San Diego County travelers will pay new regional transit fares beginning October 1, 2026, after the SANDAG Transportation Committee approved a two phase increase on July 17. The decision changes prices across Metropolitan Transit System and North County Transit District services, including buses, the San Diego Trolley, SPRINTER, BREEZE, Rapid Express, COASTER, Access, and LIFT.
The first phase raises the standard regional adult one way fare from $2.50 to $3 and the regional adult monthly price from $72 to $85. A second phase scheduled for October 1, 2027, lifts the standard regional one way fare to $3.25 and the adult monthly price to $95, so riders need to budget for two separate changes rather than one permanent October price.
- Approval: The SANDAG Transportation Committee approved the regional fare changes on July 17.
- First phase: New MTS and NCTD prices begin October 1, 2026.
- Second phase: Another scheduled increase begins October 1, 2027.
- Regional one way fare: The adult price rises from $2.50 to $3 in 2026, then to $3.25 in 2027.
- Regional monthly price: The adult amount rises from $72 to $85, then to $95.
- Protected programs: The Youth Opportunity Pass continues, and MTS plans a PRONTO LIFE program for eligible riders.
What SANDAG approved
The official SANDAG fare page says its Transportation Committee approved the proposal after a study, public workshops, and June hearings. The agency says the increases will arrive over two years to reduce the first impact on riders, with the opening phase on October 1 and the next phase one year later.
Independent reporting from KPBS confirms the July 17 approval and describes it as the region’s first significant transit fare increase since 2009. That distinction matters because an older proposal or hearing notice no longer represents the decision travelers should use for fall budgeting.
SANDAG oversees the Comprehensive Fare Ordinance, while MTS and NCTD implement the regional prices on their services. The approved ordinance sets common categories and eligibility rules, but travelers should still use the operator serving their route for current schedules, exact payment options, and any program enrollment instructions.
Regional bus, Trolley, and SPRINTER prices
The adult regional one way price rises to $3 in October 2026 and $3.25 in October 2027 for MTS Bus, Rapid, Express, Trolley, NCTD BREEZE, and SPRINTER. The reduced Senior, Disabled, and Medicare price rises from $1.25 to $1.50 in the first phase and remains $1.50 in the second schedule.
The regional day cap rises from $6 to $7 for adults and from $3 to $3.50 for reduced fare riders on October 1. Those listed prices remain $7 and $3.50 in the 2027 schedule, so frequent travel within one service day is affected in the first phase but not increased again by the approved second phase.
The regional adult monthly price produces a larger budget change. It rises from $72 to $85 in 2026 and then to $95 in 2027, while the reduced monthly price rises from $23 to $28 and then to $30. Riders who rely on monthly fare capping should fund PRONTO for the higher ceiling before the relevant month begins.
Premium, rural, and paratransit changes
MTS Rapid Express moves from a $5 adult one way fare to $6 in 2026 and $7 in 2027. Its reduced fare moves from $2.50 to $3 in the first phase and stays at $3 in the second, while the adult premium regional day amount rises from $12 to $14 and then to $16.
MTS Rural service rises from $8 to $10 for an adult one way trip in 2026 and to $11 in 2027. The corresponding reduced price moves from $4 to $5 and stays there, a meaningful distinction for a traveler comparing a long rural trip with a standard regional bus or Trolley journey.
MTS Access and NCTD LIFT rise from $5 to $6 per ride in the first phase and to $6.50 in the second schedule. The ordinance keeps personal care attendant and eligibility rules separate from those base prices, so a paratransit user should confirm certification, booking, and companion details directly with the operator.
COASTER and North County passes change too
The approved schedule replaces the current COASTER zone range with a $6.50 adult one way price and a $3.25 reduced price in 2026. Those amounts rise to $7 and $3.50 in 2027, removing the lower one zone and two zone single trip prices that currently apply to shorter journeys.
The adult COASTER monthly price becomes $185 in the first phase and $190 in the second, while the reduced monthly price becomes $60 and then $70. COASTER is not part of PRONTO fare capping, so a rider cannot assume repeated stored value trips will automatically stop charging at the listed monthly pass amount.
SPRINTER and BREEZE monthly passes rise from $59 to $65 for adults and from $19 to $20 for reduced riders in 2026. The 2027 amounts become $70 and $23, while the dedicated SPRINTER and BREEZE day price remains $4.50 across both approved phases.
How PRONTO capping and transfers work
The ordinance preserves free transfers within two hours when a rider uses PRONTO stored value or an eligible open loop payment and transfers to a regional service. Cash paid on a bus does not receive that transfer treatment, and a SPRINTER paper ticket does not provide the same transfer right.
PRONTO fare capping continues for eligible regional and premium regional travel. The system charges stored value per boarding until the rider reaches the applicable daily or monthly ceiling, but the official rules exclude COASTER from fare capping and also exclude Access and LIFT from the standard regional transfer framework.
Travelers should check the current MTS fare chart before October and again when the new schedule becomes active. A saved screenshot from summer can show the present price rather than the approved fall price, especially if a trip, pass purchase, or stored value reload crosses the implementation date.
Youth and low income riders have separate protections
SANDAG says the approved increase does not change the Youth Opportunity Pass, which continues to let people age 18 and younger ride free with an eligible Youth PRONTO account or card. The ordinance still lists youth reduced fare categories, but the funded Youth Opportunity Pass is the practical rule qualifying young riders should verify before paying.
MTS and NCTD are also moving ahead with PRONTO LIFE, a new low income fare program scheduled for October 1. SANDAG says the fare increase will not affect MTS riders enrolled in government assistance programs, but travelers should wait for the operators’ final enrollment instructions rather than assume that income eligibility is automatic.
The low income program and free youth benefit are not reasons to use someone else’s account or category. Reduced fare products require the correct PRONTO profile and proof of eligibility, and agencies may request identification, so complete any application before the first trip under the new price schedule.
Budgeting a San Diego trip after October 1
A visitor taking two standard regional rides in one day would reach $6 under the new one way price, while the adult regional day cap is $7. The better choice depends on additional trips, transfer timing, and payment method, so travelers should tap the same eligible payment credential consistently when relying on capping.
A COASTER itinerary needs a separate calculation because the train has its own prices and no fare capping. Travelers combining COASTER with BREEZE, SPRINTER, or FLEX should review the permitted two hour NCTD transfer rule, while anyone continuing to an MTS service should not assume that the same COASTER transfer benefit applies.
Local transit can still be part of a wider San Diego plan, including visits to places such as Cabrillo National Monument, but the route and last connection matter as much as the fare. Check the operator trip planner for the exact stop sequence before treating a regional day cap or monthly pass as the complete transportation budget.
San Diego fare decision matrix
| Trip or product | October 2026 price | What to verify |
|---|---|---|
| Regional adult one way | $3 | Use the same PRONTO or eligible payment credential for transfers and capping |
| Regional adult day cap | $7 | Confirm the planned services qualify for regional fare capping |
| Regional adult monthly | $85 | Compare expected October rides with the higher monthly ceiling |
| Rapid Express adult one way | $6 | Do not budget it as a standard $3 regional boarding |
| COASTER adult one way | $6.50 | Remember that COASTER is excluded from PRONTO fare capping |
| COASTER adult monthly | $185 | Compare the pass with the actual number of planned train trips |
| Access or LIFT one way | $6 | Confirm eligibility, booking rules, and any companion fare |
| Youth Opportunity Pass | Free for eligible riders | Use an eligible Youth PRONTO account or card |
The July 17 approval converts a proposal into a dated purchase decision. Riders should update October budgets now, especially for regional monthly passes, COASTER travel, Rapid Express, rural routes, and paratransit, then repeat the comparison before the second approved phase begins in October 2027.
Before the first phase, verify the exact service category, payment method, reduced fare eligibility, and transfer path on the relevant MTS or NCTD page. Do not assume that regional capping covers COASTER, that bus cash includes free transfers, or that a saved current fare chart shows the October price.
When do San Diego regional transit fares increase?
The first approved fare phase begins October 1, 2026. A second approved phase is scheduled for October 1, 2027.
How much will a standard regional ride cost?
The adult one way price for eligible MTS and NCTD regional services becomes $3 in October 2026 and $3.25 in October 2027.
Will the Youth Opportunity Pass continue?
Yes. SANDAG says the approved changes do not affect the Youth Opportunity Pass for eligible riders age 18 and younger.
Does PRONTO fare capping include COASTER?
No. The approved ordinance states that COASTER is not subject to PRONTO fare capping.
