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How Metro' s $2 fares have fared

A SmartTrip Metro card. Photo: Paige Hopkins/Axios Metro is slowly attracting riders back, and its $2 weekend rail fares are playing a role in that recovery. Why it matters: The agency has a lot of work to do to win over riders following years of remote work and scaled-back social calendars. State of play: Metro rolled out $2 one-way weekend fares in Sept. 2021. An Axios analysis of found that since they were implemented, Metrorail has recouped 62% of the pre-pandemic weekend ridership it saw between 2018 and 2019. Yes, but: There are a few factors besides the price drop that could be contributing to weekend ridership’s rebound. Historically, Metro has largely been used by commuters during the week — fewer weekend riders means a smaller pool of people to win back now. That could be speeding up the rebound, D.C. Policy Center executive director Yesim Sayin Taylor tells Axios.While the Delta variant was circulating in the months following the change to $2 weekend fares, the FDA approved vaccines for kids 5-11 in late October, which could have also contributed to the increase in riders. Of note: Metro this summer dropped the price of to also $2 — a signal that the agency sees $2 fares as a fruitful tool to bring more riders back during times when commuters aren’t as plentiful. What’s next: Metro riders have gotten quite a few pieces of good news over the last few weeks – the will open on Nov. 15; more 7000-series trains are returning to the tracks, which should decrease wait times; and the stations south of DCA y. Get more local stories in your inbox with .Subscribe Support local journalism by becoming a member.

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