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Fare Information
New! Metro has introduced new fareboxes that accept bills and coins.
For every ride, exact fare is required. No change or refunds can be given.
Metro Tokens
Effective June 30, 2013, tokens are no longer accepted in Metro Fareboxes. Token FAQs.
Fares
$1.75 Within City of Cincinnati (Zone 1)
$2.65 Hamilton County, outside City limits, plus Rt. 23X (Zone 2)
$3.00 Harrison, Ohio (52X)
$3.50 Butler County (Zone 4)
$3.75 Clermont County (Rts. 28, 29X, 82X)
$4.25 Warren County (Zone 5, Rts. 71X, 71)
50 cents Rt. 85 Riverfront parking shuttle
If traveling between zones or if you’ll need a transfer, please let the driver know when paying your fare.
Reduced Fares
- Children under 35 inches ride free
- Children 35-45 inches pay half fare
If you’re in one of these qualifying groups, your fare is half-price on any trip:
- Fare Deal ID cardholders (65+, on Medicare or disabled). The Fare Deal Monthly Sticker is $38.50 (all zones). Please visit the Fare Deal page for complete information.
- Access ID cardholder (ADA-eligible only)
Half-price fares are:
85 cents Within City of Cincinnati (Zone 1)
$1.30 To, from or within Hamilton County (Zone 2)
$1.50 To, from or within Harrison, Ohio (Harrison)
$1.75 Butler County (Zone 4)
$1.85 Clermont County (Clermont)
$2.10 Warren County (Zone 5)
Transfers
A transfer costs 50 cents.
Please request your transfer when paying fare.
Good on any route, any direction for 120 minutes.
Good for up to two bus changes per transfer or until time expires.
Buy Online
Purchase a Metro pass online through Metro’s secure payment system.
Buy In Person
Purchase Metro passes at locations throughout Cincinnati.
Metro sales office
Mercantile Center arcade
120 E. Fourth Street
Cincinnati, OH 45202
Open weekdays 7:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Open first two days and last day of each month 6:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Closed weekends and major holidays.
Free schedules and bus information are also available.
Buy by Phone
You can also purchase bus passes by phone using your Visa or MasterCard, simply call Metro’s sales office at 513-632-7699 during business hours noted above.
Buy by Mail
Call Metro’s information line 513-621-4455
(TDD 800-750-0750)
6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays, 8 a.m. to noon Saturdays
Closed Sundays and major holidays
Please note that your pass will arrive from the address:
Mercantile Center Ste 1
120 E Fourth St.
Cincinnati, Oh 45202
Cash is ALWAYS accepted.
Stored-Value Cards
Stored-Value Cards are now available in prepaid amounts of $10, $20 and $30.
Stored-Value Cards can be used like cash to pay all zone fares, buy transfers, pay discounted fares such as Fare Deal, children’s fares or UC or Cincinnati State fares, and even for multiple riders.
Riders must tell the driver what they are paying for before they insert the cards into the slot on top of the farebox. Metro’s farebox will deduct fare from the stored-value card on each ride until all funds have been used.
Metro stored-value cards are now for sale ONLINE ($30 value only) and at Metro’s sales office, 120 E. Fourth Street, Mercantile Building arcade downtown, weekdays 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Metro no longer sells 10-ride Zone 1 tickets, but Metro buses will continue to accept them through Dec. 31, 2013. Exact change and passes will continue to be accepted as fare on all buses.
Learn more: Frequently Asked Questions about Metro Stored Value Cards and 10-Ride Zone 1 Tickets.
30-day rolling passes
With Metro's 30-day rolling passes, it's never been easier to go*Metro! Find out which pass is right for you.
You can buy your pass online or in person at sales outlets throughout the community.
New! Attention employers! Metro also has a great new pass program for employees: Pre-Tax Transit passes.
Standard adult-fare 30-day rolling passes
$70 Zone 1
$106 Zone 2
$120 Harrison
$140 Zone 4
$150 Clermont
$170 Zone 5/All pass
$105 Metro/TANK pass
Beyond the designated zone, an additional zone fare is required. Visit the Metro pass page for more information.
10-ride Zone 1 tickets
Metro will no longer sell 10-ride Zone 1 tickets after Aug. 1. We will continue to accept 10-ride Zone 1 tickets through Dec. 31, 2013.
- Insert the 10-ride Zone 1 ticket into the slot on top of the farebox every time you ride and your ride will be deducted.
- Good for all rides within Zone 1 – the City of Cincinnati. Additional cash drops needed for travel beyond Zone 1.
- The farebox will print the number of rides remaining on your card every time you use it until there are no rides left, then you just throw it away.
Exchange 10-ride Zone 1 tickets for stored value cards
Starting Dec. 2, 2013 and running through Dec. 31, 2013, customers with unused 10-ride Zone 1 tickets may exchange them for stored value cards worth $17.50.
- Unused tickets may only be exchanged at the Metro sales office, 120 East 4th Street across from Government Square during normal business hours
- One stored value card worth $17.50 (the price of 10 Zone 1 rides) will be exchanged for each unused 10-ride Zone 1 ticket
- No partial exchanges will be made
Metro sales office is open weekdays 7 a.m. - 5:30 p.m., closed weekends and holidays
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