HSR Bus Pass

By virtue of referendum, all full-time undergraduate students hold a 12-month, unlimited ride bus pass with the Hamilton Street Railway (HSR). The HSR bus pass remains valid from September through August each year. The pass is administered through PRESTO. Students will load their PRESTO card with a voucher code that is available via Mosaic, and can then tap on and off the HSR for unlimited rides.

*The HSR Bus Pass is non-transferable – any sale or misuse of a voucher will result in confiscation.*

Friday, August 14, 2026 – Voucher code will be available on Mosaic
Saturday, August 22, 2026 – Bus pass comes into effect

How to activate the HSR Bus Pass

1. Obtain a PRESTO card:

  • Eligible students will need to obtain a PRESTO card. A physical PRESTO card can be purchased from one of the following PRESTO vendors: Shoppers Drug Mart, Fortino’s in Hamilton, HSR Customer Service Office at Hamilton GO, or online at prestocard.ca. Please note that your physical PRESTO card will arrive in 7-10 business days if purchased online.
  • If you wish to use a virtual PRESTO card on your mobile device, choose either PRESTO in Google Wallet or PRESTO in Apple Wallet, as it applies to your device.
  • Returning students can continue to use the PRESTO card used in a previous year (or any PRESTO card). Simply retrieve the voucher code via Mosaic, log in to your PRESTO account and load the voucher code. Click here to view the steps on how to redeem your voucher code.

2. Retrieve your voucher code from Mosaic:

  • Find the tile inside your Mosaic account labelled “HSR Bus Pass” and click it to retrieve your voucher code. This voucher code is unique and assigned only to you. Do not share your voucher code with anyone.

3. Register your PRESTO card:

  • Your PRESTO card must be registered to a PRESTO account to redeem the voucher code.
    • If you do not have a PRESTO account, visit the PRESTO website and create an account by clicking “Sign Up”. Then, add your PRESTO card to your account.
    • Once you have created your account, add your PRESTO card to your account by clicking “Add an Existing Card.” Once complete, your card will be registered to your PRESTO account.
    • If you already have a PRESTO account and your card is on that account, you are ready to redeem your voucher.

4. Login to your PRESTO account:

  • Once you have your voucher code, login to your PRESTO account.
  • Click “Redeem Voucher” in the left-hand navigation menu.
  • Follow the steps to redeem the voucher to your card, which will load the HSR bus pass and post-secondary fare type to your PRESTO card.
  • When you have successfully redeemed your voucher, the pass should be ready for use within 10-15 minutes.

Please note:

  • When your voucher is successfully redeemed, you will be able to see the pass and fare type on your card when you check your online account either on the PRESTO website or mobile app. You will also see the pass and fare type if you query your card on the PRESTO mobile app.
  • If you receive any error messages when redeeming your voucher code and need assistance, please contact the PRESTO Contact Centre at 1-877-378-6123.
  • First year students must wait for the HSR bus pass tile to appear in their Mosaic account prior to obtaining their PRESTO card, as they will not appear in the distribution file until 24 hours after their HSR bus pass tile appears.
  • The bus pass is valid up until August 21 of the following year.

Expandable List

With PRESTO in Google Wallet, you can tap your Android phone or Wear OS on a PRESTO device for travel on transit. Click here to view the following information:

  • How to use PRESTO in Google Wallet.
  • Instructions on how to purchase a card.
  • How to convert a physical PRESTO card using the PRESTO app.

Or watch a video on how get a new PRESTO card in Google wallet!

PLEASE NOTE: If you convert a physical PRESTO card to a virtual card on your mobile device, your physical PRESTO card will no longer work. You also will not be able to revert to a physical card once you convert it to Google Wallet.

  • DO NOT convert to Google Wallet if you do not meet all the necessary requirements.
  • DO NOT convert to Google Wallet if you currently have an Android and plan on switching to an iPhone.
  • DO NOT convert your card if you are in the middle of a trip. Wait until you have completed your trip before converting your card.

With PRESTO in Apple Wallet, you can tap your iPhone or Apple Watch on a PRESTO device to travel on transit. Click here to view the following information:

  • How to use PRESTO in Apple Wallet.
  • Instructions on how to purchase a card.
  • How to convert a physical PRESTO card using the PRESTO app.

Or, watch the following videos:

PLEASE NOTE: if you convert a physical PRESTO card to a virtual card on your mobile device, your physical PRESTO card will no longer work. You also will not be able to revert to a physical card once you convert it to Apple Wallet.

  • DO NOT convert to Apple Wallet if you do not meet all the necessary requirements.
  • DO NOT convert to Apple Wallet if you currently have an iPhone and plan on switching to an android.
  • DO NOT convert your card if you are in the middle of a trip. Wait until you have completed your trip before converting your card.

1. Is there a grace period?

  • The bus pass is in effect from September 1 through August each academic year. However, the bus pass will begin to function on August 22 for the benefit of students coming to Hamilton in advance of September.

2. Where do I obtain a PRESTO card?

  • Eligible students will need to obtain a PRESTO card:
    • A physical PRESTO card can be purchased from one of the following PRESTO vendors: Shoppers Drug Mart, Fortino’s in Hamilton, HSR Customer Service Office at Hamilton GO, or online at prestocard.ca. Please note that your physical PRESTO card will arrive in 7-10 business days if purchased online.
    • If you wish to use a virtual PRESTO card on your mobile device, choose either PRESTO in Google Wallet or PRESTO in Apple Wallet, as it applies to your device.
  • Returning students can continue to use the PRESTO card used in a previous year (or any PRESTO card). Simply retrieve the voucher code via Mosaic, log in to your PRESTO account and load the voucher code. Click here to view the steps on how to redeem your voucher code.

3. How does the HSR Bus Pass PRESTO card work?

  • After you have successfully redeemed your voucher to your PRESTO card or PRESTO in Mobile Wallet card, simply tap your physical or digital PRESTO card on the PRESTO device located inside the front door of the bus and show your McMaster Student ID card, when travelling on the HSR. The system recognizes you are traveling with a valid HSR Bus Pass meaning that nothing will be deducted from your card balance.
  • The HSR Bus Pass is only valid for unlimited rides on the HSR. If riding on other transit agencies such as Go Transit or the TTC, you must have sufficient funds on your card. When you tap, it will calculate the correct fare for your trip and deduct the fare from the balance on your card. See #15 below for further information on Go Transit discount information. 

4. What if I already have a PRESTO card?

  • You may use any PRESTO card, provided it is registered in your name, to redeem the voucher code.

5. How do I register my PRESTO card to load the voucher code?

  • The HSR Bus Pass can only be loaded via voucher onto a registered PRESTO card, which requires a PRESTO Account. This registers your card to you and allows your card to be replaced if lost or stolen, and the HSR Bus Pass and/or cash balance will be restored.
  • **Please note that if you already have an account, you may add a new card to your current account by clicking “Add an Existing Card” in the “Manage” menu. However, you can simply load the voucher code onto an existing, registered PRESTO card if you wish.

6. What happens if I lose my HSR Bus Pass PRESTO card?

  • If you lose your PRESTO card that has your HSR Bus Pass on it, you can transfer all your card details (including the pass) to a replacement card by following these steps:
    • Login to your PRESTO account and lock your card so it cannot be used.
      • “Lock Card” can be found under “Card Details” of the PRESTO card on your account.
    • Purchase a new card (fees apply/minimum e-purse load required) at Shoppers Drug Mart or a PRESTO Customer Service Outlet.
    • Log into your PRESTO account and unlock your card.
    • Select “Report Lost Card” from the left-hand navigation menu.
    • Select Option 2 if you have purchased a new card at Shoppers and not added it/registered it to your account. Follow the prompts on the screen to complete the transfer to the new card.
      • Select Option 1 if you have registered your new card or have another registered card on your account and wish to transfer your lost card to it. Follow the prompts on the screen to complete the transfer to the new card.
      • Select Option 3 if you have not yet purchased a new card and wish to do a transfer to a new card that you will purchase online. Please note this option will take 7-10 business days for your new card to arrive. Follow the prompts on the screen to complete the transfer to the new card. You will be required to use a saved payment method or add a payment method to pay for the $4.00 card fee.
    • Once you have completed one of the above options and your card has been successfully transferred to the replacement card, card details including registration information, card value balance, voucher details, etc. will be transferred over to the new card.
  • Please contact the PRESTO Contact Centre for any assistance with the lost card process: 1-877-378-6123.

7. Caring for my PRESTO card/what if my card is defective?

  • The PRESTO card has an internal chip and antenna inside the card. Cards CANNOT be punched, cut, or damaged in any way, otherwise the card will no longer work. If the card is visibly damaged, you are responsible for the cost to replace the card. You are also responsible for ensuring that cards are not damaged through misuse, bending or cracking, which may cause the card to stop functioning.
  • If your card stops working, appears undamaged but is not recognized when tapped on a PRESTO device, it could be defective, but this is not a common occurrence.
  • Damaged cards can be replaced at a PRESTO Customer Service Outlet. Once you receive your replacement card, you can transfer your previous card and account details on prestocard.ca using the Report Lost Card process (see above).

8. Which students are eligible for the HSR Bus Pass?

  • Undergraduate and Graduate Students registered in 18 academic units total (across both fall and winter)
  • Full-Time Graduate Students
  • Physician Assistants
  • MELD Students
  • Exchange students are eligible for the bus pass, but will not see the charge on their account as the student pays tuition through their home institution. If there is a problem, contact the Student Accounts office via email at studacct@mcmaster.ca.
  • Part-time students registered with SAS can apply to become MSU Members. This application must be approved and processed in order for the student to appear in the HSR Bus pass file. You can find more information by visiting this page under MSU Membership Information, section 3.

9. Which students are not eligible for the HSR bus pass?

  • Undergraduate Students enrolled in 17 academic units or less (across both fall and winter)
  • Co-op Students enrolled in 17 academic units or less
  • Engineering Co-op
  • Part-Time Graduate Students (including visiting students)
  • MBA Students (all)
  • Divinity College Students (all)
  • Continuing Education Students
  • Medicine Students (with the exception of Physician Assistants)
  • Midwifery Students

10. Can part-time students (17 academic units or less) qualify?

  • Part-time students may qualify under certain circumstances. Additional details can be found online at MAPS. If you do qualify to move from MAPS to MSU and the transfer is approved, the HSR fee will be applied to your account along with other MSU-related fees.

11. Where do I see the HSR charge on my account?

  • Mosaic > Student Centre > Finances > Account Summary
  • The HSR Bus Pass undergraduate fee for the 2026/2027 academic year is $252.05.

12. Is the bus pass a mandatory fee?

  • The contract between students and the HSR, as agreed upon via student referendum, does not include an opt-out clause and therefore students do not have the ability to opt-out of the fee. This contract is re-negotiated and sent to student referendum every three years.

13. What do I do if I don’t see the HSR tile on Mosaic?

  • To qualify for the HSR bus pass you must be an undergraduate student enrolled in 18 or more academic units throughout the fall and winter terms. If you do not meet this threshold then you are not charged MSU fees (including the bus pass) and this is likely why you are not seeing the tile on your Mosaic account.
  • To confirm your eligibility, review your Account Summary on Mosaic to view whether or not you were charged the Bus Pass fee. (Please note that these charges are typically shown on the second or third page of the PDF). To access your Account Summary: Login to Mosaic > Student Centre > Account Summary > Select current academic year > View Detail/Print. If you have  been charged the bus pass fee but don’t see the tile on Mosaic, please see below for next steps to rectify the problem.

14. What if I don’t appear in the HSR file?

  • If a you are not in the HSR Student PRESTO Card distribution file, you should first confirm that you are eligible to receive the bus pass (see above). If you are eligible, check your Mosaic account to ensure that you have been assessed the HSR fee. Confirm the date this charge was applied to you account, remembering it takes one business day for your ID number to show up in the HSR Student PRESTO Card distribution file.
  • If it has been more than one business day since the HSR fee was charged and you are still not in the HSR Student PRESTO Card distribution file, contact the McMaster Financial Affairs office at faweb@mcmaster.ca.
  • If you have not been assessed the fee but feel you are eligible to receive a HSR pass, contact the McMaster Financial Affairs office at faweb@mcmaster.ca.

15. Are McMaster students eligible for a GO Transit discount?

  • Yes! To qualify for the GO Transit post-secondary fare discount, you must be an undergraduate student enrolled in 18 or more academic units (across both fall and winter). When you successfully redeem your HSR UPASS voucher to your PRESTO card, the post-secondary fare is automatically added to your PRESTO card. There is nothing more that you need to do!  A separate GO Transit-issued Student ID is not required.
  • If fare inspected, GO Transit Revenue Protection Officers can see your HSR UPASS on your PRESTO card and will know you are an eligible student – allowing you to travel on GO train/buses with the post-secondary fare.
  • Please note: you are required to have sufficient funds on your PRESTO card to travel on GO Transit as your HSR UPASS is only valid for unlimited travel on HSR. You must add funds to your PRESTO card to travel on any transit agency other than HSR.

16. Where can I view video tutorials on how to use PRESTO?

  • There are many videos available by PRESTO on various topics. Please visit the PRESTO YouTube Channel for more information. Below are a few links to videos that may be useful:

How to create an account and register a card on the PRESTO App.

How to redeem a voucher for a PRESTO card in Mobile Wallet | How To PRESTO

How to set up PRESTO in Google Wallet | How to PRESTO

How to get started with PRESTO in Apple Wallet

Report a Lost Card | How to PRESTO

How to easily get discounts with PRESTO Perks | How to PRESTO

How to tap your PRESTO in Apple Wallet without unlocking your iPhone