How much could you save with a Metro SelectPass? Use our calculator to find out!
This information and calculator are out of date. You can access a newer calculator here.
Photo by thisisbossi on Flickr.
SelectPass, Metro’s new monthly pass program, currently has two versions: one that charges $2.25 per trip, and one that charges $3.75. Those whose regular fares are usually less than $2.25 or more than $3.75 may be unsure of whether the program would save them money, so we’ve created a calculator to show whether it would.
The program works by allowing riders to pay upfront for 18 days’ worth of round-trip commutes, at costs of either $2.25 or $3.75 per trip. Any extra trips of the same or lesser value are free, and longer ones just cost the difference between that trip and the single-trip charge.
Would getting a SelectPass save you money?
Because the pilot only offers passes at two price points, WMATA has suggested that it only offers savings to those whose one-way commute costs between $2.25 and $3.75. But since the SelectPass allows you to take more expensive trips for a reduced price, it also offers savings to anyone who regularly takes longer trips. Other riders, like those with less regular commutes but quite a few short trips each month, could also save.
To find out what your savings could be, use the calculator below, which Greater Greater Washington contributor Chris Slatt developed and I adapted and expanded.
We’ve filled it in with an example representing someone who commutes 20 days a month at rush hour between East Falls Church and Farragut West (40 trips at $3.30 each), and does a round trip in the afternoon between Farragut West and Capitol South once a week (eight trips at $1.75 each). If you don’t know how much your trips cost, go to the Metrorail stations page and click on the station where you’re starting your trip.
WMATA SelectPass Savings Calculator
In a typical month, how many one-way trips do you take and how much do they cost?
It’s worth repeating that the program is only a pilot right now, meaning WMATA could add more versions (i.e., more options for what price you buy your pass at) as it develops.