🚨 Did TransLink Overcharge Me? A SkyTrain Fare Warning 🚇
By Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita
📍 Vancouver to Surrey – June 2025
Yesterday, I made a round trip on TransLink from Vancouver to Surrey, and I think I was overcharged.
Here’s what happened:
I started my journey on the bus in Vancouver. My Compass Card had a low balance — not enough to cover the fare — but I told the driver I needed to go to the SkyTrain station to load my card. He kindly let me ride.
At Burrard Station, I loaded $10 onto my Compass Card.
I then traveled to Surrey Central, transferred to another bus to reach South Surrey Park and Ride, and later made my way back home to Burrard Station in Vancouver.
When I arrived back, I tapped out and found out my card only had $0.15 left. That means my $10 was almost completely used — for one round trip.
That’s nearly $10 for a Compass Card round trip, which should only cost about $7.70 for a 2-zone journey ($3.85 each way). If it were a cash fare, it still should’ve only been $9.30 total. So why did I pay nearly $2+ extra?
Something’s wrong.
🔍 Possible Explanations (But Still Not Okay):
- The system may not have applied the 90-minute transfer window correctly.
- Maybe my initial ride with low balance glitched the system into charging an extra fare.
- Or perhaps the bus-to-train transfer wasn’t recognized, triggering another full charge.
No matter the reason, it’s not transparent, and it's not fair — especially for those of us trying to budget every dollar.
⚠️ A Message for All TransLink Riders:
🚫 Don’t ride with a low balance, even if the bus driver says it’s okay.
🕒 Be aware of the 90-minute transfer limit — and how unclear it can be.
💻 Always check your Compass Card history if something feels off:
👉 https://www.compasscard.ca
✊ TransLink — We Deserve Better
@TransLink — if your system is overcharging people, especially those who are low-income, seniors, students, or struggling, it’s not just a glitch — it’s a barrier to access and a financial hardship.
Not everyone can afford to “top up extra just in case.” Transparency matters. Accountability matters.
✅ Action Steps
- Check your trip and payment history on the Compass website
- Report suspected fare issues by calling 604-953-3333 or visiting TransLink Contact
- Share your story — you’re not alone.
If this happened to you or someone you know, please comment or share — the more awareness we build, the harder it is for problems to be ignored.
🖤 Thanks for reading.
Let’s make transit fair, accessible, and accountable for everyone.
#TransLink #VancouverTransit #CompassCard #Overcharged #PublicTransitFairness #LowIncomeVoices #TransitJustice #Zipolita #TinaWinterlik
