How do you pay for the Metro line in Los Angeles?

All fares can be pre-paid by loading a pass or Stored Valued (cash) on a TAP card and then tapping each time you board. On buses you can also pay for a single ride with a token or cash using exact change. Visit our Frequently Asked Questions page to learn more about our new fare structure.



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How to Ride Metro Rail
  1. Get to your station. Arrive 10 minutes early and wait for your train to arrive.
  2. Pay with TAP. Buy a TAP card and load fare at the TAP vending machine. ...
  3. Board the Train. Wait for train to make a complete stop and stand behind the yellow line. ...
  4. Enjoy the Ride.
  5. Exit the Train.


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Fare capping Once you pay that amount called a “cap” all rides on Metro buses and trains are free. Metro has 1-Day and 7-Day Caps. Fare capping works when you pay for rides with a TAP card or Apple Wallet. Play Video about Two passengers boarding a Metro vehicle using a TAP card and reader.

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On Metro, each ride you pay for with TAP gets you closer to free rides. Once you reach the 1-Day or 7-Day fare cap, rides are FREE!

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TAP is accepted on buses and trains throughout LA County. With your TAP card in Wallet, you can easily get where you need to go with just your iPhone or Apple Watch.

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TAP cards can be purchased at TAP vending machines (TVMs) located at all Metro rail, J and G Line stations.

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Metro Rail Red Line is the most useful for tourists and visitors. This line links Downtown Union Station to North Hollywood via Hollywood and Universal City. It also connects with the Blue, Expo and Orange lines. Purple Line connects Downtown Los Angeles to Westlake and Koreatown.

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Unfortunately, the LA Metro system does not run 24/7! Most trains run from 4 a.m. until midnight or 1 a.m. on Sunday – Thursday, and all lines (including the Orange and Silver Line Busways) run until 2 a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights.

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Pay with Cash Exact change is accepted on buses that do not have All-Door Boarding. Transfers are not included. To ride Metro Rail, you must pay with a TAP card. Alert Metro tokens are no longer accepted as payment.

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The physical Apple Card lacks NFC capabilities because its titanium material prevents electromagnetic signals from passing through metal, making contactless payments impossible. Apple encourages users to use Apple Pay instead of the physical card, as evidenced by higher cashback rates for Apple Pay transactions.

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- Make your travel safe and easy with touchless payment and card management. - Add a new TAP card to your iPhone and Apple Watch and use your fare immediately. - Use your iPhone (8 and above) and Apple Watch (Series 3 and above) to tap with Apple Pay when boarding a bus or train.

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Enable tap to pay on the mobile device. Enter bank and card information. Once the terminal prompts the customer to pay, they can wave or hold their phone one to two inches from the contactless symbol. The NFC-enabled POS terminal will indicate when the payment is complete with a light, checkmark, or sound.

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All fares can be pre-paid by loading a pass or Stored Valued (cash) on a TAP card and then tapping each time you board. On buses you can also pay for a single ride with a token or cash using exact change.

MORE DETAILS