Can I Purchase New SmartTrip Card for $2.00 (not $10)? (to buy, maintenance)
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I will be visiting DC in a week. I will need perhaps one or two rides on the Metro. Therefore, I'm wondering if I can purchase a new SmartTrip metro card for $2.00, then just add the fare I need as I travel.
For example, if I choose the option to purchase "multiple smarttrip cards" at the vending machine, is there an option to purchase only one for $2.00 (versus the option to purchase one new card for $10)?
I will be arriving at Union Station and will be taking one trip one-way to Woodley Park ($2.20 peak fare). That's all I will probably need. Seems like a waste to pay $10 for a $2.20 fare since I probably won't be visiting DC again for a few years. I guess I have to pay $2 for the card, no way around that.
I know you can buy multiple new cards for $2 each (no preload), then add fares to each. So if a single card can only be bought for $10 ($8 pre-loaded fare), then it makes more sense for me to buy 2 fare cards and add fare to one of them as needed.
Last edited by mitchmiller9; 08-05-2023 at 11:16 PM..
Just go to the station and buy a paper fare card with the value you need. You can pay per ride. A Smart Trip card is for regular commuting. Calculate the cost of the fare:
The fare machine suggests paying $10 ($2 for the card + $8 fare), but you can always reduce or increase the amount of fare down using the "$ +/-" rocker button.
If you only need two $2.20 fares, then use the fare machine or the SmarTrip app to buy a $6.40 card ($2 card + 2x $2.20 fares).
There's no reason to buy multiple $2 empty fare cards, unless for some reason you're collecting them. The $2 for the card isn't valid as transit fare.
The fare machine suggests paying $10 ($2 for the card + $8 fare), but you can always reduce or increase the amount of fare down using the "$ +/-" rocker button.
If you only need two $2.20 fares, then use the fare machine or the SmarTrip app to buy a $6.40 card ($2 card + 2x $2.20 fares).
There's no reason to buy multiple $2 empty fare cards, unless for some reason you're collecting them. The $2 for the card isn't valid as transit fare.
Paper fare cards are no longer sold or accepted.
Didn't know they got rid of the paper cards. It seems ridiculous that one cannot purchase one fare.
Didn't know they got rid of the paper cards. It seems ridiculous that one cannot purchase one fare.
The machinery to read the paper cards was wearing out and starting to cost too much in maintenance to support. Also the paper cards were easy to 'beat' and add unauthorized value to meaning the largest users of them were people using nefarious means to keep from actually paying their fares. The purely electronic smart trip cards and/or the app used newer technology that is more difficult to defeat and in the long run is cheaper to operate.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
