How much does public transit in your town cost? According to a recent survey by Citizens Taking Action, a transit watchdog group, most Americans pay a basic fare around $1.53. According to the group, Chicago’s public transportation system is the most expensive in the US at $1.50 for bus fare and $2 to ride the El.
That may not sound like much, but the difference shows when you consider weekly and monthly passes–$17.80 and $58.43 nationally, $24 and $75 in Chicago. The watchdog group’s concern is that fare hikes proposed for 2009 will further widen the gap between the national average and Chicago fares.
Of course, it’s no coincidence that Chicago Transit Authority and Citizens Taking Action share initials and the study to find the national average and America’s most expensive public transit was conducted informally.
Do you know of any public transit prices more expensive than Chicago’s?
Similar Posts:
- World’s Most Expensive ATV
- World’s Most Expensive Lamborghini
- Most Expensive Gas Price in the US
- Most Expensive City in the US
- Most Expensive Health Care System
- Ten of the Most Expensive Suburbs in the US
{ 24 comments… read them below or add one }
Check the rates for Philadelphia. $2 flat rate .75 for a bus pass. weekly transpasses are $21.75 I think we have Chi Town beat
Reno, NV is $2.00 a fare. Weekly passes are $21 and monthly are $70, so it’s pretty close
I live in St-Jean-sur-Richelieu in Quebec, Canada and we pay 40$ for 10 bus tickets or 5$ each….
The buses go around town and bring us to Montreal wich is about a 20 minute ride…..
It is not unusual to see bus fare this high in surrounding cities.
c’mon the fare for the transporte in here toronto canada its 2.75 dls and the monthly pass its 109 dls i think its not that bad in chicago….
40 Sek (4,54 $US) minimum (innercity) for 1hr ticket or 690 Sek (78,34$US) for a 30-day pass in Stockholm, Sweden.
In New York City, bus and train fares are currently $2.00. A weekly pass (metrocard) is $25 and a monthly pass is $81 with threats to increase the fare as early as May 2009!!
I know this is a discussion of the most expensive transit system in the U.S, but had to mention that in London a peak time single ticket on the underground is £4.00… about $7!
Yeah the UK is far more expensive. And you have that old bloke sitting next to you who smells like he`s peed himself!
In Sacramento, CA we pay 2.25 for one ride, 2.75 for 2 hour transfer. Or 6.00 per day or 100.00 per month. In addition to that there is talk of raising the monthly to 125.00, cutting out transfers and reducing bus schedules.
SAN DIEGO PUBLIC TRANSIT IS THE WORSE
$2.50 ONE WAY $5.00 ROUND TRIP $72.00 A MONTH. NO YOU CAN SAY THAT’S NOT BAD HOWEVER SAN DIEGO IS NOT SET UP FOR MASS TRANSIT.
IT DOSEN’T GO ANYWHERE THERE’S ONLY TWO LINE’S SO YOU PAY TOP DOLLAR TO GO A FEW BLOCK’S WELCOME TO CALI.
yeah out here in Phoenix we the second highest in the nation…get this 1.75 ONE WAY but 5.25 all day pass monthly 160.00…horrible i’d be better off gettin an SUV
Phx is the worst followed by San Diego…$72 for a bus trolley system that runs 15 or 30 min int and no late night system.
I can’t believe no one has mentioned DC yet! I just moved here and I’m floored by how expensive public transportation is. I haven’t rode the bus yet, but the Subway fares here are determined by distance traveled and whether it was during “peak” hours (6am-9am, 3-7pm weekday, 2am-3:30 am weekends). It costs me $3.25 each way to travel about 12 miles on the Subway to work.
In Anchorage, Alaska its 1.75 one way without a transfer. If you need to transfer its an additional $1.75 or $4.00 for an all day bus pass.
Chicago is about to raise prices. We will go from monthly passes costing $86 to costing $110.
milwaukee, WI: public bus fare is $2.25 and you receive a “pass” good for an hour and 1/2. there is NO other public transportation options (no subway, etc)
Toronto Canada was $2 in 1996 and is now $3 and not much has change just one new line in the subway some new bus AND A SLEEPING TTC FARE WORKER see it here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MaxwIF7qcZk
do you have anything like this
Of all the Subway systems that I’ve been on in the States, D.C. is the most expensive. It costs me $4.05 each way to get to/from work for just the rail, the bus if I choose to ride is another $1.50 (and rates are going up in March ’10). I’ve riden Chicago’s Subway for 6 years, it is considerably cheaper then D.C.’s.
DC rates can go as high as $4.60 per ride, and my commute is $9.20 each day (full fare during “peak hours”). Plus parking is not free here either, even at the outlying stations. The whole peak hours thing is annoying too. They go from 7-9 in the morning and 3-7 in the evening. However, you pay full fare if you begin or end the commute during these times, so a person riding for an hour who starts at 2:05 will have to pay full fare when they arrive at 3:05.
You are all way off. DC Metro is most espensive. I pay $4.35 each way ($8.70 per day) to ride from Virginia Suburbs to DC every day. We have no weekly or monthly or commuter passes, and fares rise at least once a year.
Oh, and parking at the Metro lot (when not full) in Virginia is about $5.00 per day as well.
A single bus ride in Ottawa, Canada is $3.25 (but can get up to $5.25 depending on the trip). This isn’t a subway or anything, just a bus that is often late or doesn’t show up. A monthly bus pass for an adult is $91 (up to $140 if you live a little further out).
As if that’s not bad enough, they feel the need to raise the price yearly.
yesss… well pgh is 2.00 for one trip. ( directly to downtown… ) for a transfer is 2.75. and those only last 3 hours… 80.00 for a one zone monthly bus pass. not sure what the price of a two zone pass. but the thing about it is that you have no other choice but to spend 2.75 a day. because u dont always have to go downtown.. then to the neigherborhood of your choice… it sucks..
toronto canada, is $3 cash fare (or $2.50/token), monthly passes for adults are $121, weekly passes are $36