OAKLAND — BART riders will soon have to pay more to ride.
The 5.5 percent increase — which means fares will increase on average by 25 cents from $4.47 to $4.72 — is effective on New Year’s Day.
“We understand that price increases are never welcome, but BART fares remain a vital source of funds even with ridership lower than they were before the pandemic,” BART Board Vice President Mark Foley said in the press release. “My Board colleagues and I voted in June 2023 to spread necessary fare increases over two years rather than catching up all at once. At the same time, we voted to increase the Clipper START means-based discount from 20 percent to 50 percent to help those most in need.”
Even with the fare increase, BART is staring down a 2026 fiscal year deficit of $35 million, and transit officials say it will grow to a staggering $385 million in the 2027 fiscal year. BART officials say the deficit is due in part to ridership dropping off during the coronavirus pandemic and not rebounding since, as remote work has become more widespread.