Frequently Asked Questions: Fares

For the following services, the regular fare to board is $1.25 and the discounted fare is 60 cents:

• Local bus
• METRORail
• METRORapid
• METRO curb2curb

For METRO Park & Ride bus service, the regular fare to board ranges from $2-8 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, METRORapid and METRO curb2curb if you fit any of these categories:

• Student (K-12 or college)
• Senior 65-69
• Person with a disability who isn't a METROLift customer

Yes. You’re eligible to ride free on Local bus, Park & Ride bus, METRORail, METRORapid and METRO curb2curb if you fit any of these categories:

• Senior 70 years or older with a discounted METRO Q® Fare Card
• Disabled or decorated veteran with a METRO Veterans Pass
• METROLift customer with a METROLift Freedom Q Card, and up to one assistant
• Any adult with a current Harris County jury summons of their own or a current date-stamped Harris County jury pass of their own
• Child five or younger, accompanied by an adult

You can obtain a METRO Q® Fare Card, METRO Day Pass or METRO Money Card at any of the following:

• METRO RideStore locations
• METRO Online RideStore
• Participating retail locations
• Select vending machines

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:

• Call METRO Customer Service at 713-635-4000
• Visit any METRO RideStore location
• Look at the fare validator screen after tapping or waving your card to pay your fare

You can do any of the following:

• Call METRO Customer Service at 713-635-4000
• Visit any METRO RideStore location
• Look at the fare validator screen after tapping or waving your card to pay your fare

When you first obtain your card, you’ll be given the option to register it.

If you lose a registered card, your card balance is protected and you should report the loss immediately by calling Customer Service at 713-635-4000.

If you lose an unregistered card, any money you stored on the card can’t be recovered.

You can register your METRO Q® Fare card or METRO Day Pass online at the time of purchase from the METRO Online RideStore. You'll need to check "Register your card" before adding the card to your cart for checkout. If you didn’t register your card when you first obtained it, call Customer Service at 713-635-4000 or visit any METRO RideStore location.

Yes. To set up auto-reload, you need to have a registered card. If you didn’t register your card when you first obtained it, call Customer Service at 713-635-4000 or visit any METRO RideStore location.

Once your card is registered, you can set an auto-reload amount between $5 and $500 by signing into your account on the fare card account sign-in page.

If you need assistance with this process, call Customer Service at 713-635-4000.

No. METRO fare cards can only pay one fare at a time. If you attempt to tap your card twice, a red light will flash and the words “No Passback” will appear on screen. The red light indicates you’ve already paid your fare. This prevents your card from being charged twice.

Yes. However, for security reasons, this may only be done in-person at any METRO RideStore location:

• 1900 Main Street
• 1001 Travis Street
• Northwest Transit Center
• Fannin South Transit Center

Paying your fare with a METRO Q® Fare Card entitles you to METRO’s 5 for 50 offer – you’ll be credited with five free trips after you’ve tapped your fare card and had a fare deducted from it 50 times.

When you pay your fare with a METRO Day Pass, after the fare amount is deducted from your card three times in the same day, you’re entitled to unlimited use of these services for the rest of the day:

• Local bus
• METRORail
• METRORapid
• METRO curb2curb

Yes. The life of a METRO Q® Fare Card is eight years. This includes cards issued to:

• Non-students under the age of 65 
• Seniors 65 years or older

Cards issued to elementary, middle and high school students are valid for eight years, or through the date of high school graduation – whichever comes first.

Cards issued to college students are valid for two years.

If your card was registered, you have balance protection. Call Customer Service at 713-635-4000 as soon as possible to get your card turned off. 

To replace your card and recover the funds, please stop by any METRO RideStore location:

• 1900 Main Street
• 1001 Travis Street
• Northwest Transit Center
• Fannin South Transit Center

If your card wasn’t registered, there’s no way to recover the funds that were stored on the card at the time it was lost or stolen.

More information about METRO RideStore locations can be found on the All About Fares page.

All of the following services accept a METRO Q® Fare Card, METRO Q mobile ticket, METRO Day Pass and METRO Money card:

• Local bus
• Park & Ride bus
• METRORail
• METRORapid
• METRO curb2curb

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:

• Local bus
• Park & Ride bus
• METRORail
• METRORapid
• METRO curb2curb

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.

You can only pay for one person per trip unless you’re using a METRO Q Mobile Ticket. You can purchase up to 30 mobile tickets in advance and pay for as many as 30 people to board.

METRO Q® Fare Card — if you’re a frequent rider

This is the form of payment used by most METRO riders. Using it entitles you to METRO’s 5 for 50 offer – you’ll be credited with five free trips for every 50 paid trips.

METRO Q Mobile Ticket — if you prefer to handle ticket purchases and fare payments on your smartphone

METRO Day Pass — if you ride local services three or more times in a day (at different times of the day) because it will only cost you $3

METRO Money Card — if you represent an agency, hotel or convention group looking to provide a disposable fare card to clients, customers or guests

Cash — if you occasionally ride Local bus or Park & Ride bus and don’t need to transfer to another service

Vending Machine Ticket — if you occasionally ride METRORail or METRORapid and don’t need to transfer to another service

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:

• METRO Q® Fare Card
• METRO Day Pass
• METRO Q Mobile Ticket

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.

Yes, for K-12 or college students, an application can be submitted for either of the following:

• Discounted METRO Q® Fare Card
• Discounted METRO Day Pass

As part of the application, certain documents must be submitted to METRO for review.

More details about the documents required and how to provide them can be found on the Discounted and Free Programs page.

A discounted fare of 60 cents applies to these METRO services:

• Local bus
• METRORail
• METRORapid
• METRO curb2curb

For METRO Park & Ride bus service, the discounted fare to board ranges from $1-4 depending on your location.

Yes. If you’re paying your fare with a discounted METRO Q® Fare Card or a discounted METRO Day Pass, the transfer policy below applies to the following services:

• Local bus
• Park & Ride bus
• METRORail
• METRORapid
• METRO curb2curb

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.

NOTE: If you use a discounted METRO Day Pass on Park & Ride bus service, the cost to ride doesn't get applied to the maximum daily card deduction of $1.50. Because of that, we don’t recommend using that pass on a Park & Ride bus.

No. Each one will need their own card.

The card is valid through their high school graduation date. 

K-12 students automatically receive the discounted fare when paying with cash (on local bus only). If you’re a middle or high school student, you must also show your student ID card to receive the discounted fare.

In all other situations, a METRO Q® Fare Card is required to receive the discounted fare.

A METRO Q® Fare Card issued to a college student is valid for two years. So, if your card is still valid, you get the discount.

Yes. You’ll be required to provide the same documentation as if you were attending classes in-person.

More details about the documents required and how to provide them can be found on the Discounted and Free Programs page.

Yes. You’ll be required to provide the same documentation as if you were attending classes in the spring or fall.

More details about the documents required and how to provide them can be found on the Discounted and Free Programs page.

If your card was registered, you have balance protection. Call Customer Service at 713-635-4000 as soon as possible to get your card turned off. 

To replace your card and recover the funds, please stop by any METRO RideStore location:

• 1900 Main Street
• 1001 Travis Street
• Northwest Transit Center
• Fannin South Transit Center

If your card wasn’t registered, there’s no way to recover the funds that were stored on the card at the time it was lost or stolen.

More information about METRO RideStore locations can be found on the All About Fares page.

Yes. Seniors 65 years or older can apply for a discounted METRO Q® Fare Card. As part of the application, certain documents must be submitted to METRO for review.

More details about the documents required and how to provide them can be found on the Discounted and Free Programs page.

 If you're 65-69:

Your discounted METRO Q® Fare Card entitles you to board any of these transit services for 60 cents:

• Local bus
• METRORail
• METRORapid
• METRO curb2curb

For METRO Park & Ride bus service, the discounted fare to board ranges from $1-4 depending on your location.

If you're 70 years or older:

Your discounted METRO Q® Fare Card entitles you to ride any of those transit services for free.

Yes, but this only applies to seniors 65-69, because seniors 70 years or older already ride free. 

If you’re 65-69 and paying your fare with a discounted METRO Q® Fare Card, the transfer policy below applies to the following services:

• Local bus
• Park & Ride bus
• METRORail
• METRORapid
• METRO curb2curb

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.

Yes. 

If you meet one of the following criteria, you can apply for a METRO Veterans Pass which entitles you to ride for free:

1. A disabled veteran who has suffered, as a result of military service, at least 50 percent service-connected disability or 40 percent service-connected disability because of the amputation of a lower extremity.


2. A veteran who has earned a medal of valor: Air Force Cross, Medal of Honor, Distinguished Service Cross, Navy Cross or Purple Heart.

If you’re a disabled veteran, but don't meet the disability criteria described above, you can apply for a discounted METRO Q® Fare Card which entitles you to ride for half price.

As part of your application, certain documents must be submitted to METRO for review.

More details about the documents required and how to provide them can be found on the Discounted and Free Programs page.

If you’re a disabled veteran, but you haven't suffered, as a result of military service, at least 50 percent service-connected disability or 40 percent service-connected disability because of the amputation of a lower extremity, then you're eligible for a discounted METRO Q® Fare Card. It entitles you to board any of these transit services for 60 cents:

• Local bus
• METRORail
• METRORapid
• METRO curb2curb

For METRO Park & Ride bus service, the discounted fare to board ranges from $1-4 depending on your location.

If you’re a disabled veteran paying your fare with a discounted METRO Q® Fare Card, the transfer policy below applies to the following services:

• Local bus
• Park & Ride
• METRORail
• METRORapid
• METRO curb2curb

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.

Yes. People with disabilities who aren't current METROLift customers can apply for a discounted METRO Q® Fare Card. As part of the application, certain documents must be submitted to METRO for review.

More details about the documents required and how to provide them can be found on the Discounted and Free Programs page.

Yes. You’ll need to have a current jury summons to receive a free one-way bus/rail trip on the date of the summons. 

Show it to the bus operator when boarding a METRO local bus, Park & Ride bus or METRO curb2curb. 

Show it to the fare inspector upon request prior to boarding METRORail or METRORapid.

If you’re not selected for jury duty, you may ask for a jury pass to return home. This pass will be date-stamped and must be presented to the bus operator.

If you’re selected for jury duty, ask for a jury pass, stamped with a “valid through” date.

Yes. Children five or younger are entitled to ride the following services for free when accompanied by an adult:

• Local bus
• Park & Ride bus
• METRORail
• METRORapid
• METRO curb2curb

When you first obtain your card, you’ll be given the option to register it.

If you lose a registered card, your card balance is protected and you should report the loss immediately by calling Customer Service at 713-635-4000.

If you lose an unregistered card, any money you stored on the card can’t be recovered.