The U-Pass is one of the many great services offered by the UTMSU – it allows students unlimited fare-free rides on all City of Mississauga transit buses, MiWay. All you need to do is present your digital U-Pass and T-Card (UofT student ID) while boarding a MiWay bus and you will be able to ride fare free – all year long – as many times as you need!
Digital U-Passes are distributed to students at the beginning of each academic semester through the PRESTO E-Tickets app. You can download the app today through your mobile device’s app store and sign in using your official student (mail.utoronto.ca) email address. Once a U-Pass is distributed, it will appear within the app under the available tab.
Activation periods:
- Fall U-Pass is active from September 1 – December 31
- Winter U-Pass is active from January 1 – April 30
- Summer U-Pass is active from May 1 – August 31
A U-Pass is only available and valid in a term for which a student has been charged a U-Pass fee. For example, a student taking only fall term courses may receive and use a U-Pass in the fall term only.
All UTM full-time/part-time undergraduate, Mississauga Academy of Medicine (MAM) and graduate* students are eligible to collect a U-Pass. Associated fees are mandatory and automatically charged to each eligible student’s ACORN account.
*Please note, graduate students enrolled in the MMPA and MFAC programs are not eligible for a U-Pass.
Each full-time/part-time undergraduate and graduate student is eligible for a U-Pass if they meet the following criteria:
- You must be enrolled in courses during respective distribution periods as either an undergraduate, MAM, or graduate student. Your academic invoice will reflect the associated fees for this U-Pass. For example, only students enrolled in summer courses are eligible for a Summer U-Pass.
- You must have successfully paid/deferred the minimum payment on your ACORN account, 3 business days prior to distribution. Students will appear ineligible in the U-Pass system if they try to collect before payment has been processed through ACORN.
- You have not made any changes to your ACORN account, 3 business days prior to distribution. This means you have not added/removed courses or been taken off a waitlist.
- Must have a valid T-Card and an active UToronto email! UToronto emails must be accurately updated on your ACORN profile, since U-Passes cannot be issued to alternative emails. U-Passes will not be accepted by MiWay unless accompanied by a T-Card.
Eligibility can be self-checked through the following portal: https://uoft.service-now.com/utm_upass. This checker will be updated on the first day of each academic semester, i.e. September 1, January 1 and May 1, annually.
*REMINDER* Your MiWay digital U-Pass cannot be activated for use in the PRESTO E-Tickets app until September 1, 2024.
For eligible students, a Fall 2024 digital U-Pass will be distributed through the PRESTO E-Tickets app. Confirmation of this distribution will be sent from (MiWay) noreply@bytemark.co to your student (mail.utoronto.ca) email address starting September 1, 2024. The email subject line will read, “PRESTO – E-Ticket(s) – Have been sent to you!” Retain the email for your action.
Click here to view step-by-step instructions for downloading and activating a MiWay digital U-Pass.
Click here to view how to scan your digital U-Pass on MiWay transit buses.
To access your Fall 2024 digital U-Pass, follow the steps below. For students with existing accounts from the 2023-24 academic year, refer only to steps 3 & 4.
- Download the PRESTO E-Tickets app: The PRESTO E-Tickets app can be downloaded for free to your smartphone from the App Store or Google Play Store. You can also download the app directly from your distribution invitation. Note: the PRESTO E-Tickets app is different from the PRESTO app, please ensure you are accessing the MiWay digital U-Pass through the PRESTO E-Tickets app.
- Create your account: Set up your student account on the PRESTO E-Tickets app. You must use your student email address (mail.utoronto.ca). This is the only way to receive the digital U-Pass to your account. You must be connected to the internet when creating your account. Note: when signing into the PRESTO E-Tickets app, please ensure that your device’s preferred language is set to English. Once successfully signed in, you can revert to the preferred language of your choice.
- On September 1, 2024 activate your PRESTO E-Ticket before you ride: The digital U-Pass will appear in the “Available” tab of your PRESTO E-Tickets app after the distribution invitation has been received. Be sure to select the MiWay U-Pass Fall 2024 E-Ticket, which will now be relocated to your “Active” tab.
- Show and scan your PRESTO E-Ticket: open the activated MiWay U-Pass E-Ticket when you board and scan the QR code on the bus reader. Please note that the operator may also ask you to present your T-card as proof of eligibility. Note: Some devices set to Dark Mode can alter the background of the QR code, please ensure that the QR code background is appearing white not black.
For more information regarding PRESTO E-Ticket services, please click here.
U-Passes are for UTM students only. They must not be shared or used by anyone other than whom the U-Pass was issued to. U-Passes must be used in conjunction with a UTM T-card. Altering, forging, transferring, selling, or sharing a U-Pass is prohibited, and abuse of the U-Pass is taken seriously by Mississauga Transit Enforcement, UTM, UTMSU and UTMAGS. Abuse can result in significant fines/charges against abusers and prohibition from further participation in the U-Pass program. In the event of a U-Pass validity dispute, a student is required to pay full fare and contact the UTMSU office. View all terms & conditions of use through the MiWay Transit website.
Digital U-Passes can only be saved to one device at a time. If you have replaced your mobile device, please email upass@utmsu.ca to request assistance downloading the PRESTO E-Tickets app onto your new device.
Frequently Asked Questions
U-Passes distributed in the Summer term are valid between May 1 – August 31, annually. Summer U-Passes cannot be used during the Winter/Fall semesters, since new U-Passes will be distributed for each of those terms.
The one-time initial download of the PRESTO E-Tickets app will use data on your phone if you do not download while connected to Wi-Fi. To avoid any data usage, please make sure you are connected to Wi-Fi. Once the app has been downloaded to your device and you have signed in, data will no longer be required to access and display your digital U-Pass (PRESTO E-Ticket).
U-Pass e-tickets are locked to one device at a time. If you replaced your mobile device, please contact upass@utmsu.ca with your UToronto email account and student number, so a reissuing request can be sent to the UTM U-Pass Admin team for consideration. Reissuing can only occur on weekdays.
U-Pass e-tickets can only be issued after a UTM students incidentals fees have been paid/deferred. We recommend students confirm eligibility for a U-Pass by viewing their ACORN invoice for the appropriate fees. ACORN accounts must be updated with mail.utoronto.ca emails in order for e-tickets to be distributed.
Please visit the infoBooth or contact upass@utmsu.ca for confirmation of eligibility.
Please ensure that your device’s language is set to English and to our local time zone/calendar when attempting to login through the PRESTO E-Tickets app.
If you are not receiving verification emails when attempting to register your PRESTO E-Tickets app, please contact upass@utmsu.ca.
The E-Ticket U-Pass is not linked to the PRESTO card or app in any way. To access your digital U-Pass you must register and log into the PRESTO E-Tickets app using your student (mail.utoronto.ca) email address. This is the only email address that your U-Pass will be issued to. The U-Pass provides eligible students with unlimited access to MiWay during the academic year. If you access other public transit agencies, such as GO Transit, you should continue to use your PRESTO card or another method of payment. Your digital U-Pass (PRESTO E-Ticket) is only valid on MiWay.
You would be required to pay for your fare if you cannot present a valid digital U-Pass when boarding MiWay transit. To avoid paying this fee, please ensure your phone is always charged. You can find charging stations on campus in the UTM Student Centre for student use. MiWay transit vehicles are also equipped with power outlets for riders to charge mobile devices.
MiWay bus operators are meant to allow UTM students to board regardless if their U-Pass scans are valid or not. When the QR code scans invalid, the operator should be asking to see the expiration date and that the code is dynamic (not a screenshot). Students experiencing scanning issues should visit infoBooth or contact upass@utmsu.ca to report issues.
No, the U-Pass fee is a mandatory incidental fee for eligible full-time/part-time/graduate/undergraduate students at UTM.
No, U-Passes cannot be sold to individuals not enrolled in UTM affiliated courses. If you are interested in purchasing a discounted MiWay transit pass visit the MiWay website.
Troubleshooting PRESTO E-Tickets app: prestocard.ca/en/contact-us.
Route and services inquiries: miwayhelps@mississauga.ca.
Distribution and eligiblity inquiries: upass@utmsu.ca.