Many riders will need to tap their transit cards in order to disembark at Los Angeles Union Station in the latest effort by LA Metro to curb crime and crack down on fare evaders.
The Tap to Exit program at Union Station will go into effect on Tuesday, and will affect the Metro B and D subway lines.
Riders will need to tap their cards at a turnstile when they exit the subway and head upstairs to the main concourse.
Those who paid ahead of time will be able to exit seamlessly, but those who didn’t could be stopped at the gates and face the possibility of receiving a warning or citation — or even removal from the system entirely.
If you didn’t pay initially but have a valid TAP card when you exit, the fare will be deducted when you leave. Metro officials, however, say this is still a violation of Metro’s Code of Conduct.
Riders of Metrolink can already scan their ticket to enable free transfers on LA Metro, but will also need to scan again when exiting at any stations that require it.
The Tap to Exit program has already been successfully deployed at the North Hollywood station along the B Line, and the Downtown Santa Monica station along the E Line.
Last summer, the Metro Board approved a plan to eventually enforce Tap to Exit at all 10 end-of-line stations, as well as install beefier security gates at some stations.
The war on fare evasion comes following complaints about drug use, violence and other crime on the Metro system, the bulk of which was found to be perpetrated by riders who did not pay a fare to board.
After the Tap to Exit program was instituted at North Hollywood, Metro officials reported a 40% decrease in complaints via its Transit Watch app.
These latest security efforts are part of a larger strategy to cut down on the rare but high-profile violent crimes across the Metro system as L.A. prepares to host several of the biggest sporting events in the world, including the FIFA World Cup in 2026, the NFL Super Bowl in 2027 and the 2028 Summer Olympics and Paralympics.
In addition to implementing the Tap to Exit program at stations, Metro is also moving forward with plans to establish its own police force.
