Fares & farecards

Fare: ½ of the regular fare, all times of day, not to exceed $2.25

Qualifying for the senior/people with disabilities discount program

Senior citizens and people with disabilities who have a valid Metro ID or a valid Medicare card and photo identification are eligible to participate in this program. Since January 1, 2000, only the copper-colored Metro ID is valid.

• Reduced Fare Application

Visiting Seniors

Visiting seniors who reside outside the WMATA service area must show photo ID that indicates their date of birth (65+) to be eligible to purchase specially-encoded $10 senior discount paper farecards at our Metro sales offices and some retail locations. Note: Senior farecards cannot be purchased at Metrorail station farecard vending machines or from station managers.

Visiting persons with disabilities

For visiting persons with disabilities who reside outside the WMATA service area, Metro will issue a one-time courtesy WMATA disability ID card good for up to one month and issued one-time only. The customer must present qualifying documentation at the Metro Headquarter Sales office only, at 600 Fifth Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20001. The customer may also use a valid Medicare card and photo identification to purchase the discounted farecards at our Metro sales office locations and retail locations.

Specially-encoded $10 senior and persons with disabilities paper farecards

Metro’s discount program is implemented through a specially-encoded $10 discount paper farecard. Qualified senior citizens and persons with disabilities may purchase the specially-encoded $10 Discount farecard and use it in the faregates like a regular farecard. Upon exiting the rail system, the faregate will deduct from the value of the farecard half the cost of the regular fare. Thus, it provides a 50% discount and at no time will the faregate deduct more than $2.25 per trip.

Note: Additional value may not be added to paper Discount Farecards at Metrorail station farecard vending machines. Another discount card must be purchased.

SmarTrip cards for the senior and persons with disabilities discount program

SmarTrip Cards differ from paper farecards (see the SmarTrip page). They are plastic and contain an antenna and computer chip which can be "loaded" with travel value up to $300 and are used indefinitely. If they are lost or stolen and have been registered, the travel value loaded upon them at the time the loss or theft is reported will be loaded on the replacement SmarTrip card.

SmarTrip cards programmed to provide the benefits of Metro’s senior and persons with disabilities discount program can be purchased at our Metro sales office locations, retail locations and online. Note: Additionally, value may be added to discount SmarTrip cards at SmarTrip vending machines located in every Metrorail station.

Note: You must have a valid Metro ID to purchase a discount SmarTrip card.

Obtaining the specially-encoded $10 senior discount paper farecard or SmarTrip card

The $10 senior and persons with disabilities discount paper farecards or SmarTrip cards may only be purchased by presenting appropriate identification to the sales representative at Metro sales office locations and retail locations. Not all retail outlets sell the discounted card. Contact retailers directly to inquire about the card’s availability at that location. discounted SmarTrip cards may also be purchased online by persons with valid Metro IDs. (See the SmarTrip page.)

Note: These special discounted farecards and SmarTrip cards are not available in the Metrorail Station vending machines or from station managers.