Route-based Fares

Main files: fare_leg_rules.txt, networks.txt, route_networks.txt, routes.txt
Example: Translink (Vancouver)

Reminder

Route-based fares provide a different fare product based on which route is used. A Fare Product is the type of fare offered by an agency to access a service. For more information revisit the Features section in the Introduction page.

Note

This section will display different types of fare media for the same fare product. In later sections, only fare products with contactless fare media will be shown to simplify the guide.

Create Fare Products

Route-Based fares are represented by fare products that offer a flat-rate fare. Route-based fare products are created in fare_products.txt as follows:

1. Fill the fare_product_id column with a unique ID identifying the fare product.
2. Fill the fare_product_name column with the rider-facing name of the fare product (e.g., Bus Flat Fare, Bus Flat Fare Monthly).
3. Fill the amount and currency columns with the cost of the fare and its currency (currency codes).
4. Fill the fare_media_id column with the fare media where this fare product can be stored and used.
   • This is a Foreign Key referencing fare_media_id in fare_media.txt (Fare Media).
   • Multiple fare media can be associated with the same fare product, potentially at different prices.
   • An empty fare_media_id means that the fare media is unknown.

Consult the documentation for more details on fare products.

In this example, a fare product called bus_flat_fare represents the flat fares for Translink Buses. Since there are three entries with different fare_media_id values, this fare product can be validated with cash, a contactless card, or a Compass Card. The price for paying with a Compass Card is lower than the other fare media options.

fare_products.txt

fare_product_id	fare_product_name	amount	currency	fare_media_id
bus_flat_fare	Bus Flat Fare	3.20	CAD	contactless
bus_flat_fare	Bus Flat Fare	3.20	CAD	cash
bus_flat_fare	Bus Flat Fare	2.60	CAD	compass_card
…	…	…	…	…

Create networks that group the routes

For route-based fares, each group of routes has a different fare. These groups are also called networks. If all routes for an agency have the same fare, then they could be grouped under one network.

Networks are created in networks.txt as follows:

1. Fill the network_id column with a unique ID identifying the network.
2. Fill the network_name column with the name of the network (e.g., Translink Buses, TTC Subway, STM All Routes).

In Translink’s case, buses need to be separated into their own group, because they have a flat-rate fare. As opposed to SkyTrain and Seabus whose fare depends on the number of crossed zones (revisit the Zone-Based Fares section).

In this example, a network called translink_bus is created to represent Translink Buses.

networks.txt

network_id	network_name
translink_bus	Translink Buses

Associate routes to networks

After creating the network, it needs to be associated with the routes contained by it. Routes are associated with networks in route_networks.txt as follows:

1. Fill the route_id column with the ID of the route.
2. Fill the network_id column with the ID of the corresponding network.

Consult the documentation for more details on networks.

In this example, each bus route is associated with the translink_bus network. The route_id refers to a bus route_id in routes.txt.

route_networks.txt

route_id	network_id
10232	translink_bus
11201	translink_bus
…	…

Create fare leg rules

Reminder

Leg: Travel in which a rider boards and alights between a pair of subsequent locations along a trip.

Leg Group: A set of one or more legs that share common fare rules or conditions.

The fare of a leg is determined by matching the leg to a fare product using a fare leg rule. For route-based fares, a fare leg rule associates a network of routes (which was created in networks.txt) to a fare product (which was created in fare_products.txt).

Route-based fare leg rules are created as follows:

1. Fill the leg_group_id column with a unique ID identifying a group of legs.
2. Fill the network_id column with the ID of the network associated with the routes covered by the leg.
   • This is a Foreign Key referencing network_id in networks.txt.
3. Fill the fare_product_id column with the ID of the fare product that determines the cost of the leg.
   • This is a Foreign Key referencing fare_product_id in fare_products.txt.

Consult the documentation for more details on fare leg rules.

For Translink, a bus leg consists of taking a single Translink bus from stop A to stop B without transferring. Changing to another bus, mode, or agency starts a new leg.

In this example, a fare leg rule in fare_leg_rules.txt links the translink_bus network to the bus_flat_fare product, ensuring all legs within this network are priced accordingly.

fare_leg_rules.txt

leg_group_id	network_id	fare_product_id
flat_fare_leg	translink_bus	bus_flat_fare