Fares & Conditions

FARE NEWS:

• NEW Support Person ID Card - All HSR passengers requiring a Support Person must apply for a Support Person ID Card in order for that Support Person to ride for free. As of July 1, 2010, all persons with disabilities who wish to have a Support Person travel with them at no charge must obtain the HSR Support Person ID Card and present it to the bus Operator for each trip with a Support Person. Have a look at the Support Persons Policy and Support Person ID Card brochure and the Application Form.
• Effective Friday, January 1, 2010 new fares are in effect.. these fares are shown below or you can view a summary.. [more]
• NEW 2009 Summer Youth Pass - For the period from July 1 (Canada Day) through to and including September 7, 2009 (Labour Day) , the HSR is offering an HSR Summer Youth Pass for elementary / secondary students aged 19 years of age and under (as of September 1st of a given school year). This pass is valid from July 1 (Canada Day) through to and including September 7, 2009 (Labour Day) and will only cost $63.00 for the summer period (a savings of more than $63.00). These new HSR Summer Youth Passes will be distributed to HSR vendors in mid-June, at the time that regular Month Passes are usually available. They can also be purchased at the HSR Ticket Office at 36 Hunter Street East (Hamilton GO Centre). Students must show a valid student photo ID card (expiry Sept./09) along with the Summer Youth Pass when boarding any bus. The pass is valid on regular service trips on all HSR routes.
• Environment Hamilton/HSR Day Pass - "Passport to Hamilton" Program.. [more]
• Golden Age Bus Pass - Some common Questions & Answers for your information.. [more]
• Affordable Transit Pass Program:
• If you're working, living with a low income or receiving Ontario Works or ODSP and are a Hamilton resident, you may be eligible to buy an HSR Adult Monthly Transit Pass for half price.. [more]
• Effective Monday, November 19, 2007 the HSR accepts Direct Debit payment for all purchases over $5.00! .. [more]

No form of identification is required when using an Adult fare.

STUDENT

NEW 2009 Summer Youth Pass - For the period from July 1 (Canada Day) through to and including September 7, 2009 (Labour Day) , the HSR is offering an HSR Summer Youth Pass for elementary / secondary students aged 19 years of age and under (as of September 1st of a given school year). This pass is valid from July 1 (Canada Day) through to and including September 7, 2009 (Labour Day) and will only cost $63.00 for the summer period (a savings of more than $63.00). These new HSR Summer Youth Passes will be distributed to HSR vendors in mid-June, at the time that regular Month Passes are usually available. They can also be purchased at the HSR Ticket Office at 36 Hunter Street East (Hamilton GO Centre). Students must show a valid student photo ID card (expiry Sept./09) along with the Summer Youth Pass when boarding any bus. The pass is valid on regular service trips on all HSR routes.

This fare applies to STUDENTS who are 19 years of age or under as of September 1st of the given school year in regular full time (two credit minimum) day class attendance. They must attend a school administered by the Board of Education or the Separate School Board or any secondary school inspected and approved by the Ontario Ministry of Education. Persons attending such schools will be provided with an HSR Photo Identification Card. (These cards are provided during the school photo session free of charge, or at our Ticket Office in the Hamilton GO Centre, 36 Hunter St. E. 9:00 am until 5:00 pm Monday - Friday (except holidays) for a fee of $3.00). Students can obtain the card application form from the school office.

SENIOR

This pass runs from May 1 until April 30 of the following year. You must be 65 year of age or over to be entitled to use this pass and a resident of the City of Hamilton. This pass can be obtained from the Ticket Office at the Hamilton GO Centre, 36 Hunter St. E. from Monday - Friday, 9:00 am until 5:00 pm (except holidays) or call 905-546-2424 ext. 1882 for more information.

CHILD

Any person 14 years of age or under as of September 1st of a given school year in full time day class attendance at any elementary school inspected by the Ministry of Education.

Children under five years of age, accompanied by a parent or other person having charge of them, are permitted to ride free of charge, provided they do not occupy seats to the exclusion of other passengers.

Groups of more than four children who are under five years of age accompanied by a parent or other person having charge of them are required to pay a child fare for any child in excess of the ratio of four children per one adult.

Children in elementary school grades 6-7-8 are not required to carry an HSR Photo Identification Card. However, mature looking elementary students are encouraged to obtain an HSR Student Photo ID Card as soon as possible. A photo ID card can be obtained from our Ticket Office at the Hamilton GO Centre, 36 Hunter St. E., Monday - Friday 9:00 am until 5:00 pm (except holidays). The cost is $3.00.

McMASTER UNDERGRADUATE and GRADUATE STUDENTS

If you are a full time undergraduate or graduate attendee at McMaster University, your bus pass is included in your student fees. The pass will be valid from September until April for undergraduates and from September until August for graduates and is good for unlimited travel. You will obtain your validation sticker in your registration kit and must be placed on your McMaster Student Identification Card. When boarding, show the driver your McMaster card with the sticker attached to get to your destination.

Please Note:

Students are to affix only the valid HSR sticker to their McMaster I.D. Card that was issued to them by the Office of the Registrar or, the Graduate Student Association. Each sticker has a serial number which identifies the user. Stickers are NON-TRANSFERABLE. Students found in possession of, or involved in the illegal sale or distribution of validation stickers will be subject to criminal charges in accordance with the Criminal Code of Canada and, could also be charged under the McMaster Student Code of Conduct.

Please ensure that your card has the proper sticker visible. Mutilated, faded or illegible stickers will not be accepted. Operators will confiscate your student I.D. card when misused and students will be required to pay the full adult fare.

NEW!  2009 UNDERGRADUATE SUMMER SEMESTER PASS

McMaster Undergraduate students now have the option of purchasing a Summer Semester Transit Pass for MSU students enrolled for the four (4) month summer semester, beginning May 1, 2009. This Pass may be purchased through the McMaster Students Union only for $252.00 for the four (4) month period May 1, 2009 to August 31, 2009. The Pass must be presented to an operator along with your McMaster Student Identification Card, which has an HSR validation sticker expiring April 30, 2009.

SPECIAL DAY PASS!

HSR Day Passes may be used by any of the following:

• One rider, any age, all day.
• Two adults and up to four youths/children 19 and under, travelling as a group. There does not have to be any youths/children with the two adults.
• One adult, and up to five youths/children 19 and under, travelling as a group. Again there does not have to be any youths/children with the adult.
• All youths/children - up to six youths/children 19 and under, travelling as a group.

It is currently acceptable for 1 or 2 adults to use the pass without any youths/children as part of the group.

Cost:  Effective January 1, 2010 $9.00

The HSR Day Pass allows for unlimited travel on all regular service all day for a maximum of 2 adults with up to 4 youths/children 19 and under, or 1 adult with up to a maximum of 5 youths/children 19 and under, or (new) up to 6 youths/children 19 and under, travelling as a group.

REMINDER

Please be certain that you carry and show the driver your required identification when using a reduced fare. The operator has the right to ask you at any time to produce this identification. If you do not possess it at the time of being asked, it is required that you pay an adult cash EXACT FARE; Effective January 1, 2010 $2.55

GO TRANSIT Fare Integration

When you purchase a GO Monthly pass from the Hamilton or Aldershot GO stations, you can purchase an HSR Sticker for $15.00 which entitles the bearer to unlimited use on all HSR routes. This ticket must be purchased at the same time as the GO Monthly Pass. Stickered GO Passes are valid only within the calendar month designated on the pass.

This sticker is applicable for the following passes:

• the GO Adult Monthly Pass

• the GO Student Monthly Pass

Each of the above GO passes is clearly marked with the valid month and must have an HSR sticker with the matching monthly designation in order to be valid for use on the HSR.

BURLINGTON TRANSIT Fare Integration

On payment of a regular HSR fare (cash-EXACT FARE, ticket, pass or transfer), when transferring onto the 11-Parkdale service or other services heading into the King/James area, please ask the operator for a transfer to connect to the Burlington service once you reach the Aldershot GO Station, Burlington Terminal or King & James. This transfer will be accepted by all Burlington Transit (BT) operators to continue your trip from your transferring point. If you need to make another connection once in Burlington, surrender your HSR transfer and obtain a Burlington Transit transfer from the BT operator. The same will apply when paying your fare to Burlington Transit. Obtain a transfer from the Burlington Transit operator and surrender it to the HSR driver at either the Aldershot GO Station, Burlington Terminal or at King & James. If you need to connect to additional HSR services, please ask the HSR driver for a new transfer.