Reviewing the Free Fare Zone

Between Feb. 16 and March 8, 2026, Calgary Transit will be conducting a customer survey regarding the Free Fare Zone. It’s part of a fare review for the CTrain network that runs downtown along 7 Avenue, between Downtown West/Kerby and City Hall/ Bow Valley College stations.

“We know that Calgary has grown quite a lot since the Free Fare Zone was approved for CTrain service back in 1981,” says Tess Abanto, Leader of Revenue Streams at Calgary Transit. “We also know that travel patterns, Calgary’s population and destinations have also changed in the past 40 years. This exercise is about level-setting the value of the Free Fare Zone for Calgarians and the role public transit plays in our downtown today and the future.”

Input from the customer survey, which can be found on the Free Fare Zone Study page, will be used to report on the value of the Free Fare Zone and make recommendations for future fare options in the area. It will also be combined with information that has already been gathered regarding user behaviour, practices in other jurisdictions, and internal engagements. This work aligns with RouteAhead, Calgary Transit’s 30-year Strategic plan, most notably with the following directions:

– Protect and maintain existing funding sources

– Pursue flexible, sustained future funding sources

The results of the Free Fare Zone review and resulting recommendations will be further incorporated into an updated Fare Revenue Policy, currently under development. This Policy will include an updated fare payment system and fare products for the entire Calgary Transit system. More information on the Fare Revenue Policy will be available later in March 2026.

Source: The City of Calgary Newsroom