As of January 15, 2022, RIPTA no longer accepts paper fare products on board. Still have old paper fare products? Click here to learn how you can transfer the value over to your new Wave account!
Passengers must pay their fare with one of the following:
- Cash (Exact Change Only)
- Wave smart card
- Wave mobile app
- Wave Photo ID Bus Pass
- Wave Printable QR Code
- U-Pass ID
Wave is RIPTA’s smart fare collection system. It’s a convenient way for passengers to ride RIPTA with either a smart card or their smart phone. Click here for more information.
Fares
| Cash Fare* | (Exact change only) $2 per boarding; transfers not included |
| Wave Full Fare | (1 hour of unlimited rides) $2 |
| Wave Day Pass | (for unlimited travel until 2am next day) $6 |
| Wave Monthly Pass** | $70 |
| Senior/Disabled Off-Peak | $1.00 |
| RIde/Paratransit | $4 |
Once you add value to your Wave account, the Wave reader will deduct $2 from your stored balance when you tap your card or scan your app when you board. The $2 fare entitles you to one hour of unlimited rides! Don’t forget, with Earn As You Go, you will never pay more than the cost of a Day Pass in a day or the value of a Monthly Pass in a calendar month. You do not have to pre-purchase a Day Pass or Monthly Pass.
Children under five years old ride free when accompanied by an adult (limit of three children per adult).
*Cash fares are exact change only. Drivers cannot make change.
**You can load a digital Monthly Pass onto your Wave smart card or mobile app for that calendar month up until the 16th of that month. Monthly Passes purchased on the 17th or after are valid for the next calendar month.
RIde Fare
$4.00
- • Valid for one trip on the RIde Paratranasit Program.
- • Ticket valid on RIde service only.
- • You must qualify for the RIde program in order to purchase this fare.
- • Eligibility form.
Reduced Fare Bus Pass Program for Low-Income Seniors and People with Disabilities
RIPTA offers a special Reduced Fare Bus Pass Program that allows qualifying low-income seniors (age 65 or older) and low-income persons with disabilities to travel free for two years. Participants in this no fare program are issued a “Valid All Day” photo identification card, which they use to board the bus.
RIPTA also complies with federal transit guidelines and offers half-fare boarding to seniors and persons with disabilities, regardless of income, during off-peak hours. Passengers enrolled in this program are issued “Valid Off Peak” photo identification cards. These passengers pay full fare during RIPTA peak service hours (7am-9am and 3pm-6pm) on weekdays. Alternatively, passengers may use a Medicare Card to board.
For more information on how to apply for this program, please click here.
Rhode Island Public Transit Authority Refund/Exchange Policy