It’s Now a Little More Expensive to Use Metro

With Metro’s new fiscal year beginning this week, the balance on your SmarTrip card is getting a bit lighter. Included in the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority’s fiscal 2015 budget are across-the-board fare hikes, affecting everything from day passes to bus rides to parking lots. The increases took effect Sunday.

Here’s a rundown of the new Metro rates:

Rail

• Fares will increase an average of three percent, or about 10 cents a trip.
• Short trips of 3 miles or less will increase from $1.70 to $1.75 during off-peak and from $2.10 to $2.15 during rush hour.
• The maximum fare during rush hours will increase from $5.75 to $5.90. The off-peak maximum will increase from $3.50 to $3.60.
• Using a paper fare card still comes with a $1 surcharge.
• Passes will increase to the following prices:
  • Unlimited one-day pass  $14.50
  • Unlimited seven-day pass  $59.25
  • Unlimited 28-day pass   $237.00
  • Seven-day “short trip” pass  $36.00

Bus

• Regular fares are now $1.75 for any form of payment. Previously, it cost $1.60 for SmarTrip card users and $1.80 when paying cash.
• Express buses are now $4, up from $3.65, and airport buses went from $6 to $7.
• Senior fares are 85 cents, up from 80 cents.
• Seven-day bus passes now cost $17.50, up from $16.

Parking

• Parking rates are now 10 cents more at all Metro-operated facilities.

Benjamin Freed

Staff Writer

Benjamin Freed joined Washingtonian in August 2013 and covers politics, business, and media. He was previously the editor of DCist and has also written for Washington City Paper, the New York Times, the New Republic, Slate, and BuzzFeed. He lives in Adams Morgan.