Metro Bus travel to cost more in Lahore, Rawalpindi and Multan after 33pc fare hike

LAHORE (Dunya News) – Commuters using metro bus services across Punjab will soon face higher travel costs after authorities approved a 33 percent increase in fares across the province’s Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) network.

According to the Punjab Mass Transit Authority, the revised fares will come into effect from March 26, 2026, impacting passengers travelling on metro bus systems operating in major cities of the province.

Officials confirmed that the increase applies to all BRT corridors operating under the provincial mass transit network, including the Pakistan Metrobus System. The authority has raised the ticket price by Rs10 per trip, a move that results in an overall increase of approximately 33 percent for regular commuters.

Following the revision, the standard fare for the Rawalpindi-Islamabad Metrobus, the Lahore Metrobus, and the Multan Metrobus will rise to Rs40 per journey. The metro bus systems in these cities, commonly recognised for their red bus fleets and dedicated corridors, serve hundreds of thousands of passengers daily, making them among the busiest public transport services in the province.

Authorities said the fare adjustment applies to all passengers using the red metro bus services operating along the dedicated BRT routes in Rawalpindi, Lahore, and Multan. The fare revision is part of a broader restructuring of operational costs associated with maintaining the metro bus network.

The provincial transit authority also clarified that passengers using the Green Transport Card will continue to receive a subsidised fare under the revised structure. Cardholders will be entitled to a Rs15 discount, allowing them to travel for Rs25 per trip despite the increase in standard ticket prices.

The Green Transport Card programme was introduced to facilitate regular commuters by offering discounted travel on the province’s mass transit systems. The scheme is widely used by daily passengers, including students, workers and low-income travellers who rely on the metro bus services for affordable transportation.

Metro bus networks across Punjab were developed to provide rapid and efficient urban mobility through dedicated lanes, modern stations and electronic ticketing systems. Since their launch, the systems in Lahore, Rawalpindi-Islamabad and Multan have carried millions of passengers and remain central to the province’s urban public transport infrastructure.

The latest fare revision comes as the provincial transport authorities continue to review operational costs, passenger demand and subsidy structures across the BRT network.