This is embarrassing but i need HELP. Can someone to me how the GO bus operates their service? How does their schedule work? (Does it tell you the exact time that the bus arrives OR it gives me a time in between that the bus arrives at random time )? I need to leave Mac after 1:30pm on Friday to go to mississauga. It it just one GO Bus ride ...OR its a bus&train ride?? (I would prefer just a bus ride without transferring). Where would the GO bus drop me off exactly in mississauga? How much does a GO bus ticket cost? Is the GO station open on weekends? Sorry for the barrage of questions but I would greatly appreciate the help from anyone who has taken the GO bus.

Use this link to know the bus stop times http://www.gotransit.com/publicroot/...ard/MCUVS1.pdf

Also, it's just one bus ride and lets you know the time the bus is supposed to depart with the time you should arrive. It drops off at Square One. Last I checked it's 8.50 for one ride.

If ur last stop is Sq. One then a one ride should cost u up to 8 bux (get the pass from compass, coz the drivers get a lil annoyed if u buy a ticket on the bus

For Friday: u will need to catch the 47 @ 13:45 from MAC. (This is the stop by the Go bus shelter near the smoke stack. Also its the one with the largest crowd, cant miss tht)

Its a single ride, no transfers, although it will stop at 3 car pool along the way to Sq. one, Burlington, Bronte and Oakville.

On arriving at square One, u will stop right infront of a Starbux, and if you continue to move straight down, u will end up at Mississauga Trans and Sq. One itself.

http://www.gotransit.com/publicroot/...New=Y&station=

i couldn't attach the pic for some reason... any way. Look at the second column from the right and the row which says "McMaster term.", thats when the bus leaves from mac. You will arrive at Sq. one at about 14:30

hope this helps

These people have it right in terms of bus number/fare. I presume the website is right. You can pay cash at hand or buy a 10 ride (like tickets from compass) so that is being phased out. The Presto card works. Just get a card, add money and tap it when u get on/off.

Trust, i take the Go bus everyday from Sq one


remember like and thnk

For now I would suggest sticking to the one ride until you get used to using the GO Bus/Train. Once you have then I would suggest getting 10-rides (if they're still available) since they're cheaper. If they're not get the Presto card (still get the same discount as with the 10-ride). Basically everything said above is right.

Originally Posted by amare

For now I would suggest sticking to the one ride until you get used to using the GO Bus/Train. Once you have then I would suggest getting 10-rides (if they're still available) since they're cheaper. If they're not get the Presto card (still get the same discount as with the 10-ride). Basically everything said above is right.

Or just get a presto card right away. They can also be used on the HSR and are so handy. Not to mention you don't have to commit 80 dollars at a time

Originally Posted by julianface

Or just get a presto card right away. They can also be used on the HSR and are so handy. Not to mention you don't have to commit 80 dollars at a time

Agreed. Presto cards are so flexible. You get the 10-ride discount for any trip in the Go System.

I don't like Presto at all (been avoiding it). From what I understand, you have to do x amount of rides before seeing any discount, instead of getting a small, consistent discount every ride.

(So it seems to be something like this, assuming you need 20 rides for the Presto discount)

Instead of getting say $2 off each ride using a 10 rides, you have to pay full price for 20 and then get a ~95% discount of the 21st and the rest. While mathematically it works out to be the same, it removes freedom from the rider by forcing you to keep using it to see any discount at all, and wiping the discount if you come up short. That makes exam time and summer school more expensive, and anyone who only goes home on the weekends/occasionally. I hate having to "wait" for a discount, because I don't believe in "promises" when it comes to things like this.


Plus I don't trust computers as much as possible when i comes to money. Everyday I still see something's card screwing up (usually because they forgot to tap off in their zone, which is another problem I have - I don't want to have to do a dance before I get off the bus. I'm tired, I want to go home.)

But now they are basically forcing us to get it, with 10 rides expiring in late july.

/rant... since the question's already been handled

it depends

are you going just this one time?
or are u gonna be commuting for a while?

In my opinion get Presto, its a "lil" cheaper over all, for both the Go bus and only costs u 2 bux on HSR.

If its only a one time thing, just get a 2 ride pass.

Originally Posted by britb

I don't like Presto at all (been avoiding it). From what I understand, you have to do x amount of rides before seeing any discount, instead of getting a small, consistent discount every ride.

(So it seems to be something like this, assuming you need 20 rides for the Presto discount)

Instead of getting say $2 off each ride using a 10 rides, you have to pay full price for 20 and then get a ~95% discount of the 21st and the rest. While mathematically it works out to be the same, it removes freedom from the rider by forcing you to keep using it to see any discount at all, and wiping the discount if you come up short. That makes exam time and summer school more expensive, and anyone who only goes home on the weekends/occasionally. I hate having to "wait" for a discount, because I don't believe in "promises" when it comes to things like this.


Plus I don't trust computers as much as possible when i comes to money. Everyday I still see something's card screwing up (usually because they forgot to tap off in their zone, which is another problem I have - I don't want to have to do a dance before I get off the bus. I'm tired, I want to go home.)

But now they are basically forcing us to get it, with 10 rides expiring in late july.

/rant... since the question's already been handled

Additionally with Presto you have to renew your student discount every august before school starts to actually get the discount. With the 10-ride youve already paid for the discount. From what I understand, you can still use the 10-rides even after GO stops selling them until further notice. Thats why I would recommend the 10-ride until GO stops selling them. Presto can be a hassle with the reloading feature (you have to tap within 24 hours of putting money into the card)

Originally Posted by amare

Presto can be a hassle with the reloading feature (you have to tap within 24 hours of putting money into the card)

unless u fill in directly at the Kisok at Sq. one

min of $10

Unless you are travelling every day, and every night, I would keep my distance from Presto like britb pointed out. It's another thing you'll be worrying about since you can get charged quite a bit for messing up a tap off here or there.

10-rides are a solid option, and since the price of each ride can get hiked mid-year; 10-rides save you money there too don't forget

The only cool part about presto is that it lets you use the city buses as well; in Burlington and a few other cities.

Originally Posted by ZSimon

Unless you are travelling every day, and every night, I would keep my distance from Presto like britb pointed out. It's another thing you'll be worrying about since you can get charged quite a bit for messing up a tap off here or there.

10-rides are a solid option, and since the price of each ride can get hiked mid-year; 10-rides save you money there too don't forget

The only cool part about presto is that it lets you use the city buses as well; in Burlington and a few other cities.

Okay hold on everyone you are all terribly misinformed. 10 ride passes will stop being sold at the end of June and they will no longer be accepted by the end of July.

With the Presto card it is automatically discounted to the 10 ride ticket price, with each 21st trip or something being severely discounted to compete with buying a monthly pass.

Registering my card and applying a discount has been a hassle though since I tried to register my card without using it within a week. Although it is much easier to load your presto card then to go to a kiosk and buy a 10 ride pass. You could do it the night before rather then going early and having to buy a ticket. It also connects to transit systems all over the GTA so you never know when you're stuck in Mississauga but luckily have your presto card to get on the MiWay

Originally Posted by julianface

Okay hold on everyone you are all terribly misinformed. 10 ride passes will stop being sold at the end of June and they will no longer be accepted by the end of July.

With the Presto card it is automatically discounted to the 10 ride ticket price, with each 21st trip or something being severely discounted to compete with buying a monthly pass.

Registering my card and applying a discount has been a hassle though since I tried to register my card without using it within a week. Although it is much easier to load your presto card then to go to a kiosk and buy a 10 ride pass. You could do it the night before rather then going early and having to buy a ticket. It also connects to transit systems all over the GTA so you never know when you're stuck in Mississauga but luckily have your presto card to get on the MiWay

Thanks for correcting me. Damn the GO people are starting to use common sense..