The operator of Macau’s Light Rail Transit (LRT) announced yesterday that from today LRT passengers can take a ride by directly swiping their Macau Pass cards at ticket gates.
A statement by the government-owned LRT operator, Macau Light Rapid Transit Corporation Limited (MLM), said that the new measure aims to make it “more convenient and flexible” for passengers to take the LRT.
According to yesterday’s statement, from today those using a Macau Pass card to take the LRT will enjoy the same fare discount as those using a stored-value LRT card.
Those using a stored-value LRT card enjoy a 50 percent fare discount compared to the price of a general single-way ticket.
The LRT currently only operates on the 9.3-kilometre-long Taipa section which includes Cotai. The Taipa-Cotai section, which started operating on December 10, 2019, has 11 stations.
Since the resumption of the LRT service on April 3 after around six-months of cable replacement work, the LRT operator has been giving passengers a 50 percent fare discount, which will run until December 31.
Under the 50-percent fare discount – which is running between April 3 and December 31, LRT passengers buying a general single-way ticket at station service counters have to pay three patacas per trip when travelling up to three stations, four patacas per trip when travelling up to six stations, and five patacas per trip when travelling up to 10 stations. Previously, i.e., before April 3, the fares were six, eight and 10 patacas respectively.
Because of the fact that those using a stored-value LRT card enjoy a 50 percent fare discount compared to the price of general single-way ticket, yesterday’s statement pointed out, passengers currently using an LRT card, i.e., between April 3 and December 31, have to pay only 1.5 patacas per trip when travelling up to three stations, two patacas per trip when travelling up to six stations, and 2.5 patacas per trip when travelling up to 10 stations.
Correspondingly, yesterday’s statement noted, that from today those swiping a Macau Pass card at ticket gates will also have to pay between 1.5 patacas and 2.5 patacas only.
Since the operational start of the LRT service, children under the height of one metre, as well as local senior citizens aged 65 or over and the disabled – holding their respective versions of the LRT card – do not need to pay any LRT fares. Their exemptions from paying any fares continue to be valid during the ongoing fare-discount period between April 3 and December 31.
Previously, i.e., before April 3, students – holding a student version of the LRT card – enjoyed a 75 percent fare discount compared to a general single-way ticket. Now, i.e., between April 3 and December 31, they are exempted from paying any LRT fares.
Yesterday’s statement also said that students, senior citizens and the disabled holding their respective versions of a Macau Pass card will also be exempted from any LRT fares during the ongoing fare-discount period between April 3 and December 31.
The LRT system is owned by the local government through its Macau Light Rapid Transit Corporation Limited (MLM) but its operation has been outsourced to Hong Kong’s MTR Railway Operations (Macau) Company Limited.
