Key takeaway: CTA fares are unchanged in 2026: $2.50 per train ride, $2.25 per bus ride and $75 for a 30-day pass.
If you’ve read that a CTA train ride now costs $2.75, that’s out of date. The ‘L’ fare is still $2.50, the bus is still $2.25 and the 30-day pass is still $75. Those are the same prices on the CTA fare chart since February 2023.
What happened to the fare hike
In fall 2025, with federal pandemic money running out, the Regional Transportation Authority told the CTA, Metra and Pace to raise fares at least 10% for 2026. The CTA’s version was a 25 cent increase on trains and buses plus higher pass prices. News outlets and travel guides reported those numbers, and plenty of them still show them.
Then Springfield passed a $1.2 billion transit funding package during the fall veto session. The RTA dropped its fare hike requirement, and in November 2025 the CTA board approved a 2026 budget with no fare increase, no service cuts and no layoffs (WTTW). The law also bars fare increases in 2026 (Axios).
Current CTA fares
| Fare | Full price |
|---|---|
| ‘L’ train ride | $2.50 |
| Bus ride | $2.25 |
| Transfers, up to 2 within 2 hours | Free |
| 1-Day pass | $5 |
| 3-Day pass | $15 |
| 7-Day pass | $20 |
| 30-Day pass | $75 |
| 30-Day pass, reduced fare | $35 |
| Train boarding at O’Hare | $5 |
| Regional Connect Pass, with a Metra monthly | $30 |
Checked against the CTA fare chart on October 25, 2026.
Is a pass worth it?
At $2.50 a ride, the 30-day pass pays for itself at 30 train rides, or 15 round trips. For a five-day-a-week commuter, that’s about three weeks of riding. The 7-Day pass breaks even at 8 train rides. Transfers within two hours are already free on Ventra, so a train plus a bus counts as one fare.
What’s changing for drivers
- Tollway: passenger tolls go up 45 cents under the same transit law (NBC Chicago).
- Chicago Skyway: $8.10 in 2026, up 30 cents (ABC7).
- Rideshare: $1.50 extra for rides that start or end in the downtown congestion zone.
- Thinking about a car instead? See what it costs to own a car in Chicago.
What to watch in 2027
The new Northern Illinois Transit Authority, or NITA, replaces the RTA in 2027 and takes over fare-setting for the CTA, Metra and Pace (Progressive Railroading). The 2026 freeze doesn’t carry forward on its own, so 2027 prices are an open question. We’ll update this post when NITA acts.