Starting in January 2027, Miami-Dade commuters can expect Metrobus and Metrorail fares to jump from $2.25 to $2.75. This 50-cent price hike, which was approved by commissioners in a 9-4 vote and a first for the county in 13 years, will preserve service on 13 routes that were slated for elimination in the FY 2026-27 budget.
Why transit fares are rising and what will be affected
The increase is expected to generate $9.2 million and benefit roughly 4,200 daily riders, according to the Miami-Dade County Department of Transportation and Public Works. This includes maintaining late-evening service on seven major corridors (including 24-hour Routes 11, 79, 77, 3 and 27), Route 279 and five coverage routes serving areas like Florida City and West Miami.
“We heard the concerns from our riders and our community, and we took them seriously,” said DTPW Director and CEO Stacy L. Miller, P.E. in a release. “We worked closely with the Administration and the Board to find a way forward that protects service thousands of people rely on every day and begins to provide much-needed dedicated funding to our system.”
To address remaining structural shortfalls, 16 low-ridership routes will lose service after 10 p.m. beginning in March 2027, and Route 132 will be eliminated in November 2026. Additionally, the 2027 budget requires reductions impacting about 3,000 riders annually, such as the elimination of weekend route 338; limited-stop routes 203, 204, 272, and 288 and late-night service on 18 additional routes.
But despite the upcoming price hike, free and reduced-fare transit programs remain available for eligible low-income residents, seniors, veterans, students and people with disabilities.
Could changes be coming to the Metromover?
While Metrobus and Metrorail service fares will be affected, the long-standing free status of the Metromover may also be under review. During budget discussions, County Commissioner Raquel Regalado directed Mayor Daniella Levine Cava to devise a plan that would impose a Metromover fare of $1 per ride alongside an additional amount to fund fare-collection costs, as reported by Florida Politics.
But for now, the people mover system continues to be free to ride. Any future fare changes would require commissioners to vote to adopt a plan.
