OC Transpo makes summer service adjustments

OC Transpo’s summer service starts Sunday, June 24. Several changes will be made to help us get ready for rail and the opening of O-Train Line 1, the Confederation Line, later this year. Other summer service changes include adjusted schedules and seasonal reductions to reflect the lower demand for service as the school year ends and customers take summer vacations.

Customers should visit octranspo.com and use the travel planner to see if their regular trips are affected.

Many of this summer’s changes are being made to improve connections to future O-Train Line 1 stations.

• Route 11 – Modified to serve Tunney’s Pasture Station via Holland Avenue, and removed from Westboro Station, McRae Avenue, and Churchill Avenue
• Route 11X – Renumbered as Local Route 151 and extended from Westboro Station to Tunney’s Pasture Station via Scott Street
• Routes 17 and 18 – Extended to the future location of Parliament Station on Queen Street
• Route 48 – Extended to Hurdman Station on weekends
• Routes 63 and 64 – Extended to Tunney’s Pasture Station during the midday and evening on weekdays, and extended all day on weekends
• Route 80 – Shortened in peak periods to end and start at Tunney’s Pasture Station
• Route 86B – Renumbered as Local Route 86
• Route 86C – Renumbered as Local Route 89 and shortened to end and start at Tunney’s Pasture Station at all times of the day
• Route 92 – Extended to Hurdman Station on weekends

Other service changes:

• Route 66 – First trip in the morning extended to Innovation Station
• Route 174 – Limited Saturday service will be reduced to operate with one northbound trip and one southbound trip due to low ridership. These two Saturday trips will also be renumbered as trips on Local Route 82.

Construction Detours

Service will continue to be detoured around roadwork on Queen Street, affecting Routes 4, 9, 12, 17, and 18. Routes 283 and 301 will continue to be detoured around roadwork on the Richmond Bridge in the village of Richmond. Customers traveling on those routes should allow themselves extra travel time.

Special Service to Recreational Destinations

Summer weekend service returns on Route 129 to the Canada Aviation and Space Museum, on Route 139 to Petrie Island, and on Route 185 to the Experimental Farm and Canada Agricultural Museum. Buses run every 30 minutes during the day on weekends, including on holidays.

Free Service on Canada Day

Transit is the best option for travelling to Canada Day festivities downtown and across the city with free service all day on OC Transpo and Para Transpo. A special schedule will operate on July 1, with additional service during the day and after the fireworks. Customers can also visit the OC Transpo information booth located at Confederation Square on July 1 if they have any questions about transit service on Canada Day. 

More Presto options in Ottawa!

Using Presto just got easier. Customers can now buy and load Presto cards instantly at more than 60 Shoppers Drug Mart, Loblaws and Real Canadian Superstores locations across the city. The full list of stores is available atoctranspo.com. Customers can also set their Senior, Youth, and Child discounts at these retailers. Presto cards sold at these locations are the new black design and work the same way as the green cards and new white and red Ready for Rail cards. Presto cards can still be purchased and loaded online, at OC Transpo Customer Service Centres and select City of Ottawa Client Service Centres, and at ticket machines at Greenboro, Mooney’s Bay, Carleton, and Carling O-Train stations.  

Reminder: Paper tickets have expired

Paper tickets are no longer accepted for travel on buses. Use Presto e-purse or cash instead—it will cost the same or less. On Para Transpo, use ParaPay or cash. At all O-Train stations except for Bayview, use the new ticket machines to buy single-ride tickets for immediate use. Customers are being provided a final opportunity to exchange old non-refundable paper tickets towards new fare products at OC Transpo Customer Service Centres until August 31, 2018. After this date the tickets are no longer valid or exchangeable. Clean out your sock drawers.

Real-time schedule information is available 24 hours a day by calling 613-560-1000 or texting 560560 plus the four‑digit bus stop number, or by using the OC Transpo iPhone app or other independent smartphone apps.. For more details, travel planning assistance, and new timetables, customers should call OC Transpo at 613-741-4390 or visit octranspo.com. Printed timetables are also available at OC Transpo Customer Service Centres.