The Metro Board of Trustees has approved a new fare structure that will take effect on July 16, 2025. The fare increase averages approximately 10% across all service types. Under the new structure, local fares will be $2.20, and express route fares will be $3.00.

New Child Fare Policy

There is also a new child fare policy, in which all children under 55 inches tall will ride for free, with a fare-paying adult (limited to two free children fares per single adult ride). To support this change, each bus will feature a height indicator at the 55-inch mark to help operators and customers easily determine eligibility. This new policy is based on guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization, which report the average height of a 10-year-old child is 54.5 inches—regardless of gender.

New Payment Model

A new payment model is also in effect to help riders guarantee lowest fares. Metro’s new Tap & Save payment model allows riders to load funds onto their smartphone or smart card and simply tap or scan each time they board the bus, rather than buying a daily or monthly pass up-front. The system tracks daily and monthly spending and automatically caps costs at the equivalent of a 24-hour or 30-day pass. That means once a rider spends the daily or monthly cap, additional rides are free during that period—making transit more affordable and accessible for frequent riders. Physical passes will still be available for purchase online and at Metro’s sales office. Buses will also continue to accept cash.

These updates build on the momentum of Metro’s new Rider Rewards program, launched in April 2025, which allows customers to earn points for riding and redeem these points for free rides and gift cards. You can get complete details about the fare restructuring, Tap & Save, and the Rider Rewards programs by visiting the metro website.

This post appeared first on the Metro website and has been edited to fit quality assurance guidelines of United Resource Connection. The original post is available on the Metro website for comparison.

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The format and/or content of this post has been edited to fit guidelines of the Cincinnati Branch of United Resource Connection for this rebroadcast. You can view the original source at go-metro.com