Metrolink riders brace yourselves: Fares will rise by up to 27% starting Monday

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Set us as preferred Metrolink is raising fares for its regional commuter rail network by up to 27% starting Monday, with officials saying the move is needed because of declining funds from the state and federal governments, a dip in ridership from the COVID pandemic and rising operating costs, according to the agency.The weekly SoCal Day Pass, now $15, will cost $19 under the fare hike — a 27% jump.

Monthly passes will rise 20%, from $10 to $12, while one-way tickets — the prices of which vary by distance — will go up 14%.This will be Metrolink’s first fare hike in 13 years, the rail agency said.“Metrolink has worked hard to keep fares affordable while the cost of operating and maintaining our regional rail system has continued to rise,” Metrolink Chief Executive Darren Kettle said in a recent statement.

“These pricing adjustments are one step in a broader effort we are taking to responsibly address those pressures and support Metrolink’s long-term financial sustainability.”The rail network has an operating budget of more than $350 million and includes an average daily weekday ridership of more than 23,000 and an average weekend ridership of roughly 235,000.It’s operated by the Southern California Regional Rail Authority, made up of members from transit authorities in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura counties.

In recent meetings, riders have expressed frustration with the agency’s decisions.“Metrolink is in crisis right now with these budget cuts and I’m not seeing a lot of transparency and oversight at this board,” said Adriana Rizzo of Californians for Electric Rail.“The timeline between these proposed budgets and the cuts is extremely short, which I think is quite disrespectful to riders where one train being canceled can make the difference for whether they can get ...