We're rapidly hurtling towards GO = TTC fare on the 416 section of GO already:
(1)
Price of GO within 416 has fallen to $3.70
(2)
Transfers between GO and TTC has a $1.50 discount
(3) That discounted transfer works for
the new TTC 2 hour timed transfer
You can combine TTC+GO combined with an unlimited 2 hour TTC timed transfer for grand total price of less than 2 TTC fares grand totalled (GO+TTC). So apparently, it's only a small leap away to free transfers and GO=TTC fare in 416. Even inflation through 2020-2029 would easily raise TTC to $3.70, and one more fare integration adjustment to increase the $1.50 discount to a full discount (eventually). It would be a very small government promise sometime in the mid 2020s, comparatively speaking.
I'm well affected by this. I have to use GO to enter Toronto, and immediately transfer to TTC to do my errands.
I used to pay $6.50 extra (two TTC fares) but now pay only $1.75 extra (half a TTC fare) because of the combination of (2) and (3) -- such as hopping off GO, transferring to TTC, visiting a Toronto doctor, and then hopping back onto the TTC to visit a different destination in the reverse direction after. I appreciate the convenience of fare integration and the simplification of knowing I have unlimited TTC rides (in any haphazard hopscotch direction) for one flat fee for 2 hours between first TTC tap thru last TTC tap.
Even if that TTC tap is discounted by having ridden GO right beforehand, or right afterwards!
Obviously,
in addition to this, this is clearly another element of
plausible deniability or some inspirational influence (choose your preferred term) from the SmartTrack TTC Fare initiative.
The PC government, threatened to roll parts of this back, but they have not so far, and at this juncture, probably won’t. Given their (now postponed) threat to upload the subway,
making TTC subways a part of Metrolinx for chrissakes, gives evidence to their defacto tolerance of GO+TTC fare integration. The horse is out of the barn, too late to close the barn door of TTC+GO fare integration —
we are already almost 75% of the way according to fares charged to my Presto Card.
Prediction #1: Within the 416 fare zone, GO+TTC will be equal fare and free timed transfers between GO+TTC by ~2029
Prediction #2: Due to metro frequencies & complete 416 fare integration, 416 section of GO train network will be overlaid on all TTC subway maps at all TTC subway trains and stations by ~2029
(all sections, not just the SmartTrack section)
Definition: 2029 = my guesstimate of the completion of baseline GO electrification.