Metro Transit fares will be lowered and simplified after the new year after a series of changes were approved by the Metropolitan Council on Wednesday.

The changes, which take effect Jan. 1, include:

  • All full-priced fares on non-express buses and light rail will be $2 all day, every day. The price for youths, seniors and Medicare recipients will be $1.
  • For riders taking multiple trips, all-day passes will cost $2 to $4 and seven-day passes will cost $20.
  • Metro Mobility-certified riders can use Metro Transit and other regional transit providers for one-cent fares through June 30, 2025, as part of a pilot program.

Additionally, at some point in 2025, people who qualify for the Transit Assistance Program, an income-based program, will pay $1 fares for up to two years before re-applying is necessary.

Metro Transit said in a news release the price changes are expected to draw an additional 926,000 rides in 2025, which will offset some of the costs associated with lower fares.

Through September this year, ridership has increased 8% compared with last year.

"Making transit easier to use is key to growing ridership, and we believe simplifying fares will help do just that," Metro Transit General Manager Lesley Kandaras said. "These changes also support our belief that cost should not be a barrier for those who want or need access to our services."