Montreal's iconic blue Opus card is getting a digital successor. Starting next year, transit users across the Montreal region will be able to board the metro and buses using just their smartphones, marking a significant modernization of the fare payment system.
The Phased Rollout of a Digital System
The Autorité régionale de transport métropolitain (ARTM) is spearheading the transition, dubbed Project Concerto. The first phase is scheduled for the initial four months of 2026, when thousands of commuters will be invited to test the new technology. This gradual approach is designed to identify and resolve technical issues before a full public launch.
Testing has been underway since June, with a pilot project involving 600 users in July. A larger group of 10,000 commuters will get access in January 2026. Initially, the system will be available to Android phone owners, with support for Apple devices like iPhones coming later due to the staged testing process.
Catching Up to Other Global Cities
This move brings Montreal in line with other major cities that have had similar contactless payment systems for years, including New York, London, Chicago, and Toronto. Sylvain Perras, ARTM's executive director of digital transformation, acknowledged the delay, stating, "We probably started later. We're now working on catching up."
The system will allow users to download and pay for single tickets or monthly passes directly through a mobile app. To enter a bus or pass through a metro turnstile, commuters will simply wave their phone over the reader. The ARTM also plans to enable direct payment using credit or debit cards, a feature already available in cities like Toronto, Vancouver, and Ottawa.
The Cost and Future of Fare Payment
The digital transformation comes with a substantial price tag. The Concerto project is projected to cost $146 million. The British firm Masabi, which has implemented fare payment systems in over 100 cities including New York and Los Angeles, is managing Montreal's technological overhaul.
While about 50% of transit tickets are already purchased online, the ARTM estimates that once the smartphone system is fully operational, approximately 70% of users will choose their phone over a physical card. This shift promises greater convenience and could streamline the entire transit experience for Montreal's daily commuters.
