Public transport in Ottawa is provided by 3 light rail lines, which you can think of as a combination of tram, commuter train and subway. In addition, dozens of bus lines ply the streets of Ottawa.

All routes are operated by OC Transpo, and STO buses also run to the neighbouring city of Gatineau.

How did we travel around Ottawa? What would we recommend as the best mode of transportation?

Book a hotel in downtown Ottawa

Public transport in Ottawa is very safe, reliable and the vehicles are modern, air-conditioned and clean.

On foot

However, we recommend walking on your own as your first method of getting around the city.

Downtown Ottawa is not large and is one of the few cities in North America that is well suited to pedestrians, with many pedestrian zones and beautiful promenades along the river.

We describe tips for walking across the city in the What to Do section.

Tickets and fares

Although Ottawa is served by two different carriers - OC Transpo and STO Société de transport de l'Outaouais (City of Gatineau) - they honour each other's tickets and you don't have to worry about which company you're on.

Tickets are valid on all OC Transpot bus routes, STO and all tram (light rail) routes.

Prices and ticket types

• 4 cad - Single ride for 90 minutes (any number of transfers)
  • 4,05 cad in case of cash payment
• 12 cad - day ticket (valid for 1 calendar day)
• 30 cad - 3-day ticket
• 47,75 cad - 5-day ticket
• Current price list: octranspo.com/fares

How to buy a ticket?

There are several options for buying a ticket in Ottawa:

• Your own contactless card ("O-Payment") - the easiest option where you don't have to deal with any paper tickets or mobile apps.
  • You need to use your own debit or credit card at the turnstile reader or validator on the bus (only at boarding).
  • a single fare will automatically be added for 4 cad
  • no more than the price of a 1-day fare (i.e. 12 cad) will be charged for a calendar day - this is how the so called "daily caps"
• You can still buy a regular paper ticket.
  • can be bought at all tram/metro stations (cash and card payment possible)
  • can also be purchased from the bus driver, but only in exact cash 4,05 cad
• Mobile app - Transpo does have its own mobile app, but it is only for searching for transport and you cannot pay fares through it yet.
• PRESTO Card - a transport card on which you can load any amount of money, which is gradually charged with each ride. However, the fare is the same as when paying with your own contactless card and since the purchase price of this card is 4 cad, it is not worthwhile for tourists.

How to use the ticket - how to pay the fare

Always attach your own contactless card or PRESTO Card to the green marked area.

With a paper ticket you scan the QR code.

• When you enter the train/tram station, you attach it to the turnstile / when you exit, the turnstile opens automatically without using the ticket
• when boarding the bus, you attach the ticket to the validator at the driver / when getting off the bus, you no longer use the ticket

Full fare information on the official website: octranspo.com/fares.

Connection search

There are never timetables or maps of the transport network at bus stops.

Ideally, you should always look up connections online ahead of time via the Transit mobile app or the regular website at octranspo.com/plan-your-trip.

The Moovit app works very poorly in Ottawa with extremely inaccurate information, while the Google Maps app will provide an accurate connection search.

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Tram/train

Ottawa has 3 lines of urban rail, which is officially referred to as O-Train.

The trains run every day from approximately 5:00 am to 11:00 pm.

It is a hybrid system that resembles a streetcar, subway and train at the same time.

• Red Line 1 - runs through the entire historic centre from west to east and also connects all the long-distance bus (Tremblay, St. Laurent, Blair) and train (Tremblay) stations.
  • frequency approx. 7-10 minutes
  • in the centre, the line is largely underground and is operated by electric cars which most closely resemble a classic tramway
• Green Line 2 - connects to the Red Line at Bayview Station and heads south to Ottawa. At South Keys Station, transfer to Blue Line 4 towards Ottawa Airport
  • frequency approx. 12-15 minutes
  • Diesel-powered modern trains operate on this route
• Yellow Line 3 - is under construction and will connect to the Red Line towards the western suburbs of Ottawa (will be of no significance to tourists)
• Blue Line 4 - a short route connecting South Keys Station (transferring to the Green Line) with Ottawa Airport
  • frequency approx. 12-15 minutes
  • this route is operated by diesel powered modern trains

For maps and schedules of each O-Train line, visit the official website: octranspo.com/#train-service.

Buses

Bus service is provided by red and white OC Transpo buses (in Ottawa) and green and white STO buses (in Gatineau).

You can use the same tickets described above on both carriers.

Daily bus routes run from approximately 5:00 am to 11:00 pm. The busiest routes run every 7-15 minutes and the least frequent ones usually run once every 30 minutes.

Stops and boarding

All bus stops are signposted - you should wave to the driver if you want to board. If you want to get off, you should always press the stop button before the stop.

You can get on and off at all doors - validators for ticket retrieval are located at the driver and at the back door.

Maps and timetables for each O-Train line can be found on the official website: octranspo.com/#bus-service.

Shared scooters

Ottawa is a flat city with wide streets, sidewalks and bike paths ideal for riding a bike or e-scooter.

Currently, the largest shared mobility operators Neuron and Bird primarily operate scooters, which you'll find scattered throughout the city.

In order to use the scooters, you need to download the Neuron mobile app or the Bird mobile app and register with it.

Both apps have identical prices:

• 1,15 cad - Scooter unlocking
• 0,42 cad - 1 minute ride