Paying Bus And Metro Fares: Easy, Quick Ways

Paying for bus and metro fares in Los Angeles can be done in several ways. The most convenient and flexible way is through the TAP card, which is a reloadable fare card accepted by 25 to 27 transit agencies across LA County. The TAP card costs $2 plus the fare and can be purchased online, through the TAP app, by phone, or at TAP Vending Machines and Vendor Locations. Alternatively, you can pay with cash on buses, but the TAP card is generally more cost-effective.

TAP cards and apps

TAP is a reloadable fare card that offers a convenient and flexible way to pay your fare on Metro bus and rail. It is also valid for travel with 25 transit agencies across LA County, including LA Metro, Big Blue Bus (Santa Monica), Long Beach Transit, and Culver City Bus. You can buy a TAP card for \$2 plus fare at any metro train station, and it includes transfers to Metro rail and bus. You can also buy a TAP card online, by phone, at TAP Vending Machines, or at over 450 TAP Vendor Locations.

To use a TAP card, simply load it with passes or cash, tap it on the kiosk when you board, and the reader will deduct the fare from your card. You can also add your TAP card to your phone via the TAP app or, for iPhone users, the wallet app. The TAP app is available for both iPhone and Android phones and offers a contactless way to pay for rides. With the app, you can manage your TAP account, plan trips, and view real-time bus and train arrivals. You can also use your phone to tap and pay when you board without having to wake up your device.

The TAP app also offers flexible payment options, including credit/debit cards, account cash, and Google Pay. It supports reduced fares for seniors, students, persons with disabilities, and low-income riders. Additionally, TAP cards have balance protection, so if your card is lost or stolen, you can recover the balance and transfer it to a new card. You can also transfer or consolidate remaining balances from multiple TAP cards.

Paying with cash

If you're paying with cash, you'll need to have the exact change ready, as bus operators don't provide change. The fare for a single ride is usually around $1.75, but this may vary depending on your location. When boarding the bus, inform the operator whether you want a 2½-Hour Ticket or a Day Pass, and specify the type of ticket you need, such as Adult, Senior, or Youth.

Then, insert your coins or bills into the farebox and take your ticket from the printer. Your ticket is valid for the specified duration on buses and trains, and you'll need to tap the ticket on the reader each time you board.

It's worth noting that some bus services, like those in Santa Monica, don't accept cash payments, so it's always good to check before you board. Additionally, some services offer discounted rates for seniors, students, and passengers with disabilities when paying with cash.

While paying with cash is a straightforward option, you may end up paying more compared to using a reloadable fare card. These cards often provide benefits like discounted rates and free transfers.

Discounts and passes

LA Metro offers discounts for seniors (62+), Medicare cardholders, and customers with disabilities. This includes up to 80% off regular Metro fares, with a base fare of 75 cents during peak hours and 35 cents during off-peak hours.

K-12 and community college students can also benefit from discounts. Students at participating GoPass schools ride for free, while other students can use TAP to pay and ride for free after three rides in a day and 11 rides in a week. The base fare for K-12 students has dropped from $1 to 75 cents, and college and vocational students have seen their base fare drop from $1.75 to 75 cents. There is a daily cap of $2.50 and a seven-day cap of $6 for student fares.

Low-income households with an annual income of less than $41,400 can also benefit from discounted fares through the Low Income Fare Is Easy (LIFE) program. Riders enrolled in this program will get 20 free rides per month, each including two hours of free transfers. After these 20 rides, LIFE riders will be able to reach the one-day and seven-day fare cap and earn additional free rides. Importantly, LIFE riders will never pay more than $5 a day or $18 a week to ride.

In Houston, Texas, METRO offers discounted fares for students (K-12 or college), people with disabilities, people aged 65+, and veterans. The discounted fare is 60 cents for local bus, METRORail, METRORapid, or METRO curb2curb services. For Park & Ride commuter express bus services, the discounted fare ranges from $1-4 depending on the boarding location.

Additionally, Houston offers the 5 for 50 deal, where riders earn five free single-ride trips for every 50 single-ride trips purchased using a METRO Q® Fare Card or a METRO Q Mobile Ticket.

Accepted payment methods

The most common way to pay for the bus in LA is with a TAP card. This is a reloadable fare card that can be used to pay your fare on Metro bus and rail. It is also valid for travel with 25 transit agencies across LA County. You can buy a TAP card for $2 plus fare, which includes transfers to Metro rail and bus. You can buy a TAP card online, on the TAP app, by phone, at TAP Vending Machines, or at over 450 TAP Vendor Locations.

You can also pay with cash on some buses, but you will end up paying more to ride. Exact change is accepted on buses that do not have All-Door Boarding, but transfers are not included.

To pay with a TAP card, you simply load it with passes or cash and then tap it on the kiosk when you board the bus or train. You can also add your TAP card to your phone via the TAP app or your iPhone's Wallet app. If you have an iPhone 8 or above and an Apple Watch Series 3 or above, you can use Apple Pay to tap and pay when boarding.

The TAP app offers flexible payment options, including credit/debit cards, account cash, and Apple Pay. You can also purchase a transit pass or Stored Value for any agency in Los Angeles County through the app.

Where to buy/reload TAP cards

TAP cards are a reloadable fare card that offers a convenient and flexible way to pay your fare on Metro bus and rail services. They are also valid for travel with 25 transit agencies across LA County. A TAP card costs $2 plus fare and includes transfers to Metro rail and bus. You can buy and reload a TAP card in several ways:

Online

You can buy and reload TAP cards online at taptogo.net. Payment options include credit card, TAP account cash, and PayPal.

TAP App

The TAP app is available on the App Store and Google Play. You can use the app to pay your fare and manage your TAP account. Payment options include credit card, TAP account cash, cash, Apple Pay, and GPay.

TAP Vending Machine (TVM)

TVMs are located at Metro rail stations, Metro Silver Line and Metro Orange Line stations, and at the El Monte Station. Payment options include credit card and cash.

TAP Vendor Locations

You can buy and reload TAP cards at over 450 TAP vendor locations in LA County. Payment options include credit card and cash.

Phone

You can buy and reload TAP cards by calling TAP Customer Service at 866.TAPTOGO (866.827.8646). Payment options include credit card and TAP account cash.

Frequently asked questions