It’s official: Montreal has finally caught up to… 2010?
Testing is now underway to let passengers swipe their phones to hop on the bus, metro or the REM.
And yes, before you ask, the rest of the world has been doing this for ages—Montreal’s just fashionably late to the party.
Check out: how to get from the REM > Montreal Eaton Centre
When are the virtual Opus cards launching?
The Autorité régionale de transport métropolitain (ARTM) is currently testing the feature with a small pilot group before making it available to everyone.
The update lets users validate their fares with a digital OPUS card on their phone, a major shift from the plastic card Montrealers have used for two decades. This digital upgrade falls under the ARTM’s Concerto initiative to overhaul the region’s ticketing system.
According to a post on the ARTM's Facebook page, starting in 2026, virtual fares on your phone will offer greater flexibility and convenience for getting around the public transit network, complementing the regular OPUS card and OPUS top-ups already available in the Chrono app.
This past summer, the agency signed a $146-million contract with Masabi, a U.K. company whose virtual fare technology is already deployed in over 200 cities.
Read: How Montrealers feel about the new virtual Opus card, according to Reddit
Does the digital Opus card work on an iPhone?
iPhone owners will have to wait — for now, the pilot project is limited to Android users.
About 1,000 participants are testing it before the next phase ramps up to 4,000 users in the coming weeks.
Is there an app for the Montréal metro?
Central to the ticketing makeover is the Chrono mobile app, which allows users to buy virtual fares and store their OPUS card directly on their phone.
What is the Chrono mobile app?
The app is free, and once downloaded, fare selected and paid for, your phone can be used immediately by simply tapping the device at the turnstiles.
Just like the popular OPUS card fare-purchasing feature in the Chrono app, users will be able to pay with a credit card or via Google Pay, which also allows debit card registration.
For more information about the Chrono app, click here.
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