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UPass transit pass

UPass offers an easy, convenient way to travel around Halifax and saves you almost $400 compared to regular student transit passes.

Your ticket to easy transportation around Halifax

The UPass transit pass is an affordable option for getting around the city, much less expensive than regular transit passes or tickets. Many students at Dalhousie have access to this benefit automatically. 

Pick up your UPass About the UPass Eligibility Summer UPass Fees and important dates Lost your pass?
A female student wearing a hijab and a backpack, carrying a glass tumbler, holds her DalCard as a Halifax Transit bus pulls up to the stop.

Opt out of UPass

You may be eligible to opt out of the UPass program.

Check important dates for deadline.

Check eligibility for opting out
A young woman looks at paper documents while sitting cross-legged on a bed in front of an open laptop

Opt in to UPass

You may be eligible to opt in and have a UPass added to your account if you meet certain criteria.

Check the criteria for opting in
A wide photo of two Halifax Transit busses on LeMarchant Street near the bus stop

Pick up your UPass

You can get your UPass when you arrive on campus in Halifax at the DalCard Office located at 6230 Coburg Road.

Check important dates for pick-up availability.

The UPass sticker is available through DalCard offices, as well as the Student Accounts office in the Henry Hicks building. This sticker cannot be purchased elsewhere. If you receive a sticker, it is non-transferrable and is intended for your use.

For DalCard or UPass assistance outside regular office hours, please email dalcard@dal.ca.

View our pick-up locations and hours
The back of a Halifax Transit bus, stopped in a line of busses near the shelter on LeMarchant Street

About the UPass

The UPass is a transit pass that allows full-time, Halifax-based Dal students to ride buses and ferries in the Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM):

  • Fall and Winter terms: September 1 to April 30
  • Summer term: May 1 to August 31 (Requires the purchase of a separate summer UPass)

The UPass sticker is placed directly on your DalCard. Simply show your DalCard with the UPass sticker when you get on a bus or ferry.

The UPass sticker is available through DalCard offices, as well as the Student Accounts office in the Henry Hicks building. This sticker cannot be purchased elsewhere. If you receive a sticker, it is non-transferrable and is intended for your use.

Are you eligible for a UPass?

The UPass program is mandatory for all full-time undergraduate, graduate, and professional students—excluding students registered in Faculty of Agriculture programs. The UPass fee is automatically added to your student account.

Part-time students are not eligible for the UPass.

Students on co-op placements within HRM can choose to opt in to the UPass, but it will not be processed automatically.

Find about the opt-in process for co-op students.

Students with permanent disabilities following a part-time course load may be eligible to opt in.

Find out about the opt-in process for students with disabilities.

Post-graduate medicine students are eligible for the UPass, but must opt in to receive one.

If you are a full-time student in the summer, the Summer UPass program is mandatory. If you are completing an academic or clinical/placement requirement full-time for the summer and you are located in Halifax, you may be able to opt in to the Summer UPass program.

Learn more about the Summer UPass.

Employees are not eligible for the UPass program but can inquire about the XPass through the Office of Sustainability.

Summer UPass

Students studying full-time on the Halifax Campuses during the summer will receive a Summer UPass to get around the city. Other students may also be eligible.

Learn more about Summer UPass

Fees and important dates

UPass fees

If you're eligible, UPass costs are already included in the student fees you pay. No additional fee will be charged when you pick up your UPass.

For the upcoming terms the fees are as follows:

  • Fall/Winter 2025/26 : $175.33
  • Winter 2026 only: $87.66
  • Summer 2026: $87.66

Important dates

2026

  • April 27 - Summer UPass available for pickup at the DalCard Office
  • May 20 - Summer UPass opt out deadline—see the Opting out page for details on eligibility
  • August 24 - Fall/Winter 2026/27 available for pickup at the DalCard Office

Lost your UPass?

If your UPass has been lost or stolen:

  • Check with the information desk in the Student Union Building or call 902-494-2140

If you can't find your UPass, you can get a replacement at one of our locations.

A $25 fee applies to replace a lost or stolen UPass. An additional fee may apply if you also need to replace your DalCard.

Bus stops on campus

Each of our three Halifax campuses is located on main bus routes with stops right on campus. You can find all of them on our campus maps.

To find arrival and departure times, along with routes and service information, check out the Halifax Transit schedule.

Frequently asked questions

Have more questions about UPass? 

Check our list of Frequently asked questions for answers to the most commonly asked questions we receive. 

Contact us

Questions about the Dalhousie UPass

UPass Administration and DalCard Office

Howe Hall
6230 Coburg Rd., Halifax. 

Monday–Friday: 9 a. m. – 4:30 p. m.
Wednesday–Thursday: 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. (September only)

Phone: 902-494-2334 
Toll-free: 1-855-376-0330
Fax: 902-494-3410

Email us: upass@dal.ca

Questions about Halifax Transit routes and schedules

Halifax Transit

200 Isley Ave., Dartmouth

Monday–Friday: 7:30 a.m. – 10 p.m.

Phone: 902-490-4000 

Email Halifax Transit: contactHRM@halifax.ca Visit the Halifax Transit website