FAQ

Students can use the U-Pass BC for all TransLink bus, SkyTrain, and Seabus service in Metro Vancouver without paying additional fares including the YVR airport surcharge. U-Pass BC holders receive a discount when using West Coast Express and the pass is also valid for use with HandyDART services.  

Please see below the fee schedule for upcoming changes.

$46.00 per month from May 1, 2025 – August 31, 2025
$46.90 per month from September 1, 2025 – August 31, 2026
$47.85 per month from September 1, 2026 – August 31, 2027
$48.80 per month from September 1, 2027 – August 31, 2028
$49.80 per month from September 1, 2028 – August 31, 2029
$50.80 per month from September 1, 2029 – August 31, 2030

Fees are assessed upon registration and due when all fees are payable. 

The CRA discontinued the Public Transit Tax Credit after 2017. Students are still able to view U-Pass data by selecting the option below, but the printable U-Pass Tax Receipt is not available and an error message may appear. If you require a receipt from 2017 and older, please contact upass_admin@langara.ca.

Students registered in full-semester courses in fall will be eligible from September to December, spring from January to April, and summer from May to August. Students registered in a half-semester course will be eligible for the two months that their class is in session. The eligible months cannot be changed or extended under any circumstance. 

The eligible months cannot be changed or extended under any circumstance. The U-Pass program is offered each semester and requires a student to be registered in eligible courses for the semester it will be used for. Under the agreement with Translink institutions cannot offer the U-Pass to students who are not registered in the semester. 

If you drop or withdraw from all eligible courses then you will no longer be eligible for U-Pass BC, and you will automatically be refunded for remaining months not yet activated. If the current month has already been activated you can continue to use it but any requests made for the following month will be cancelled. 

Langara’s agreement with TransLink allows for students to be ineligible or exempted in very specific and limited situations. If you meet the criteria as outlined on the exemption page, you can submit your completed exemption request with applicable documentation by the posted deadline to upass_admin@langara.ca. Please note that the exemption requests are subject to approval and it is not guaranteed or automatic. 

You may refer to the Pricing and Fare Zones page on the Translink website to determine which payment option is most suitable for you. Considerations such as how many zones you cross, time of day, and frequency of travel will help you determine the appropriate selection of payment options. 

Log into the U-Pass BC website to unlink your lost Compass Card to prevent it from being misused. Once this is done, you will need to obtain another Compass Card from TransLink and go back onto the website to link it. 

This will automatically transfer all of your U-Pass BC information over to the new card and you can start using it for travel. 

You will need to carry your Langara student ID card at all times while using your U-Pass BC to verify it in case of a fare check. If you do not have one or need it replaced, please visit Information Technology for more information. 

You will not be able to load your U-Pass BC until you have paid all tuition and fees or have received a fee deferral on your account. Please note that online bank payments may take up to three business days to process.

If you apply early enough for Student Loans, you will automatically receive deferral status at the time of approval and be eligible for your U-Pass BC. Students with confirmed third party sponsorship are also eligible for fee deferral and receipt of the U-Pass BC. 

You remain responsible for the full U-Pass BC amount and the pass for that month will be forfeited. 

No. You need to be registered in an eligible course and have paid your fees before you can load U-Pass BC. 

Yes. As long as you are eligible, you can activate for the current month. 

If you are having problems logging into the website, make sure that you are using the Langara email account which is your Computer Login ID followed by @langara.ca and your Computer Login password. If you are still having difficulties, please contact Langara IT Help. 

If you are able to log into the website but your dashboard is showing that you are not currently eligible, you can first check through the Student Information System that you are registered in at least one eligible course and that your fees have been paid in full and processed. You can also check that you do not have an outstanding balance on your compass card.

For all other issues or difficulties while using the website, contact Compass Customer Support by calling the number on the back of your Compass Card. 

Once your U-Pass BC has been successfully loaded onto your Compass Card (which may take up to 24 hours from the time of your request), simply tap in when you enter and tap out when you exit a bus or skytrain station. 

Carry your Langara student ID card at all times as it is required in the event of a fare check. Failure to do so may result in a violation for fare evasion issued by transit police. 

You must tap in your U-Pass BC Compass Card and carry your matching Langara student ID card at all times while using transit. Failure to do so may result in a fine and your U-Pass BC may be confiscated.

First check your compass card balance at compasscard.ca. If there is a balance on your card, it must be cleared before the U-Pass can activate. Please note that it may take up to 24 hours for the U-Pass to activate before you can start using the pass. 

The U-Pass BC is non-transferable and only you as an eligible student holding a valid Langara student ID card are entitled to use it on your Compass Card. 

If you give or sell your U-Pass BC privileges to another person, use a U-Pass BC that you are not entitled to, or use the U-Pass BC in any other fraudulent manner, you are committing fare fraud. 

Students committing fare fraud will have their U-Pass BC privileges revoked and may be charged additional fines by TransLink and/or disciplined under the College’s Code of Conduct policy. 

The Compass Card system requires all users to tap in and tap out at the beginning and end of every trip and/or trip segment. Tapping in validates your fare and failure to do so would put you at risk of fines for fare evasion. 

Tapping out is equally important as it provides complete trip data which is essential for transit planning and will help ensure sufficient transit resources for your routes and the longevity of the U-Pass BC program. 

When you are using your Compass Card without the U-Pass BC product on it, failure to tap out would result in the maximum zones being charged against the value stored on your card so it is an important habit to keep.