Riding the Metro in Los Angeles

Buying Tickets for Metro Trains and Buses

The easiest way to buy your Metro train tickets is to use cash in the ticket vending machines at each Metro station. The machines will return any change along with the ticket. The vending machines do NOT accept credit or debit cards.

Individual tickets are good for two hours on one line in one direction. You can also buy Metro Day Passes in the Ticket Vending Machines.

On most Southern California buses, you pay bus fare in cash deposited into a receptacle next to the driver. The machine accepts dollars or coins. You can overpay if you don't have the exact change, but the bus driver cannot give change. You have to pay the base fare ($1.25) every time you get on a Metro bus. There are no transfers between Metro buses. However, you can get a Muni transfer to other local transit systems for $0.30. You can also purchase Metro Day Passes from bus drivers if you have $5 cash.

Weekly and monthly Metro Passes and tokens must be purchased at or various retail outlets.

Metro Tokens are good for one base fare ($1.25). They are sold in sets of 10 tokens.

Metro Day Passes, Weekly Passes, Monthly Passes and the EZ Transit monthly pass (for travel on Metro plus 14 local transit systems) are a convenient option for people planning to make extensive use of public transportation in LA for one or more days.