Discount CTA Passes

Discount CTA Passes.

Update 10/23/2021: It looks like the CTA may make these reduced passes permanent as well as a couple other new fare reductions. Included in their 2022 budget is:

Permanent adoption of the promotional price reductions offered on CTA’s 1-, 3-, and 7-Day unlimited-ride passes
Elimination of the $0.25 charge when transferring between rides on CTA buses and trains, or vice versa
Price reduction for the CTA 30-Day (from $105 to $75) and the CTA-Pace 7-Day passes (from $33 to $25)

Keep in mind, once ridership goes back to normal, they will increase fares because financially I’m sure they will have to.

Since the L is semi-deserted and bus ridership is still down the CTA, as part of the Chicago’s “Open Chicago” initiative, is offering reduced pricing on three unlimited-ride passes from Memorial Day through ~~Labor Day~~ Thanksgiving (November 25) 2021. This is available to all not just tourists.

From Memorial Day weekend (Friday, May 28) through Labor Day (Monday, September 6), the CTA is discounting the price of the following three unlimited-ride passes:

Promotional 1-Day CTA Pass: $5 (down from $10). Good for unlimited rides for one person for 24 hours from first use.

Promotional 3-Day CTA pass: $15 (down from $20), Good for unlimited rides for one person for 72 hours from first use.

Promotional 7-Day CTA pass: $20 (down from $28). Good for unlimited rides for one person for 7 days from first use.

The promotional fares will be available for purchase at Ventra Vending Machines at CTA rail stations, on the Ventra app, Ventra website, over 1,000 retail locations, and by calling Ventra (877) 669.8368.

Discount CTA Passes – Good deal

Since a one-way bus trip is $2.25 and a one-way L ride is $2.50 (plus 25 cents for a transfer) this can be a great deal if you’re taking multiple bus/L trips daily. You’ll have to do the math depending on your usage. All fares

Summary

In the Ventra app from “Home” select “Add CTA/Pace Fare
Select “Add a transit pass”
Select pass. Click on “Go to checkout”.
Click on “Payment method”. Your default payment method will be highlighted but if you have Transit value you will be able to use that.
Click on “Purchase”. Enter your Ventra password.
Go to “Home” screen and your pass will show up with the exact date and time it expires.
You can add the pass to your Apple wallet and swipe when boarding transit. Or swipe your Ventra card that the pass was added to.
Passes are not activated until first use.