Calgary Transit is asking riders and downtown commuters to weigh in on the future of its long-standing Free Fare Zone as the city reviews whether the decades-old perk still makes sense in a growing and changing core.Between Feb. 16 and March 8, 2026, the transit agency will conduct a customer survey as part of a broader fare review for the CTrain network running along 7 Avenue downtown, between Downtown West/Kerby and City Hall/Bow Valley College stations.The Free Fare Zone was first approved in 1981, allowing passengers to ride the CTrain at no cost within the downtown corridor. But officials say Calgary in 2026 looks far different than it did more than 40 years ago.“We know that Calgary has grown quite a lot since the Free Fare Zone was approved for CTrain service back in 1981,” said Tess Abanto, Leader of Revenue Streams at Calgary Transit. “We also know that travel patterns, Calgary’s population and destinations have also changed in the past 40 years. This exercise is about level-setting the value of the Free Fare Zone for Calgarians and the role public transit plays in our downtown today and the future.”Feedback gathered through the online survey will be used to assess the value of the Free Fare Zone and to help shape recommendations for future fare options in the downtown area. .The agency says the survey results will be combined with previously collected data on rider behaviour, a review of policies in other jurisdictions, and internal consultations.The review is being conducted in alignment with RouteAhead, the agency’s 30-year strategic plan. Among its key priorities are protecting and maintaining existing funding sources and pursuing flexible, sustained funding in the future.Any recommendations stemming from the review will feed into an updated Fare Revenue Policy currently under development. That policy is expected to outline a revised fare payment system and updated fare products for the entire transit network.Calgary Transit says more details on the Fare Revenue Policy will be released later in March 2026. In the meantime, riders and residents have until March 8 to complete the survey through the Free Fare Zone Study page.
