anywhere, including online, by phone or at fare vending machines
Arc Tap to Pay Testing
We’re recruiting 30 to 35 participants to help test the new Arc tap to pay system. Your role is to use contactless payment methods to pay for transit and provide feedback on how the technology and fare calculation are performing and ease of use. Testing will begin on August 1 and last about 6 weeks.
Through participant feedback and testing, we can identify areas for improvement before the broader public is invited to tap to pay.
During testing, only registered testing participants will be able to tap to pay with credit or debit. To ensure you continue to benefit from the Arc fare cap, always use the same contactless payment method when paying for transit.
Volunteer to participate in testing by completing the recruitment survey by July 13.
New to Arc?
Follow these steps to make the switch!
Purchase an Arc card for $6:
- Online at myArc.ca (click “My Arc”)
- Call the Arc call centre (1-888-302-0001)
- Use an Arc fare vending machine, or
- Visit an in-person service centre or retail outlet (find one near you at myarc.ca/features/where-to-buy)
To easily reload your card and protect your balance, register your card at myArc.ca.
Do you qualify for a fare assistance program? If so, apply for the ETS program you qualify for. If not, skip this step.
Did you successfully apply for a fare assistance program, or are you a youth (age 6-18) or senior (age 65 or older)? If so, add this fare type (or “concession”) to your Arc account.
Add funds to your account. You can add funds in all the same places you can buy Arc cards and tickets.
Learn more at myarc.ca/features/where-to-buy.
Use your Arc card to tap on and off when taking transit.
Reach your fare cap, and ride for free the rest of the day or calendar month!
Learn more about using Arc at myArc.ca.
Arc Card
Arc cards are convenient, reloadable transit fare cards that you can use to pay for your fares by tapping on and off buses and LRT across the Edmonton region. Funds added to your card will never expire.
Arc Ticket
An Arc ticket acts like a temporary Arc card and is used in the same way. You can purchase single-use Arc tickets from Arc fare vending machines, and, depending on the pass you purchase, they are valid for unlimited trips within 90 minutes or 24 hours.
Multi-day Arc Pass
Arc multi-day passes are valid for 3 or 5 consecutive days after the first tap. Arc multi-day passes are valid only on ETS buses (excluding Edmonton International Airport Route 747) and LRT. They are not valid on regional transit services, including partner agencies using Arc. Multi-day passes are available at Arc vending machines only, located at all LRT stops and stations, and Mill Woods and West Edmonton Mall Transit Centres.
Frequently Asked Questions
If the validator turns red, your payment hasn’t been processed. Please try another validator. You may need to add funds to your account before boarding.
Not yet. Tap to pay with credit or debit will be introduced in 2026, and will allow riders to tap on and off transit using most types of contactless payment, like credit cards, debit cards, Apple Pay and Google Pay.
If you are a Ride Transit rider, you can still board. If you add one more dollar to your account to put your balance over $0.99, it will resolve the problem. Validators may also flash red if you tap your card more than once in quick succession, or if the reader is picking up on another card (like a credit card). Try again, or call the Arc call centre number on the back of your card for help.
Tapping on and off ensures you receive the best possible fare, every time—especially if you’re travelling on a non-ETS bus.
If you forget to tap on, it is considered fare evasion and you risk a fine.
If you forget to tap off, you will be charged a “missing tap fare,” which may be higher than the fare you would otherwise pay (although this fare will be refunded if you are travelling within Edmonton).
There are three types of fare caps: local (for travelling within your own region); commuter (travelling from one region to another); and airport (travelling from Edmonton to the airport).
- If you reach the local monthly fare cap in any region, you will travel for free in that region for the rest of the month.
- If you reach the ETS fare cap ($10.50 daily or $102 monthly) you will travel for free on the Route 747, St. Albert Transit and Strathcona buses for the rest of the day/month.
- If you reach a commuter fare cap in one region, you will ride free in that region and in Edmonton for the rest of the month.
- If you reach the airport fare cap, you will travel free in all regions for the rest of the month.
Contact Us
Arc Customer Service
Phone 1-888-302-0001