Metro is rolling out new incentives to lure riders back to the transit system after months of low ridership.

Starting Sept. 5, one-way Metrorail trips on weekends will cost just $2, and more buses will be added to the busiest lines to accommodate passengers returning to work and school following pandemic-related closures. More trains will run more frequently throughout the system all week, late-night service will get a boost, most passes will get cheaper, and transfers between most bus routes and rail will be free, among other pot-sweeteners.

“This is a time of change for Metro and our customers, and it’s an opportunity to make our service work better for all riders whether they take Metro to work, the grocery store, visit family or friends or just get around town,” Metro Board Chair Paul C. Smedberg said in a statement.

Metro’s board approved the service changes in June. General Manager Paul Wiedefeld said they’re intended to support the region’s economic recovery from COVID-19, as well as its “social recovery.”

Making service cheaper and more reliable is about “getting everyone back into the community, and providing that social fabric that we’re all longing for,” Wiedefeld said.

Service changes going into effect Sept. 5 include:

• • Lower rail fares on weekends: One-way trips to any station will cost $2.
  • Free transfers: Transferring from Metrobus to Metrorail will be free, except on Express bus routes.
  • More late-night train service: Metrorail will extend its Friday and Saturday hours from midnight to 1 a.m.
  • More trains outside of rush hour: Wait times on Metrorail will be reduced to 3 to 6 minutes on weekdays until 9:30 p.m., and more trains will run after 9:30 p.m. on the Red Line and at stations served by multiple lines. Trains will also be added on weekends, with wait times up to 10 minutes on the Red Line, and 5 to 8 minutes at stations served by multiple lines.
  • Earlier Sunday hours: The Metrorail system will open at 7 a.m. instead of 8 a.m. on Sundays.
  • Lower prices for weekly bus passes: Seven-day passes will cost $12, or $6 for seniors and riders with disabilities, equal to a 20% discount.
  • Enhanced Metrobus service: Buses will make more stops on 36 of the system’s most popular bus routes, and 10 other routes will also get more service.

A detailed list of the service changes can be found on Metro’s website.

Rush hour traffic on Metrorail dropped during the pandemic as thousands of 9-to-5 commuters switched to remote work, but buses continued to be busy as essential employees relied on them to get to and from work. Predicting long-term changes to people’s commuting patterns, Metro board members voted to enhance train service around the clock, while beefing up the most popular bus routes.

Metro doesn’t expect customer traffic to recover fully until after 2024. After the pandemic dealt a withering blow to the system’s revenues, Metro is funding its service enhancements with $2.5 billion in federal aid.

But while many stations will enjoy enhanced service starting this fall, there will be other delays and closures. Metro plans to close a portion of the Red Line from Sept. 11 and Dec. 4, and single-tracking will go into effect here and there while the system makes scheduled repairs.