Metro's Reduced Fare Program for People with Disabilities and Senior Citizens
People with Disabilities
People with disabilities who have a valid Metro Disability ID card may ride for half the regular fare on Metrorail, for 60¢ on regular Metrobus routes, and for discounted fare on other participating bus service providers. For information on how to obtain an ID card, please see our Metro Disability ID Card FAQs.
Customers who have a valid MetroAccess ID card may ride Metrobus and Metrorail free of charge.
You may use your Metro Disability ID card to:
- Buy $10 paper discount Metrorail farecards and $6 Metrobus Weekly Disabled Passes at these locations
- Buy a Reduced Fare SmarTrip® card at these locations
- Show to a bus operator to pay the reduced bus fare
If you are just visiting the area and would like to pay reduced fare, we can give you a one-time courtesy Metro Disability ID card. It provides the same benefits listed above for up to one month. You must present a valid transportation ID card from another transit agency along with valid government-issued photo identification. Bring them to our Metro ID Card Office located at 600 5th Street, NW, Washington, DC. If you don't have a transportation ID card from another transit agency, you may still purchase $10 discount paper Metrorail farecards and $6 Metrobus Weekly Disabled Passes by showing a valid Medicare card and a government-issued photo ID (passport, driver's license, etc.) at one of these locations.
You may not purchase a Reduced Fare SmarTrip® card without a valid Metro Disability ID card. For more information, please see the Metro Disability ID Card FAQs.
Senior Citizens (aged 65 and older)
If you are a senior citizen with a disability, you do not need to apply for the Metro Disability ID Card. As a senior citizen, you already qualify for reduced fares.
Senior citizens may ride for half the regular fare on Metrorail, for 60¢ on regular Metrobus routes, and for discounted fare on other participating bus service providers.
Senior citizens may purchase a Senior SmarTrip® card or $10 discount paper Metrorail farecards and $6 Metrobus Weekly Disabled Passes by presenting a valid government issued photo ID card (driver's license, non-driver's ID or passport) at these locations.
If you currently have a Reduced Fare SmarTrip® card, you should not purchase the new Senior SmarTrip® card unless your card is lost, stolen or damaged.
If you are a local resident, you may pay the reduced bus fare by showing the bus operator your valid Medicare card and a government-issued photo ID.
If you are visiting the area, you may pay the reduced bus fare by showing the bus operator a valid government-issued photo ID that includes your date of birth and address, or purchase the $10 discount Metrorail farecard and/or the $6 Metrobus Weekly Senior Pass at the above locations.
The Benefits of a SmarTrip® Card
- It's rechargeable: You may store up to $300 in value on the card and add value at any Metrorail station using cash, credit/debit cards or even old paper farecards. You can also add value (using cash only) on any Metrobus or other participating regional buses.
- It's convenient: Just tap the card to the target at the Metrorail faregate or bus farebox.
- Best of all, it's safe: If you lose the card, you don't lose the value that's on it. Simply report the card lost and we'll send you a new one (for a $5 replacement fee) and tell you how to download the value from the lost card onto the new card.
