Metrolink’s new fare pilot program prioritizes affordability, simplicity

    June 26, 2025
    The pilot aims to simplify which fare to purchase, lower the cost of monthly passes and introduce new discounts.
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    Metrolink
    a man and a woman stand in front of a Metrolink ticket vending machine to purchase a ticket
    Metrolink is piloting the new fare structure through Dec. 31 and may extend it into 2026.

    New fares are coming to Metrolink riders starting July 1 that aim to make passenger rail more accessible and affordable. The changes to the fare structure, which will be available through the end of the year, aim to simplify the current ticket menu to reduce confusion at the point of purchase, lower the price of most monthly passes and introduce new deals and discounts. 

    “We’re giving our customers more without charging more,” said Metrolink Board Chair Doug Chaffee. “By making fares easier to understand and more affordable, we’re helping their hard-earned dollars go further. These changes make Metrolink an even more valuable and accessible travel choice—and encourage more people to ride.” 

    Building on the popularity of the seasonal $15 Summer Day Pass promotion, first introduced in 2022, Metrolink says it will now offer a year-round $15 weekday fare option, called the SoCal Day Pass, which provides unlimited rides on the day of purchase. On Saturdays and Sundays, the price of the SoCal Day Pass will drop to $10 to match the current weekend rate. Up to three kids ages 17 and under will continue to ride free with a fare-paying adult on weekends. 

    Metrolink notes it is also introducing a new $5 L.A. Zone Day Pass, available seven days a week, that is good for unlimited single-day travel between eight select stations in and around downtown Los Angeles, including LA Union Station, Cal State LA, Commerce, Montebello/Commerce, Glendale, Burbank-Downtown and both stations serving the Hollywood Burbank Airport. 

    In addition to the new slate of day-pass options, Metrolink adds it is expanding available discounts to include 10 percent off for military veterans, matching the current active-duty military markdown and 50 percent off for riders under the age of 19 and students with a valid school ID. The latter will help keep student fares low following the conclusion of Metrolink’s free Student Adventure Pass pilot program on June 30. The new half-price student discount is double the original 25 percent student/youth discount that was in place prior to October 2023, when the grant-funded program launched.  

    Metrolink’s monthly pass fare table is also changing, starting July 1. Most monthly passholders will see cost savings of approximately 10 percent thanks to a new, more consistent pricing formula that better reflects how traditional commuters travel in today’s hybrid work environment. 

    To further simplify fares, Metrolink is eliminating several underused or duplicative ticket types. The 7-Day Pass, 10-Day Flex Pass and round-trip ticket option, which was priced at double the cost of a one-way ticket, will no longer be available. Customers traveling round-trip can use two one-way tickets or likely find the SoCal Day Pass to be a more affordable option. Riders seeking trip flexibility will still be able to purchase the popular 5-Day Flex Pass.   

    Metrolink says it is piloting the new fare structure through Dec. 31, and may extend the program into 2026 if the new fares demonstrate strong potential to drive ridership and revenue growth for the agency.