How much does the Metro Express cost?
Fares depend on how many fare stages you travel. The most recent fare table Metro Express Ltd has published is its press communiqué effective 8 May 2022. At that point the line ran from Port Louis to Quatre Bornes and to Phoenix, before the Curepipe section opened.
| Fare stage | Adult | Student | Child |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rs 35 | Rs 17 | Rs 15 |
| 2 | Rs 40 | Rs 22 | Rs 20 |
| 3 | Rs 45 | Rs 25 | Rs 22 |
| 4 | Rs 50 | Rs 28 | Rs 25 |
| 5 | Rs 55 | Rs 30 | Rs 27 |
The communiqué does not say which stations fall in which stage. It also predates the extension to Curepipe, so a Curepipe fare is not in it. The ticket machine shows the fare before you pay, so treat this table as a guide and check the screen.
Single ticket or MECard: which should I buy?
Adult single-use tickets and Adult MECards are both sold from the electronic ticketing machines at every station, per the operator's My Journey page. The FAQ says you can top up there with cash or a bank card, and credit stays valid for 3 years after your last top-up.
The operator's two pages disagree on the Adult MECard price. My Journey says Rs 150 including Rs 100 of credit, while the FAQ says Rs 200 including Rs 100 of credit. So the card itself costs you Rs 50 or Rs 100 on top of your credit. The machine shows the real price.
Using the 2022 stage 3 fare of Rs 45 as an example, the 5–10% MECard discount saves Rs 2.25 to Rs 4.50 per trip:
| Card cost (net of credit) | Saving per trip | Trips to break even |
|---|---|---|
| Rs 50 | Rs 4.50 (10%) | 12 |
| Rs 50 | Rs 2.25 (5%) | 23 |
| Rs 100 | Rs 4.50 (10%) | 23 |
| Rs 100 | Rs 2.25 (5%) | 45 |
For a week's holiday with a few metro rides, single tickets are the better deal. The MECard pays off if you commute daily, or if you would rather not buy a ticket for every ride. The operator also advertises a "Privilege Pass" for unlimited travel on the Adult MECard, but publishes no price for it that we could find.
Can tourists travel free on buses and the metro?
No. The scheme is real, but it depends on status that visitors do not have. On the Metro Express:
- Students: the Student MECard costs Rs 100 and is distributed through schools and colleges. Free travel covers only the trip between home and school on school days, and students must also carry their student ID or NTA bus pass, per the student FAQ.
- Seniors: the Senior MECard is free for pensioners aged 60 and over, issued at government offices on showing ID.
- Disabled people: the Priority MECard is free, issued the same way.
The FAQ says passengers who already have free bus travel get matching free metro travel with the right card. The operator's pages do not mention visitors at all, and a foreign passport does not get you any of these cards. Budget for full fares.
Bus fares and hours
Buses cover the whole island, and the metro only one corridor. Fares are charged by stage and paid on board. The last full stage table we could open from the National Land Transport Authority is its tariff effective 12 August 2013, which ran from Rs 12 for one stage to Rs 37 for 30 stages or more for an adult. The government published a review of bus fares in May 2022, and we could not read the revised table, so today's fares are higher than the 2013 figures. Carry coins and small notes.
Hours matter more than fares for visitors. Most routes finish in the early evening:
| Route | Last departure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 24, Port Louis (Victoria Square) to Mahebourg | 18:45 from Port Louis on weekdays | NLTA timetable |
| 198, Port Louis to Mahebourg via the airport | About 18:30 | Airport bus page and timetable |
| 09, Mahebourg to Curepipe via the airport | 20:00 | Airport bus page and timetable |
| Metro Express | 19:00 | Operator home page |
The metro's home page states 06:00 to 19:00, but next to a line about sanitary measures that looks left over from the pandemic. Check before you rely on a late train. For a dinner in Port Louis or Grand Baie, plan a taxi home.
Tap on, tap off: what happens if you forget
Every metro journey needs a tap in at the start and a tap out at the end, with a ticket or MECard. The conditions of travel set these charges:
| Situation | Charge |
|---|---|
| No tap out | Default fare Rs 47 plus Rs 10 dwell-time charge |
| Travelling past the paid stage (overtravel) | Rs 2,000 administrative charge |
| Staying in the paid area too long (overstay) | Rs 2,000 |
| Fare evasion | Rs 5,000 |
| Reporting a lost ticket yourself | Rs 500 |
My Journey adds that fare evasion can also lead to a fine of up to Rs 5,000 and up to two years in prison.
For getting into Port Louis from the airport, including the bus 09 and metro combination via Curepipe, see our SSR airport to Port Louis guide. If buses and the metro do not suit your itinerary, our guide to renting a car in Mauritius covers licences and speed cameras.