Houston METRO Discount Fares 2026–27: Free Rides at 70+, Half Price for Seniors 65–69, Riders With Disabilities and Students, and How to Get Your Card
A regular METRO local bus or METRORail ride in Houston costs $1.25. If you're a senior, a student, a person with a disability or a qualified veteran, you may be able to pay 60 cents, or nothing at all.
The catch is that none of this happens automatically. You need a RideMETRO Discount Fare Card, and to get one you have to show METRO the right documents. (Older guides call this the METRO Q Fare Card. METRO's current fares page uses the RideMETRO name.) This guide covers who qualifies, what each group pays, what documents to bring, and where to apply in person.
Last checked October 2026. Sources: METRO's All About Fares page (fare table, discount programs, ways to pay and RideStore locations) and its METROLift paratransit page. Fares and rules can change, so confirm with METRO Customer Service at 713-635-4000 (call or text) before you rely on a number.
The Short Version
| Who | What you pay | What you need | |---|---|---| | Seniors 70 and older | Free | Government photo ID showing your date of birth | | Seniors 65–69 | Half price | Government photo ID showing your date of birth | | People with disabilities (not METROLift customers) | Half price | Photo ID plus one proof of disability | | K-12 students | Half price | Class schedule or report card | | College and trade school students | Half price | Photo ID plus a class schedule with tuition receipt, or a letter from your school | | Qualified veterans | Free | Photo ID plus METRO's veterans application, signed and stamped by the VA | | Children 5 and under | Free with an adult | Nothing | | METROLift customers | Free on fixed routes with a METROLift Fare Card | METROLift approval |
What You'll Pay
Here's METRO's fare table, with regular and discounted fares side by side:
| Service | Regular fare | Discounted fare | |---|---|---| | Local bus | $1.25 | $0.60 | | METRORail | $1.25 | $0.60 | | METRO curb2curb | $1.25 | $0.60 | | Community Connector | $1.25 | $0.60 | | Park & Ride, Zone 1 | $2.00 | $1.00 | | Park & Ride, Zone 2 | $3.25 | $1.60 | | Park & Ride, Zone 3 | $3.75 | $1.85 | | Park & Ride, Zone 4 | $4.50 | $2.25 |
Park & Ride fares depend on the zone where you board. The discount covers local bus, Park & Ride, METRORail, curb2curb and Community Connector.
Free transfers and the 1-for-10 reward
When you pay with a RideMETRO Fare Card, physical or virtual, you get free transfers for up to three hours between local bus, rail and the other local services. If you transfer to Park & Ride inside that window, you pay only the difference in fare.
Paying with a RideMETRO card also signs you up for METRO's 1-for-10 loyalty program: one free ride after every ten paid rides.
Paying with cash on the bus does not get you a transfer. Cash goes into the farebox at the front of the bus, and METRO doesn't give change. If you plan to transfer, a card is the better way to pay.
Seniors 70 and Older: Ride Free
If you're 70 or older, you can ride METRO for free once METRO has confirmed your age. You need a government-issued photo ID showing your date of birth, such as a Texas driver's license or state ID.
How to apply:
Online through the METRO Online RideStore. Upload a copy of your ID. Once you're approved, METRO mails the card through the U.S. Postal Service.
In person at any METRO RideStore (locations below). Bring your ID.
Seniors 65–69: Half Price
Riders 65 through 69 pay half fare, which is 60 cents on local bus and rail. You need the same proof as the 70+ group: a government-issued photo ID showing your date of birth. You can apply online (upload your ID) or in person at a RideStore.
When you turn 70, contact METRO about getting the free-ride benefit. The fares page doesn't say whether that change happens automatically, so it's worth asking.
Riders With Disabilities: Half Price
If you have a disability and you're not a METROLift customer, you may qualify for half fare. Bring a government-issued photo ID and one of these:
A doctor's statement on the physician's letterhead or prescription pad, with your name, a short description of your disability, and whether it's permanent or temporary
A visible disability that directly affects mobility
A Veteran's ID with "Service Connected" printed under the photo
About Social Security letters: METRO says it won't accept a Social Security award letter as proof unless it names the disability or lists Medicare benefits. If yours doesn't, ask your doctor for a statement.
Apply in person. For riders with disabilities, METRO says you must buy the physical Discount Fare Card in person at a RideStore. After it arrives, you can convert it to a virtual card in the RideMETRO app. Once you convert it, the physical card stops working.
If you use METROLift
METROLift customers don't need the disability discount card. When you're approved for METROLift, you get information about buying a METROLift Fare Card, and that card lets you ride METRO's fixed-route services for free.
METROLift is a shared-ride ADA paratransit service for people who can't use regular buses and trains because of a disability. Here's what METRO says about it:
Eligibility depends on information from health care professionals and on your ability to use the bus and rail system, under ADA rules.
Applying means filling out an application and going to an in-person interview. You get a written decision within 21 days.
Certification can be permanent, standard or temporary. If yours is standard or temporary, METRO sends a letter 60 days before it ends asking you to reapply.
Fare: a one-way trip in the base service area costs $1.25. Trips into the extended service area take two tickets, for $2.50 total.
Booking: trips are booked one day ahead. On Fridays you can book for Saturday, Sunday and Monday.
Students: Half Price
K-12 students need one of these:
A class schedule
A report card
A parent or legal guardian should come along when a K-12 student applies in person.
College and trade school students need a government-issued photo ID and one of these:
A current class schedule along with a tuition receipt
A letter from the college confirming you're a current student
Students can apply online through the METRO Online RideStore and get the card in the mail, or apply in person at a RideStore. Either way, you have to buy the physical card first. You can switch it to a virtual card in the app after it arrives.
Qualified Veterans: Ride Free
METRO lets qualified veterans ride free. To qualify, you must have earned a medal of valor or have a certain type of service-connected disability. METRO's page doesn't list which disabilities count. That's decided through the VA paperwork described below.
You'll need:
A government-issued photo ID
METRO's Qualified Veterans Pass application, signed and stamped by the Veterans Affairs office
You can apply through the METRO Online RideStore or bring your ID and completed application to a RideStore.
Veterans who don't meet that standard but have "Service Connected" printed on their VA ID can still get the half-price disability fare (see above).
Harris County Jurors
If you're called for jury duty in Harris County, show your jury summons to the bus operator or fare inspector on your first day and you ride free. At the end of that day, ask the court for a temporary fare card for the rest of your service. METRO says you tap that card every time you board a bus or enter a rail platform, and it expires at 2 a.m. after the first tap.
Where to Apply in Person: METRO RideStores
All RideStores take cash, credit and debit cards. Checks and money orders are accepted only at the Downtown Transit Center. All locations are open Monday through Friday.
| RideStore | Address | Hours | Phone | |---|---|---|---| | Downtown Transit Center | 1900 Main St., 77002 | 7 a.m.–6 p.m. | 713-739-6968 | | Eastwood Transit Center | 4400 Gulf Freeway, 77020 | 8 a.m.–5 p.m. | 832-388-7228 | | Fannin South Park & Ride | 1604 West Bellfort Ave., 77054 | 6 a.m.–5 p.m. | 713-652-8937 | | Fifth Ward / Denver Harbor TC | 1500 Lockwood Dr., 77020 | 8 a.m.–5 p.m. | 832-468-8363 | | Kashmere Transit Center | 5910 Hirsch Rd., 77026 | 8 a.m.–5 p.m. | 832-468-7526 | | Magnolia Park Transit Center | 6948 Harrisburg Blvd., 77011 | 8 a.m.–5 p.m. | 832-472-5011 | | Main Street Square | 1001 Travis St., 77002 | 8 a.m.–5 p.m. | 713-652-8994 | | Northline Transit Center | 7705 Fulton St., 77022 | 8 a.m.–5 p.m. | 832-465-7278 | | Northwest Transit Center | 7373 Old Katy Rd., 77024 | 7 a.m.–5 p.m. | 713-739-6031 | | Southeast Transit Center | 6000 Scottcrest Dr., 77021 | 8 a.m.–5 p.m. | 832-468-1665 | | TMC Transit Center | 6934 Fannin St., 77030 | 8 a.m.–5 p.m. | 832-472-3727 | | Wheeler Station Transit Center | 4590 Main St. | 8 a.m.–5 p.m. | 832-472-4168 |
What About Low-Income Riders?
METRO's fares page lists discounts based on age, disability, student status and veteran status. It doesn't list a discount based on income. If money is tight and you don't fit any of those groups, here's how to keep costs down:
Use a RideMETRO Fare Card instead of cash. You get three hours of free transfers, and every eleventh ride is free under 1-for-10. A physical card costs $2. The virtual card in the app is free.
Ask your employer about METRO RideSponsor. Through this program, employers and organizations can cover some of your fare. METRO says it can be offered as a tax-free perk.
Check whether your school or agency sponsors passes. Some organizations take part in RideSponsor too.
Quick Checklist
Figure out which group you're in: 70+, 65–69, disability, student or veteran
Gather your photo ID and the proof for your group
Apply online through the METRO Online RideStore, or go to a RideStore. Riders with disabilities must apply in person
Once your physical card arrives, decide whether to convert it to the app. The physical card stops working after you do
Questions? Call or text METRO at 713-635-4000 (TTY 713-635-6993)
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