How to Use Arc

Getting Started

Arc is easy to use:

1. Buy your Arc card online, at an Arc Fare Vending Machine, at a participating retailer, at an in-person service centre or by calling 1-888-302-0001.
   
2. Put money into your account - you can load as little as $4 up to a maximum balance of $500.
3. Register your account online to protect your funds if your card is lost or stolen, add funds to your card from anywhere online and take advantage of discounted fare caps once available (if eligible).

That’s it! You’re all ready to ride.

Always Tap On and Tap Off

Tapping off every single time is essential to ensuring you are charged the correct flat rate fare.

1. Tap your Arc card on the fare validator when you get on the bus or LRT.
   1. On buses, tap your card or ticket on the validator at the front of the bus when you board.
   2. On the LRT, validators are located near entrances to the proof of payment areas.
2. Tap off the bus or LRT using a validator when you’ve reached your destination.
   1. On buses, tap your card or ticket on the validator at the back of the bus when you exit. Cards and tickets can also be tapped on the validator at the front of the bus.
   2. On the LRT, tap a validator near exits to the proof of payment areas.

Create an Arc account

You can create an Arc account by:

• Calling the Arc call centre toll-free at 1-888-302-0001
• Visiting a regional in-person service centre
• Going online at myArc.ca see instructions below

To set up your Arc account online you will need an Arc card and an email address. If you do not have an email address, please contact the Arc call centre and a representative will be able to create your account without an email address.

To create your Arc account online

1. Locate "Arc Card" in the top menu and then click on "Register Account."
2. Enter the account number on the back of your Arc card and the three-digit security code on the front of the card.
3. Enter the required information and click the "Create Account" button. You will receive an account activation email at the email address you provided.
4. Go to your email, open the Arc activation email and click on the link in the email. The link will take you back to the myArc.ca website.
5. On the "Create Account" page, choose, "Confirm" and "Set Your Password". After you click on the "Set Your Password" button, your Arc account will be activated.

IMPORTANT: Be sure to note the email address and the password you are using for your account set up. You will need these to log into your account online in the future. 

Apply for a concession fare

You must register your Arc card before you apply for your concession fare.

1. Log in to your Arc account by clicking on the "Account Login" link (top right corner). Enter your username (email address) and password.
2. After you log in, select "My Account" from the top menu.
3. Scroll down to the bottom of the page to the "Apply for Concession" button. Click the button.
4. Select your Arc card. Click "Continue".
5. For the fare profile, select your fare profile (Senior, Student, Young Adult or Youth)
6. Double-check your Arc card number and the "Fare Profile" , and then click "Submit"
7. You will get an email from "Arc Transit Call Ctr." confirming that your application for your concession fare is complete.

How to load funds

There are many ways to load money to your Arc account. You can load money:

• Online at myArc.ca
• Calling the Arc call centre (1-888-302-0001)
• Using an Arc fare vending machine, or
• Visiting an in-person service centre

Payment Options

Online: You can pay with Visa, Visa Debit, Mastercard, Mastercard Debit or American Express.
At Arc fare vending machines or at regional in-person service centres you can pay with credit card, Visa/Mastercard debit or cash.

To load money online

1. Log in to your Arc account by clicking on the "Account Login" link (top right corner). Enter your username (email address) and password.
2. On the "MyArc" page, scroll down to your Arc card. Click "Reload" next to the balance to load funds.
3. Enter the amount you would like to load. You can add as little as $4 or as much as you like. Click "Submit".
4. Enter your payment method and billing address information. Click submit.

How to Use an Arc Fare Vending Machine

What You’ll See On Validators

Tap Card Below

When the bus doors are open, you can tap your card or ticket on the validator when you see this screen. You will also see this screen on validators in LRT stations and stops.

When you tap your Arc card or ticket on the validator, one of the following screens will appear:

Card Accepted

This means your card or ticket was accepted and you can board the bus. If you tap a ticket, it will expire after 90 minutes. There is no limit to the number of times that a ticket can be tapped during the 90 minute window.

Low Card Balance

This means you have fewer than $4 in your Arc account. If you have a pass, such as a U-Pass, loaded to your card, it will expire in less than five days. You can still board, but make sure to top up your account before your next trip or load a new pass to your account before it expires. If you have reached a cap and have less than $4, you will continue to see this message until you add money or the next month starts. If you are using Arc tickets, this means your 90-minute ticket or 24-hour pass will soon expire. For the 90-minute ticket you'll see this message 15 minutes prior to its expiration and for the 24-hour pass, you'll see this message one hour prior to its expiration. Please purchase a new ticket before your next trip if you require one.

Load Funds

This means you have fewer than $0.99 in your account and have not reached a cap, the pass (e.g. U-Pass) loaded to your card has expired or your Arc ticket has expired. Top up your account, load a new pass to your card or buy a new Arc ticket. You may also pay cash fare to board the bus.

Unable to Read Card

Your Arc card or ticket may be damaged, or you are using a card that is not accepted by the system. Try tapping your card or ticket again and ensure you are using a valid Arc card or ticket. If you continue to experience issues, please call the Arc call centre or submit a request. This can also happen when there is “card clash” when tapping with your wallet that holds other cards in addition to your Arc card such as credit cards. Always tap your Arc card by itself to avoid this.

Already Checked In

This means you recently tapped your Arc card or ticket. To protect you and other riders from fraud, cards and tickets cannot be tapped again on the same validator for one minute. If you boarded the wrong bus, tap off the bus using one of the validators at the back of the bus so you are not charged a Missing Tap fare.

Out of Service

Occasionally, a validator will not be working. Please show your card to the operator when you see this screen. To avoid a Missing Tap fare (occurs when you only tap once), please do not attempt to tap off the bus if the validator starts working again. When the validators on a bus are not functioning, no fare will be collected for this trip. If you are using the LRT and see this screen at a validator, please use a nearby alternate validator.

How is your fare calculated?

Each tap helps Arc determine what fare you will be charged. The system will check:

1. If your card or ticket is valid.
2. If you have money loaded in your account, a pass loaded to your card, or if your ticket is valid for the trip you are taking.

Once the system determines your card or ticket is valid, it will collect the following information to calculate your fare:

• The date and time.
• The agency providing the service (e.g. Edmonton Transit).
• The service type (e.g. local or commuter service).
• The location (e.g. bus stop 1702 on 109 Street and 104 Avenue in Edmonton).
• Whether or not there are previous taps in the system within the 90 minute transfer period.
• Whether or not any daily or monthly caps have been reached.

If you have a valid pass, this information will be captured, but no fare will be charged.

If you have money loaded to your account, the system will deduct your fare based on where you tapped on and tapped off.

If you do not tap off, you will be charged a Missing Tap fare because the system doesn't know where you got off the bus or LRT and therefore can't calculate the correct fare. Missing Tap fares will contribute to your caps, but they may be more expensive than the flat rate fare.

At any time, you can check your transaction history to see all your purchases and trip information. Click here to see your transaction history or you can call the Arc Call Centre, visit an Arc Fare Vending Machine or In-Person Service Centre.

How do transfers work?

The system allows for discounted transfers between transit agencies and service types, such as transferring between ETS and St. Albert or Strathcona County buses or between two ETS buses, within 90 minutes of the first tap. Learn more about transfer discounts between agencies and service types.

If you are transferring between buses or LRT, and are only using the local service in one municipality, you will not be charged an additional fare if you are tapping within 90 minutes of your first tap. When you are transferring, it is essential to tap off your first bus/LRT so you are not charged a Missing Tap fare.

For example: if you didn't tap off your first ETS trip and then tapped on a second ETS bus within 90 min of your first tap, you would not be charged the $2.75 again.

What are zones?

Each bus stop or LRT station is located within a zone. These zones are used to calculate the flat rate fares. When you tap on and off within one zone, a local flat rate fare is charged. When you tap on and off in different zones, you could be charged a commuter flat rate fare.

The available zones are:

• Edmonton
• Airport
• St. Albert
• Strathcona
• Acheson
• Spruce Grove
• Fort Saskatchewan
• Beaumont
• Leduc

What are Service Types?

The participating transit agencies provide a combination of local and commuter service. Local service refers to service offered in one municipality only, and commuter service refers to service that connects riders between municipalities.

Agency	Service Type Name
Edmonton Transit Service	Local Services
Edmonton Transit Service	Airport Services
St. Albert Transit	Local Services
St. Albert Transit	Commuter Services
St. Albert Transit	On-Demand Services
Strathcona County Transit	Local Services
Strathcona County Transit	Commuter Services
Spruce Grove Transit	Local Services
Spruce Grove Transit	Commuter Services
Spruce Grove Transit	On-Demand Services
Fort Saskatchewan Transit	Local Services
Fort Saskatchewan Transit	Commuter Services
Beaumont Transit	Commuter Services
Leduc Transit	Local Services
Leduc Transit	Commuter Services
Leduc Transit	On-Demand Services

Money In Your Account (Arc Purse)

Your “Arc Purse” is where the money you load to your account is stored. When you tap on/off the bus or LRT and your fare is calculated, it will be deducted from your account.

1. The money loaded into your account can be used to pay your fare to ride any bus or LRT operated by a participating municipality.
2. Every time you top up your account, you can load as little as $4 or as much as $500. Please note: your account balance cannot be higher than $500.
3. You may carry a negative balance of up to -$4.60 if a trip costs more than what you have in your account.
   1. You must have at least $0.99 in your account to board.
   2. When you top up your account, your negative balance will be immediately deducted from your top up. For example, if your balance is -$4 and you load $20, your new balance will be $16.
4. If you set up the Auto-Reload function, your account will be topped up when the balance reaches $10. The system will top up your card by the amount you choose and will charge the credit card you saved in your account.