Half-Price Rides on Valley Metro: Who Qualifies, How to Apply and the October 26 Express Change

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Valley Metro cuts bus and light rail fares in half for riders 6 to 18, riders 65 and older, Medicare card holders and people with a disability. Starting October 26, 2026, the half price also covers Express and RAPID commuter routes. To get it, you need a reduced fare account, and most people can apply online in a few minutes.

AT A GLANCE

What you pay: $1 for a local bus or light rail ride instead of $2. A month of local riding costs no more than $32, down from $64.
New on October 26, 2026: reduced fares start on Express and RAPID routes. A ride drops to $1.50 and the monthly cap drops to $48.
Who qualifies: youth 6–18, seniors 65+, Medicare card holders, and people with a disability (SSI/SSDI, VA disability of 30% or more, a medical disability, or substance dependency through a registered agency).
How: apply at valleymetrofares.org, or in person at a transit center window or the Mobility Center. Online applications are usually reviewed in 7 to 10 business days.
Cost: using reduced fare in the Valley Metro app is free. The $4 charge for a reduced fare Copper card is waived until further notice.
Help: Valley Metro Customer Service, (602) 253-5000, option 3.

Who can get reduced fare

Valley Metro's reduced fare is based on your age or a disability. Your income doesn't count. If you're 40, working and short on money, but none of the categories below fit you, this program won't help, and Valley Metro's pages don't list a separate low-income fare for the general public. Scroll down to the end for other ways to cut your costs.

If one of the categories does fit, you need two kinds of proof: a current government-issued ID, plus whatever shows you belong in your category.

Category	Proof Valley Metro asks for	Can you apply online?
Youth 6–12	Government ID, current school ID with photo, or proof of school enrollment; parental consent form; current photo	Yes
Youth 13–18	Same ID choices; parental consent form for anyone under 18; current photo	Yes
Senior 65+	Government-issued ID; current photo	Yes
Medicare card holder	Government-issued ID; red, white and blue Medicare card or award letter from Social Security; current photo	Yes
SSI or SSDI	Government-issued ID; current SSI or SSDI award letter; current photo	Yes
Disabled veteran	Government-issued ID; DD214 qualifying letter or VA Benefit Summary letter showing a 30% or greater disability; current photo	Yes
Medical disability	Government-issued ID; a qualified medical professional's signature on the application; a letter of diagnosis; current photo	No, Mobility Center only
Substance dependency	Government-issued ID; an application from a facility or agency registered with Valley Metro; current photo	No, Mobility Center only

One detail parents miss: if the youth's ID doesn't show a birthdate, send proof of birthdate too. Without it, Valley Metro only grants reduced fare for the current school year.

What it costs with and without the discount

Valley Metro uses Smart Fare. You pay per ride until you reach a daily, weekly or monthly cap, and after that, the rest of your rides in that period are free. The reduced caps are half the full ones on local service.

Fare	Full fare	Reduced fare
Local bus or light rail, 1 ride	$2	$1
Local daily maximum (3 a.m. to 2:59 a.m.)	$4	$2
Local weekly maximum (Monday to Sunday)	$20	$10
Local monthly maximum (calendar month)	$64	$32
Streetcar, 1 ride	$1	$0.50
Express/RAPID, 1 ride	$3.25	$3.25 now, $1.50 from Oct. 26
Express/RAPID daily maximum	$6.50	$6.50 now, $3 from Oct. 26
Express/RAPID monthly maximum	$104	$104 now, $48 from Oct. 26

Neighborhood circulators are free for everyone.

Here's what that adds up to. A daily local rider who hits the monthly cap pays $768 a year at full fare and $384 at the reduced rate. That's $384 back in your pocket. A commuter who maxes out Express or RAPID each month will pay $56 less a month from late October. (We did this math from Valley Metro's posted caps.)

"Reduced fare pricing is available on these routes starting October 26, 2026." (Valley Metro, on Express and RAPID routes)

Card or app: choose one

You can get reduced fare on a white reduced fare Copper card or in the Valley Metro app, but you can't have both. Valley Metro says that's for security reasons.

	Reduced fare Copper card	Valley Metro app
Cost to set up	$4, waived until further notice	Free
How you get it after approval	Mailed to you	Turned on in the app right away
How you pay	Tap on the purple fare readers	Scan mobile fare
Adding money	Online, at transit center windows, light rail fare machines and retail stores	"Wallet" in the app, by card, Apple/Google Pay, or cash at participating stores
If you lose it	Call (602) 253-5000, option 3; replacements are issued the same day if your eligibility hasn't expired	You still have to show proof, so a lost phone with no card can be a problem

A few rules to know:

Each account belongs to one person. You can't put your child's reduced fare on your phone. If your child doesn't have a phone, you can ask for a reduced fare Copper card for them at no cost.
Switching is limited. You can move your account between the card and the app only twice every six months, and you have to call customer service to do it.
The card doesn't expire, but your eligibility does. You can check your end date at valleymetrofares.org or by calling. When it runs out, you have to reapply.
Already have an old reduced fare ID that hasn't expired? You don't have to reapply. Call (602) 253-5000, option 3, to get a white Copper card or app access.

How to apply online

These steps come from Valley Metro's online guide. They work for youth, seniors, Medicare card holders, SSI/SSDI recipients and disabled veterans.

Go to valleymetrofares.org. If you already use the Valley Metro app, sign in with the same email and password. If not, click "create account" and fill out the short form.
Click "Apply for Reduced Fare."
Choose Mobile Fare (the app) or a reloadable Copper card.
Pick your category and click "continue."
Upload your documents and your photo. Then submit, and watch for a confirmation email.
Log back in to check your status. Valley Metro says online applications are usually reviewed in 7 to 10 business days, in the order they come in. They can't be rushed.
If you picked the app, reduced fare shows up once you're approved. If you picked the card, it comes in the mail.

Your photo needs to look like you do now. Use a light or neutral background, face the camera, keep both eyes open, and leave off hats and sunglasses unless you need them for medical reasons. Don't include other people, objects or pets.

Applying in person

If you need the card now or don't want to upload documents, apply at a window. Valley Metro's paper instructions say in-person applications from youth, seniors, Medicare card holders, SSI/SSDI recipients and disabled veterans are processed at the time you turn them in.

Location	Address	Hours (closed weekends and holidays)
Central Station Transit Center	302 N. 1st Ave., #120, Phoenix 85003	Mon–Fri, 8 a.m.–4 p.m.
Community Resource Hub at CityScape	1 E. Washington St., #130, Phoenix 85003	Mon–Fri, 8:30 a.m.–5 p.m.
Ed Pastor Transit Center	10 W. Broadway Rd., Phoenix 85041	Mon–Fri, 8 a.m.–12 p.m. and 12:30–4 p.m.
Sunnyslope Transit Center	8927 N. 3rd St., Phoenix 85020	Mon–Fri, 8 a.m.–12 p.m. and 12:30–4 p.m.
Tempe Transit Store	200 E. 5th St., Tempe 85281	Mon–Fri, 8 a.m.–4 p.m.
Valley Metro Mobility Center (all categories)	4600 E. Washington St., Suite 101, Phoenix 85034	Mon–Fri, 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m.

For a paper application, fill out Sections 1 and 2 of the form on Valley Metro's reduced fare page. Riders under 18 also need the parental consent form, which is on page 8.

If your disability isn't on an award letter

You can still qualify. Valley Metro just needs a medical professional to confirm the disability, and these applications are handled only through the Mobility Center.

Fill out Sections 1 and 2 of the paper application yourself.
Have an accepted health care professional or certified agency fill out Sections 3 and 4 and sign Section 5. The list of accepted professionals is in Section 3.
Attach medical paperwork or a signed prescription slip that confirms the disability. You can also attach an original, signed letter from that professional or agency, dated within the last 30 days.
Take the complete application to the Mobility Center, or mail it to 4600 E. Washington St., Ste. 101, Phoenix, AZ 85034.
If you mail it and you're approved, Valley Metro sends you an eligibility letter. Bring that letter to the Tempe Transit Store or the Mobility Center to get your card or app access.

If you use paratransit, regional ADA Paratransit trips between cities cost $4 one way, and a personal care attendant rides free. Trips that stay inside Phoenix, Glendale or Peoria go through those cities' own Dial-A-Ride services. Ticket questions go to (602) 716-2100.

Before you call

☐ A current government-issued ID (Valley Metro won't take an expired one)
☐ Proof of your category: Medicare card, SSI/SSDI award letter, DD214 or VA Benefit Summary letter, or the doctor-signed application
☐ A recent photo that meets the photo rules (needed for every category)
☐ For anyone under 18: a signed parental consent form and proof of birthdate if the ID doesn't show it
☐ The email address on your Valley Metro fare account, if you have one
☐ Your card's RFID number, if you're reporting a lost card

WHAT TO DO THIS WEEK

Ride Express or RAPID? Get your reduced fare account set up before Monday, October 26, so the $1.50 fare and $48 cap apply from day one.
65+, on Medicare, SSI/SSDI or a disabled veteran? Apply at valleymetrofares.org and pick the app if you want access the moment you're approved.
Need the card today? Bring your ID and proof to a transit center window on a weekday.
Have a child 6–18? Fill out the parental consent form and request a no-cost Copper card if they don't have a phone.

If you were turned down, you can apply again. But Valley Metro says a denial stands until you actually meet the requirements for that category, so make sure you're applying in the right one before you resubmit.

More help in Phoenix

Related guides

Official sources

Last checked: October 23, 2026. Fares, categories, locations and steps come from Valley Metro's fare and reduced fare pages and its paper application.