You already knew that in January, WMATA is doing away with all paper transfers and increasing the SmarTrip transfer window to three hours. This morning the Post explains that these transfer changes will at long last include discounts for bus to rail transfers that riders (and DCist commenters) have been asking for since SmarTrip was first introduced. Currently, rail to bus transfers are discounted, but commuters who start on a Metrobus and then enter the Metrorail system pay full price for both.

The plan involves balancing out the discount between both bus to rail and rail to bus riders. Currently, rail to bus customers get a deep discount on the second half of their trip, paying full price for their Metrorail ride and 35 cents for their bus trip. Under the new plan, those transfers will become more expensive, going up to 75 cents for the bus ride. At the same time, bus to rail customers will finally see a discount, amounting to 50 cents being knocked off their Metrorail fare when they enter the system within three hours of a bus ride.

Some Metro officials reportedly would like to delay the implementation of this change, in order to make sure customers have lots of time to get used to and understand the new transfer fare structure. But according to the Post’s account, Metro’s board is set on instituting the change at the same time as the elimination of paper transfers, on Jan. 4, 2009.

Do you think the plan to balance transfer discounts is fair?

Photo by slack13