Fare evasion penalties will spike dramatically next month on GO Transit and UP Express, with serial offenders potentially facing thousands of dollars in accumulative fines.In a release, Metrolinx says the increased penalties will go into effect on Sept. 8, 2026.The escalating fines would hit repeat evaders hardest, with penalties progressively increasing from $200, up to $1,000 for sixth and subsequent offences.Metrolinx says if you travel without valid proof of payment, you will face the following fines:First offence: $200Second offence: $300Third offence: $400Fourth offence: $500Fifth offence: A Provincial Offence Notice with a set fine established by the Chief Justice of the Ontario Court of JusticeSixth and subsequent offences: A court summons with fines of up to $1,000 upon convictionThat’s a big jump from the following fines currently in effect:First offence: $35Second offence: $50Third offence: $100Fourth and subsequent offences: A provincial offences summons alongside a $200 fineIn a staff report proposing the change, Metrolinx said the increased fines would result in “higher voluntary compliance, fewer repeat offences, and lower fare evasion.”Related:Metrolinx proposes big penalty hike in effort to combat GO Transit and UP Express fare evasion‘The TTC is not free:’ Transit agency beefs up enforcement of fare evasionMetrolinx staff projected the increased fines could bring in an extra $6.79 to $10.18 million in revenue based on 40 to 60 per cent of fines being collected. The range during the 2025-2026 fiscal year was $4.48 to 7.87 million.Staff said during the 2025-2026 fiscal year, there were 1,557,243 inspections on board GO Transit and UP Express vehicles. They said 5.02 per cent of those inspections found people who didn’t produce proof of valid fares. Officials noted that for every one per cent fare evasion goes down, it results in $4,276,598 in recovered revenue.