Los Angeles' Metro rail system is a great way to travel
about. The system recently eliminated paper tickets, and riders must have a TAP
card to board the rail.
As I've mentioned, riders who pay by cash lose money. The
metro system which includes bus and rail is not using a transfer system. Riders
can now make transfers for free on one $1.75 fare. The restrictions are that
they cannot board the same line twice and the last TAP has to be within 2 hours
of the initial one. Otherwise, the TAP card is charged again. There are no
paper transfers given so if you are transferring from bus to bus, you'll have
to pay again.
The metro rail is not like New York's subway system. You do
not Tap when deboarding. Remember when I mentioned that you cannot get on the
same line twice. If you tap your card when getting off the rail, you'll be
charged again. At most indoor stations, there are buttons to tap. I don't know
why they're there. They don't deduct money. But at the outdoor stations, there
are no turnstiles, only podiums. The podium doesn't know if you are leaving or
boarding so it's going to deduct money on that second tap.
If you have a day, 7-day, or monthly pass, it won't matter.
But there is absolutely no reason to tap out. You'll most likely lose money
when you do.
