Metro’s Fareboxes
More choices, more savings, more reasons to ride. Metro's fareboxes make easier and more convenient to go Metro.
For every ride, exact fare is required. No change or refunds can be given at this time.
Everything You Need to Know About Metro's Fareboxes
Paying with coins and tokens
* Accepts all U.S. coins from pennies through dollar coins.
* Important: drop one coin at a time to prevent jams. The farebox will reject all other coins.
* Accepts Metro silver tokens ($1.75) and Metro brass tokens ($1.50) toward the cost of your fare. Non-Metro tokens will be rejected.
* NOTE: Effective June 30, 2013, tokens will no longer be accepted in Metro Fareboxes. Token FAQs.
Paying with bills
* Accepts $1, $2, and $5 U.S. bills.
* Beginning in 2012, will also accept $10 and $20 bills.
* Farebox will reject torn, worn, and extremely soiled U.S. bills and all non-U.S. currency.
Paying with monthly passes
* Monthly swipe passes have been replaced by rolling 30-day passes.
* Swipe the rolling 30-day pass through the magnetic pass reader, just like you currently do.
Special program passes
Swipe these passes through the magnetic pass reader as you currently do and show the pass to the bus operator. Any fare due will be displayed for you to see.
* Fare Deal card
* University of Cincinnati and Cincinnati State passes
* Xtra Service passes issued by Cincinnati Public Schools
Using transfers
Effective Dec. 4, 2011, all transfers will be issued and validated by Metro's new fareboxes.
* The transfer time period will start at the time you board the bus and pay your fare.
* For this reason, Metro is extending the transfer time period from the current 60 minutes to 90 minutes to allow adequate time for customers to make their connections.
* Transfers will still cost $.50 and you may still use transfers to ride any route in any direction within the time printed on the transfer, on up to two additional buses.
* Upon the second use or when the time is up, the farebox will mark the transfer as EXPIRED and it will no longer be valid.
* You must pay the full fare and the $0.50 transfer charge to receive a transfer.
* Other transfer policies and procedures remain in effect.
And a new way to buy your fare cards: Metro will also add a new ticket vending machine at Government Square for convenient 24/7/365 sales of 30-day rolling month passes, stored value cards and go*SMART cards.
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