Go-To Card and Pass User's Guide
How to get started
1 - Record your card’s serial number and keep it in a safe place. This is extremely important! You will need your serial number to report any problems you encounter and to verify ownership if it is lost or stolen. Read Metro Transit's terms and conditions.
2 - If you haven’t already done so, register your card for FREE. Registering your card protects its value against theft or loss. For a $5 fee, we will replace your card, complete with the value that was on your original card when you notified us of the loss. If you have a Metropass, Go-To College Pass, or U-Pass please see your local administrator for replacement details.
3 - Grab your Go-To Card or Pass and go!
Use your Go-To Card/Pass
Every Twin Cities bus has a blue Go-To Card reader to the right of the farebox as you board. To pay your fare, touch your card to the Go-To circle.
Go-To Cards/Passes also may be used on suburban transit systems, Metropolitan Council Regional Routes and Ramsey Star Express buses.
Go-To Card readers are located next to ticket machines at each light-rail and Northstar station. To pay your fare, simply touch your card to the Go-To circle on the card reader before you board the train.
Your fare will automatically be deducted. Note: The buttons on the reader are for advanced functions. You don’t need to touch the buttons to deduct a fare—just tap your card to the Go-To circle and you’re ready to ride!
While riding, be ready to show your Go-To Card to police officers. They will scan your card to verify that you have paid your fare. You must touch your card to a reader every time you board a bus or train.
Indicator lights and what they mean
GO
When the reader beeps and the light displays GREEN, your fare was deducted.
The screen displays GO or TRANSFER and shows the amount that was deducted and the card’s remaining value or the expiration date of your pass.
WARNING
If the reader beeps and the light displays YELLOW, your fare was deducted but your card has less than $10 of value remaining or your pass will expire in less than five days.
The screen displays GO and shows the amount that was deducted and the card’s remaining value. It’s time to add value!
USE ANOTHER FORM OF PAYMENT
If the reader emits a low tone and the light displays RED, your card has no remaining value, your pass has expired or there is a problem with your card. Please pay in cash. If you believe the card still has value, call Customer Relations (612-373-3333) or visit a Metro Transit store to report the error. If you have a Metropass, Student Pass, College Pass, or U-Pass, please contact your local administrator at your employer or school before you contact Metro Transit.
Transfers
Transfers—good for unlimited rides at the same fare level for up to 2½ hours—are automatically added to your Go-To Card when you pay your fare.
If you transfer to a bus with a higher fare, the difference will be automatically deducted from any stored value on your card. If your card has no stored value, you must pay the entire fare in cash. If you transfer from a bus to a train, you must touch your card to the rail station card reader before boarding.
Traveling with others
If you have stored value on your card, you can pay for up to eight fares at once. It’s perfect for families or friends traveling together. If you’re paying for a bus ride for yourself and others, tell the driver BEFORE you touch your Go-To Card to the reader.
If you have a pass and stored value on your Go-To Card, you may use the pass to pay for yourself. However, to pay for others, you must use stored value.
Transfers for each person in your group are automatically embedded on your Go-To Card – no paper transfers will be issued. Your group must complete the trip together for transfers to be valid.
How to check your card's value
or find out when a transfer will expire
Online
Check your card's balance and show transaction history here.
On a bus
Tell the driver you want to check your card. The driver will adjust the settings so it displays “Touch Go-To Card—Read Only.” You can then touch your card to the reader and see your balance or when your current transfer will expire without a fare being deducted from your card.
On a train
Press Key B on the card reader before touching your card to the Go-To circle. Your card’s value will appear on the screen.
By phone
Call 612-373-3333. Enter your card's 16-digit serial number and check your card's value.
You can also receive balance information at Metro Transit stores.
How to add value to your card
Add value online
Add stored value or a pass to your card. Provide your Go-To Card serial number and credit card information and we’ll add the requested amount to your card.
Add value by phone
Call 612-373-3333. Enter your card's 16-digit serial number and add value using a credit card.
Add value at a rail ticket machine
Press the F button (Go-To Card) on the ticket machine. Next, touch your Go-To Card to the Go-To circle below the screen. Select Add Stored Value or Add 7-Day or 31-Day Pass, then use the screen to choose the amount or type of pass you want to add. When the screen asks for payment, you can insert cash or a credit card. YOU MUST touch your Go-To Card to the Go-To circle one more time for stored value or a pass to be added to your card.
The ticket machine on the rail platform is only for purchasing single rail tickets or adding value to a Go-To Card or Pass. Pay your fare at the Go-To reader next to the ticket machine.
Add value in person
Visit a Metro Transit store or Go-To Card retailer. Cash, check and credit card are accepted.
Add value by mail
Print out a mail order form. (Check or credit card)
What to do if your card is lost, stolen or damaged
Lost or stolen cards
Contact Customer Relations at 612-373-3333 or visit a Metro Transit store immediately so the card can be deactivated. If the card is registered, you will receive a replacement card that contains the same value that your original card had at the time it was reported lost, minus a $5 replacement fee.
If you have a Metropass, Go-To College Pass, or U-Pass please contact your local administrator at your employer or school. Ask them for details about deactivating the card and ordering a replacement.
Non-functioning cards
If your Go-To Card or Pass fails to work on a bus, use another form of payment. To receive a replacement card, contact Customer Relations at 612-373-3333 or visit a Metro Transit store.
If I find my Go-To Card/Pass after reporting it lost, can I still use it?
Cards reported lost or stolen are disabled and cannot be reactivated.
Changing personal information
Edit your registration information to change your phone number, mailing address or e-mail address. You can also call Customer Relations at 612-373-3333.
Metro Transit will not sell or disclose personal information without your written consent unless required to do so by law.
Caring for your Go-To Card
How do I take care of my card?
The Go-To Card is sturdy but sensitive. Follow these tips to keep it from damage:
DO keep the card in a protective wallet. Do not scratch, bend or punch a hole in your Go-To Card. The card will be deactivated if the sensitive wires inside it are broken or snapped.
DON’T hold your Go-To Card next to metal objects (coins, zippers) or electronic devices (cellular phones or pagers) when using it. The metal may keep you card from being read properly.
DON’T keep your Go-To Card in your back pocket—if you sit on it repeatedly, it may be damaged.
If I keep my Go-To Card next to a credit card, will either one be ruined?
No. Your Go-To Card contains no magnetic material so both cards are safe.
Frequently Asked Questions
If I don’t use the card for a while, will it still work?
Your card will stop working after two years without use. To reactivate your card, bring it to a Metro Transit store. Your card does automatically expire ten (10) years from the day it has been initialized; any remaining value can be transferred to a new card.
Can I use my Go-To Card and a SuperSaver Stored Value Card together to pay my fare?
No. They use separate readers that are not compatible. You may use a Go-To Card or a SuperSaver, but not both at the same time.
I have a multi-day pass and stored value on my card. What pays my fare?
The Go-To readers always use a pass first to pay the fare. If additional fare is required, the reader will automatically deduct the correct amount from stored value.
What happens if my Go-To Card doesn’t have enough value to pay the fare?
We’ve got you covered. Say you have $1 remaining on your Go-To Card and board a bus with a $1.75 fare. When you touch your card to the reader, it will deduct the fare, leaving the card with a negative balance: -75¢. When you add value to the card, the 75¢ you owe will be deducted from the amount added to your card.
Note: Even with a negative balance, a transfer will be embedded on your Go-To Card so you can complete your trip. After the transfer expires you will not be able to use your Go-To Card again until you add value.
Can I purchase an Event 6-Hour Pass or Day Pass with my Go-To Card?
No. You can only purchase regular fares with the stored value on your Go-To Card. You can purchase an Event 6-Hour Pass at light-rail ticket machines. Ride even longer with a Day Pass. Buy a Day Pass online, at rail ticket machines or at Metro Transit stores.
Note: The Event 6-Hour Pass is the same cost as two regular one-way fares. Use your Go-To Card or Pass to avoid waiting in line at the ticket machines.
My employer issues Commuter Checks. Can I use them with a Go-To Card?
Yes. You may use Commuter Checks to add value to your Go-To Card.
Contact us. We're here to help you
If you have questions, call Customer Relations at 612-373-3333.