Metrolink Fare Increase to Take Effect October 5
For the first time in thirteen years, Metrolink is raising fares. Starting Monday October 5, new Metrolink fares take effect. Overall, riders can expect to pay roughly 14 percent more, though prices vary with distance and types of tickets/passes/discounts/etc. Day passes increase from $15 to $19; weekend passes go from $10 to $12. Read more about the increase at the agency’s fare adjustment overview webpage.
Many Streetsblog readers are aware that Metrolink operates regional commuter rail across six Southern California counties. The agency has encountered several challenges in recent years. Ridership, which had been around 11 million annual boardings prior to COVID-19, dropped at the outset of the pandemic and has not fully recovered; calendar year 2025 saw just over six million boardings. Newer locomotives have had mechanical issues, affecting reliability. Orange County (OCTA) and L.A. County (Metro) recently cut back their annual portions of the Metrolink budget. Rail funding remains meager from the state and federal governments.
Responding to these fiscal and mechanical issues, Metrolink cut service in April. Additional adjustments – service cuts, fare increases – appeared imminent.
In June, the Metrolink Board of Directors approved fare increases.
In a press statement, Metrolink CEO Darren Kettle noted “Metrolink has worked hard to keep fares affordable while the cost[s] continued to rise.” Per Kettle, the fare increase is “one step in a broader effort we are taking to responsibly address those pressures and support Metrolink’s long-term financial sustainability.”
Discounted fares for students, youth, seniors, riders with disabilities, veterans and active military members, Medicare recipients and low-income customers will continue to be available. See Metrolink website for additional details.
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