Metro News Release
For immediate release: January 3, 2008
Metro fares to increase Sunday
Riding Metro is going to cost more money beginning Sunday. The transit agency’s first fare hike in four years takes effect January 6.
Signs detailing the new fares are being posted at 86 Metrorail stations, 36 parking lots and garages and on about 1,500 Metrobuses. Rail riders will find newly designed charts posted on fare vending machines and at station kiosks. Decals will be posted on Metrobus fareboxes. Riders can also view detailed fare charts or use the Trip Planner on Metro’s web site to figure out their new travel costs. Brochures also will be available at rail station kiosks and on buses.
The Metrorail rush-hour base fare is increasing 30 cents, to $1.65 per trip, and the maximum fare is increasing 60 cents, to $4.50. Trips under 15 miles may increase as much as 75 cents per trip, but the maximum fare will not exceed $4.50. Seniors will pay one-half of the regular peak fare. There are no increases for off-peak rail travel or for MetroAccess, the paratransit service for people with disabilities.
Rush hour is considered to be weekdays from 5 to 9:30 a.m. and again from 3 to 7 p.m. Riders also are charged higher fares from 2 to 3 a.m. Saturdays and Sundays.
Daily parking fees, which cost up to $4, will rise 75 cents. The Metro Board has the option to increase parking fees by an additional 25 cents in July. Metered fees will rise from 25 cents to $1 per hour. Monthly reserved parking will increase $10 to $55 in February.
The Metrobus fares will remain $1.25 per trip if riders pay with a SmarTrip® card. However, if bus riders pay with cash, the fare will increase by 10 cents to $1.35. Metro has given about 50,000 SmarTrip® cards to social service agencies in the District, Prince George’s and Montgomery counties in Maryland and Arlington and Fairfax counties and the City of Alexandria in Virginia. The cards are for free distribution to low-income bus riders, so they won't have to pay for the $5 for rechargeable fare cards. Each agency will be responsible for giving away the cards.
To encourage use of SmarTrip® cards, Metro also will sell them at eight stations near popular bus transfer points from 4 to 7 p.m. beginning today through January 10. The stations are Anacostia, Minnesota Avenue, Columbia Heights, Potomac Avenue, Union Station, Silver Spring, Ballston-MU, and Brookland-CUA. SmarTrip® also can be purchased online, at Metro sales offices, select Giant grocery stores and commuter stores and vending machines at rail stations that have parking garages and lots.
Bus tokens, the one day bus pass and a multi-day rail pass, sold to people attending conventions, have been eliminated. Tokens will still be sold to MetroAccess customers. Riders also will pay more for a variety of rail and bus passes.
Paper transfers will be eliminated, and the bus-to-bus transfer will be extended from two to three hours in January 2009. Passengers will continue to receive the transfer discounts, but only if they use a SmarTrip® card.
The Metro Board approved the fare increases last month.
News release issued at 12:00 am, January 3, 2008.