Option to recharge OPUS cards with smartphones could be coming to Montreal

Montreal-area transit users will be able to recharge their OPUS cards with a smartphone if the city’s regional transport authority (ARTM) moves forward with a project as planned.

The ARTM posted a call for tenders on Tuesday to find a private-sector partner who can carry out the project.

It's part of the transit authority's broader plan to “set up a technological platform integrating public transport as well as active and alternative modes,” according to the tender document.

The call for tenders will be open until April 6.

OPUS cards can currently be reloaded at metro stations, at points of sale throughout the city, and online using a computer and OPUS card reader,

Last June, the transit authority said the technology for reloading one’s OPUS card on a smartphone had already been tested and expected the option to be available to all commuters in the metropolitan area in 2023.