Politics
Mexico City Metro Fare Increase 2026: Iztapalapa Impact
Mexico City approves fare stabilization bill in July 2026. Southeast routes like Iztapalapa get fare caps while central Benito Juárez lines face 0.50 peso increases starting September.
How we reported this
The Mexico City Legislative Assembly approved the Fare Stabilization Bill on 8 July 2026. The measure caps fares on 12 Metrobús corridors and six Metro lines that record the highest passenger volumes from Iztapalapa, Xochimilco and Tláhuac. Central routes through Benito Juárez and Miguel Hidalgo receive only inflation-linked increases of 0.50 pesos per trip.
The legislation follows the June 2026 update to the city transport budget, which showed a 9 percent rise in operating costs for the Sistema de Transporte Colectivo Metro. Assembly records note that daily ridership on lines serving the southeast averaged 1.8 million passengers in the first quarter of 2026, compared with 620,000 on the central lines.
Daily costs for residents
Households in Iztapalapa that make two round trips daily on Metrobús Line 1 will see weekly transport spending fall from 280 pesos to 210 pesos once the cap takes effect. Workers in Xochimilco who transfer between Metro Line 12 and local buses gain an expected monthly saving of 240 pesos, according to the bill’s fiscal attachment. Residents in Benito Juárez, where most trips stay within two stations, face an increase of roughly 40 pesos per month.
Local advocates note that small vendors operating near terminal stations in Tláhuac may see steadier customer traffic if commuters retain more disposable income. Delivery drivers who use Metro parking facilities in the same area are projected to benefit from unchanged parking fees listed in the same document.
Budget allocation and timeline
The bill directs 1.85 billion pesos from the 2027 transport appropriation to cover the subsidy shortfall on the designated corridors. The Secretaría de Movilidad will publish monthly usage reports beginning October 2026 to verify that funds reach the intended lines. The government projects full rollout by 1 September 2026, with fare machines reprogrammed during the last two weeks of August.
Further adjustments will be reviewed in the assembly’s December 2026 session after the first quarter of data collection. Residents can track changes through the official city transport application, which will display updated fares for each station starting next month.