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The more often you ride, the more money you save. With our 5 for 50 offer, you earn five free single ride trips for every 50 single ride trips you purchase using a METRO Q® Fare Card or a METRO Q Mobile Ticket.
On this page, you’ll find information about:
| Service | Fare Zone | Regular Fare | Discounted Fare |
|---|---|---|---|
Local Bus METRORail METRO curb2curb | n/a | $1.25 | $0.60 |
Park & Ride Commuter Express Bus Routes are divided into different zones throughout Houston and Harris County. Your fare is based on the zone where you board. | Zone 1
| $2.00 | $1.00 |
Zone 2
| $3.25 | $1.60 | |
Zone 3
| $3.75 | $1.85 | |
Zone 4
| $4.50 | $2.25 | |
METROLift
To use this service, you must meet certain eligibility requirements. Learn more about METROLift | |||
METRO Star Vanpool
To use this service, you must first register for an account. Learn more about METRO Star Vanpool | |||
If you’re a student, senior 65-69, or a person with a disability who isn't a METROLift customer, you may be eligible for a discounted fare.
With the exception of vending machine tickets and cash, all ways to pay shown below include free transfers between any METRO services of equal or lesser value for up to three hours in any direction. For transfers to a service with a higher cost, you only pay the fare difference for up to three hours in any direction.
Functions as a debit card for riding METRO. You can continually load and store money on it – and then money will be deducted each time you pay your fare.
Obtain and load - or reload a card
Obtain and load only
Buy preloaded card
Reload only
Purchase and use mobile tickets (regular fare only) on your smartphone.
Experienced riders:
We recommend you download the free METRO Q Ticketing App. When you first open the app, you’ll need to create a secure, password-protected account. That will allow you to purchase and activate mobile tickets.
New or occasional riders:
We recommend you download both of the following:
The RideMETRO App offers a variety of tools and information you may find useful. That includes one-tap access to the companion METRO Q Ticketing App where you can purchase and activate mobile tickets.
Functions as a debit card for riding METRO. It allows you to ride local service as often as you like during the day for a maximum of $3 (regular fare) or $1.50 (discounted fare). Using a day pass on Park & Ride service may require an upcharge.
Obtain and load - or reload a card
Obtain and load only
Reload only
A disposable smart card, preloaded with one of these amounts: $1.25; $5; $10; $20. These cards can’t be reloaded.
METRORail tickets are only valid on METRORail.
Select vending machines | Learn more
When paying your fare with cash, you can use bills and/or coins.
For METRORail, cash can be used to purchase a vending machine ticket. You can't pay with cash as you board.
As you board, you’ll place your bills and/or coins into the fare box directly in front of the bus operator.
Yes. METRO bus operators can’t provide change.
| If you're paying with: | You need to: |
|---|---|
 METRO Q® Fare Card
 METRO Day Pass
 METRO Money
| Tap card on fare validator, or hold your card near validator until light registers green. |
 METRO Q Mobile Ticket
| Show to operator when boarding Local bus, Park & Ride bus or METRO curb2curb. |
 Cash
| Place in fare box inside vehicle as you board Local bus, Park & Ride bus or METRO curb2curb (no change provided). |
 Vending Machine Ticket | Show to METRO Fare Inspector, upon request, prior to boarding or during your ride on METRORail. |
There are more than 200 retailers across the Houston region where you can obtain or reload a METRO Q® Fare Card or METRO Day Pass. Many of these retailers also sell tickets and passes for our paratransit service, METROLift. Just enter your ZIP code below to find stores near you. Each entry will show what you can obtain at that location.
Click or tap on any map marker for more details, including address, phone number and ticket types available. The plus and minus symbols in the lower left allow you to zoom in or out. And the square icon in the upper right allows you to open a larger version of the map in a new window. This map is more easily viewed on a desktop computer.
For the following services, the regular fare to board is $1.25 and the discounted fare is 60 cents:
For METRO Park & Ride bus service, the regular fare to board ranges from $2-4.50 depending on your location. The discounted fare is half price.
Yes. You’re eligible for a discounted fare on Local bus, Park & Ride bus, METRORail, and METRO curb2curb if you fit any of these categories:
Yes. You’re eligible to ride free on Local bus, Park & Ride bus, METRORail, and METRO curb2curb if you fit any of these categories:
You can obtain a METRO Q® Fare Card, METRO Day Pass or METRO Money Card at any of the following:
You have the option of loading money on your card when you first obtain it. Reload options vary by fare card and location.
Additional payment options to ride METRO can be obtained through other sources.
More details can be found on the All About Fares page.
The METRO Q® Fare Card and METRO Day Pass both function as debit cards for riding METRO. You can continually load and store money on either of them – and then money will be deducted each time you pay your fare.
METRO Money Cards come preloaded with certain dollar amounts and can’t be reloaded.
If you have a registered METRO Q® Fare Card or METRO Day Pass and would like to check its balance, visit the Reload Your Fare Card page for more information, or do any of the following:
All of the following services accept a METRO Q® Fare Card, METRO Q mobile ticket, METRO Day Pass and METRO Money card:
Other payment options vary by service.
More details can be found on the All About Fares page.
If you’re a METROLift customer or looking to become one, more details about payment options can be found on the METROLift page.
This varies by service and what you use to pay your fare.
More details can be found on the All About Fares page.
Yes – if you pay with a METRO Q® Fare Card, METRO Day Pass or METRO Money card.
The transfer policy below applies to the following services:
You receive free transfers between any METRO service of equal or lesser value for up to three hours in any direction.
For transfers to a service with a higher cost, you only pay the fare difference for up to three hours in any direction.
If you pay with a METRO Q Mobile Ticket, the transfer policies differ depending on what type of mobile ticket you purchase.
If you own a vehicle, driving less would save you money on gas, maintenance and/or parking fees. You might also qualify for lower auto insurance rates.
To do a more specific calculation that accounts for these factors, you can use METRO’s Savings Calculator.
If you can document this, you’re eligible to have your account balance refunded for any of the following:
Please visit any METRO RideStore location or contact Customer Service at 713-635-4000 and they can assist you.
Yes. You can find it on the Fare Policies and Procedures page.
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