Full Rail Runner fares to mostly return in April

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — It will soon cost more to ride the rails as the New Mexico Rail Runner Express is mostly ending its reduced fares next month.

Starting April 3, all fares, except for the monthly pass, will return to normal. The Rail Runner Monthly Pass will be 50% off through December 31.

The Rio Metro Regional Transit District reduced fares last April when gas prices rose. After experiencing a rise in ridership, they extended reduced fares into this year.

To see the comparison between the full fares and reduced fares, click this link.

An American Public Transportation Association study shows riders took around 439,200 Rail Runner trips last year. Around 77% of those trips occurred in the eight months after reduced fares, with a peak of 49,100 trips in October.

During the pandemic, Rail Runner operations were suspended for a year, then limited to 25% capacity until late May 2021.

While ridership has improved since the pandemic, it still lags behind pre-pandemic levels.

Riders took around 743,600 trips in 2019, with a peak of around 69,900 trips that October.