Heather Curtis
WMAL.com
WASHINGTON – Starting Sunday, June 25 Metro riders will be paying 10 cents more for rail rides at rush hour, and 25 cents more for off-peak rail rides and bus rides any time of day. The fare hikes were approved by Metro’s board last March.
Many riders have said they don’t want to pay more for Metro when service is so unreliable.
“The fare increases are so modest, I’m not sure that that’s going to have an effect on ridership,” board chair Jack Evans told reporters Thursday.
Not only will Metro riders be paying more, they’ll have fewer hours to ride the rails due to a change in operating hours approved by the board last December. The system will be open from 5 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, from 5 a.m. to 1 a.m. Fridays, from 7 a.m. to 1 a.m. Saturdays, and 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sundays.
Originally the board had set July 1 as the start date for the new operating hours, but the board voted Thursday to have the new hours and fares start June 25 to make it easier for customers.
The new service hours are expected to be in effect for the next two years. Unless the board changes its mind, late-night rail service, including midnight closures Mondays through Thursday and 3 a.m. closures Fridays and Saturdays, will be restored around July of 2019.
Also starting June 25, rush hour trains will run every eight minutes instead of six at stations on the end of lines. Some bus routes will be eliminated or see less service next month as well.
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