Charlotte riders can now weigh in on proposed CATS fare changes that would charge for the Gold Line and end paper transfers
CATS opened public comment on proposed Charlotte fare changes that would add Gold Line fares, end paper transfers and expand some discounts. ([charlottenc.gov](https://www.charlottenc.gov/CATS/News/CATS-Announces-Public-Comment-Period-and-Public-Hearing-for-Proposed-Fare-Modernization-Program-Changes))
Charlotte Area Transit System has opened formal public comment on a proposed fare modernization plan that would change how many riders in Charlotte would pay, transfer and qualify for discounts. Comments are open from April 1 through May 7, 2026, and the Metropolitan Transit Commission is scheduled to hold a public hearing at 6 p.m. May 7 at the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Government Center, 600 E. 4th St. CATS says feedback will be reviewed before the commission considers whether to adopt the package. ([charlottenc.gov](https://www.charlottenc.gov/CATS/News/CATS-Announces-Public-Comment-Period-and-Public-Hearing-for-Proposed-Fare-Modernization-Program-Changes))
Key dates and what would change
For everyday riders, the most visible change would be the Gold Line. The streetcar is free today under the current CATS fare policy, but the proposal would charge the standard local fare: $2.20 for full-fare riders and $1.10 for reduced-fare riders at current price levels. CATS would also move harder toward electronic payment, with tap-to-pay by contactless card or mobile wallet, smart cards, and app-based validation through CATS-Pass. Instead of buying many traditional pass products up front, riders would accumulate fares toward daily, weekly and monthly caps. ([charlottenc.gov](https://www.charlottenc.gov/CATS/Fares-Passes/Fare-Modernization-Program))
The transfer rules would matter just as much. Today, the agency says the system includes 90-minute cash paper transfers and app-based transfers. Under the proposal, cash riders on buses and the streetcar would no longer get paper transfers, and ticket-vending-machine users would have to pay for each ride. Riders using electronic fare media would get a 2-hour pass with free transfers, and people connecting from local service to regional express could upgrade electronically with stored value. Cash would still be accepted, but some of the new convenience and transfer benefits would depend on electronic accounts. ([charlottenc.gov](https://www.charlottenc.gov/CATS/Fares-Passes/Fare-Modernization-Program))
Who could pay less, and who could pay more
Not every rider would come out ahead. Express routes within Mecklenburg County would shift from today’s $3.00 fare to the local fare, which is currently $2.20, so those riders would pay less. Regional express service to neighboring counties would drop from $4.40 to $3.50 for full-fare riders. But CATS also proposes ending the reduced-fare discount on regional express, which means some riders who now pay $2.20 on that service would instead pay $3.50. Gold Line users who ride free now would also pay more if the plan is adopted, and cash riders who rely on paper transfers would lose that benefit. ([charlottenc.gov](https://www.charlottenc.gov/CATS/Fares-Passes/Fare-Modernization-Program))
Discount eligibility would broaden, but not for everyone in the same way
CATS also proposes expanding reduced-fare eligibility to low-income riders and veterans or active-duty military members. The low-income categories listed by CATS include Medicaid, SNAP, WIC, free and reduced lunch, Housing Choice Voucher and LIEAP. But the agency says those new reduced fares would require a registered reduced-fare account and electronic payment. At the same time, the senior reduced-fare threshold would gradually move from age 62 to 65, though CATS says currently eligible seniors would keep eligibility during the phase-in. ([charlottenc.gov](https://www.charlottenc.gov/CATS/Fares-Passes/Fare-Modernization-Program))
For Charlotte riders, the practical question is simple: if you use the free Gold Line, depend on cash transfers, ride Mecklenburg express buses, or think you may qualify for a new discount category, this proposal would directly affect your trips. For now, though, these are still proposed changes, not adopted ones. Residents can comment online, by email, by mail, by hotline or in person before the MTC takes its next step. ([charlottenc.gov](https://www.charlottenc.gov/CATS/News/CATS-Announces-Public-Comment-Period-and-Public-Hearing-for-Proposed-Fare-Modernization-Program-Changes))
