San Diego’s transit agencies are facing budget shortages in the next few years, which could affect service (how often bus and rail service runs, how many routes are available, cleaning, and more). As part of their research for long-term funding sources, the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) and North County Transit – San Diego Railroad (NCTD) asked SANDAG to conduct a fare study to determine if fares should change in order to keep service levels as high as possible.

MTS and NCTD collected high level feedback in fall 2025 to inform each agency’s research for possible fare changes. Please see the document library for reports on those surveys that were presented to the agencies' Boards of Directors.

In early 2026, both MTS and NCTD presented possible fare packages to the public, and held workshops and pop-up events to get feedback from riders. MTS and NCTD Boards both forwarded recommendations to the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) to implement fare changes. Before a final decision is made by the SANDAG Transportation Committee, SANDAG, MTS and NCTD will host two public hearings on Tuesday, June 9 to give the public an opportunity to provide feedback on the final fare change package. After that, the SANDAG Transportation Committee will vote on any fare changes. The SANDAG Transportation Committee will meet to discuss and vote on a final fare change package in June and July 2026. Please see the Upcoming Events and/or Important Dates for meeting information, agenda, and information on how to participate in-person or online.

For more information, visit our Frequently Asked Questions page or view the timeline below.

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If MTS and NCTD’s Boards of Directors decide they want to move forward with a fare change: