Is a monthly Metro pass worth it?
A Monthly Unlimited pass is priced at 32 times your one-way fare, so it pays for itself once you take more than 32 one-way trips in a month, which is about 16 round-trip commuting days. Commute four or more days a week and the pass wins.
Where is the break-even point?
Pay-per-ride cost climbs with every trip you take. A pass is a flat price. Where the two lines cross is your break-even point, and after that every extra ride is effectively free.
Pay per ride Monthly pass (flat) Break-even at 32 trips
Drawn for a rider whose one-way fare is $2.50, which prices the monthly pass at $80. The crossover sits at 32 trips at every fare level, because the pass is always 32 times the fare.
How many trips do you actually take?
At 40 one-way trips a month, the pass wins by $20.00.
Costed over four commuting weeks, with the pass priced at 32 times the one-way fare. Not sure what your one-way fare is? Look it up in the calculator and come back.
What do the passes cost?
| Pass | Price | Break-even |
|---|---|---|
| 1-Day Unlimited | $13.50 | About 4 trips in one day |
| 3-Day Unlimited | $33.75 | About 10 trips over 3 days |
| 7-Day Unlimited | $60.75 | About 18 trips in a week |
| 7-Day Short-Trip | $40.50 | Rail trips up to $4.50; the excess comes off stored value |
| 7-Day Regional Bus | $13.50 | Metrobus and regional partners only |
| Monthly Unlimited | $72 to $216 | 32 one-way trips per month |
Every pass includes unlimited Metrobus. Break-even figures for the fixed-price passes assume the $3.35 average rail fare; at the $2.25 minimum you need more trips, and at the $6.75 maximum you need fewer. Full pass details sit on the fares hub.
When is a monthly pass not worth it?
If you work hybrid, ride a few days a week, or take mostly short trips already close to the $2.25 floor, pay-per-ride usually wins. Two other things to weigh: passes need a Smart Trip card and do not work with contactless tap-to-pay, and a monthly pass does not stretch further just because you travel late, since off-peak trips are already capped at $2.50.
Run your own numbers
Look up your usual trip, then bring the one-way fare back to the module above.
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WMATA Transit information provided on this site is subject to change without notice. Fares shown are sourced from the WMATA API and may not reflect temporary promotions or fare changes. For the most current fare information, visit wmata.com/fares. NextMetro is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to WMATA.