SunRail Account Registration

The Florida Department of Transportation announced today that passengers can now purchase passes, cards and tickets to ride SunRail both online and at the station platforms.

Passengers can ride SunRail for free until May 16, but starting a week from today you will have to pay to get on SunRail.

Here’s an overview of the SunRail fare system:

What does it cost to ride SunRail?

The base ticket fare for a one-way trip is $2 plus an additional dollar for every county your cross. If you stay within the same county you only pay the $2. You can save $0.25 when you purchase a round-trip one-county ticket for $3.75 and $0.50 for a round-trip two-county or three-county ticket for $5.50 and $7.50.

What are the different types of SunRail Tickets?

There are three types of fare media (that’s what they call it) that you can purchase to board SunRail. They are:

Tickets — You can purchase paper one-way or round trip tickets for any number of counties. There is a $0.50 fee for each ticket purchased.

SunCard Passes/Travel Plans — Passes offer unlimited rides for a fixed amount of time. You pick the length of time and the number of counties you want it to be good for. Passes are available for seven-day, 30-day and yearly time periods. Travel Plans are added to your SunCard.

SunCard Stored Value — You can add money to your SunCard and it will act like a debit card, deducting your fare from your stored value amount. The benefit of using a Stored Value is that you will get a 10% bonus every time you add at least $5 to your card. (Although right now online it looks like you need to add $20).

The passes/travel plans and stored value both require a SunCard. SunCards have a onetime $5 activation free and can be registered online so you can manage and turn off if you lose your SunCard.

Where can I purchase SunRail tickets and passes?

SunCards and SunRail tickets can be purchased online at SunRail.com or at the ticket vending machines on the station platforms (only one of the four at each station accepts cash). Soon you will also be able to purchase passes and tickets at local retail outlets like 7-eleven and CVS.

When purchasing online it looks like you’ll need to create an account first and then purchase or activate your card.

How much is a weekly SunRail ticket?

Each ticket is your base fare + a $0.50 fee.

One-Way Tickets are:

One County: $2 + $0.50 fee = $2.50
Two County: $3 + $0.50 fee = $3.50
Three County: $4 + $0.50 fee = $4.50

Round-Trip Tickets are:

One County: $3.75  + $0.50 fee = $4.25
Two County: $5.50 + $0.50 fee = $6.00
Three County: $6.50 + $0.50 fee = $7.00

How much is a weekly SunRail pass?

Seven-day passes are:

One County: $17
Two County: $25
Three County: $34

How much is a monthly SunRail Pass?

Thirty-day passes are:

One County: $56
Two County: $84
Three County: $112

How much is a yearly SunRail Pass?

Thirty-day passes are:

One County: $56
Two County: $84
Three County: $112

How much is a daily SunRail pass?

Trick question..as of today there aren’t any daily passes. Instead if you only plan on using SunRail for one day, your best bet is to purchase one-way and round-trip tickets when you need them unless you already have a SunCard.

Are there any discounts on SunRail tickets, cards or passes?

Seniors, students from ages 7 to 17 and the disabled are able to get 50% off their tickets and passes. Children under the age of 6 will be
able to ride free.

How will they know that I was on the train?

Before boarding you will be required to tap your SunCard or ticket to one of the three ticket validators on the platform. Once on the train the conductor will be doing random checks to make sure that everyone has tapped on properly. When you get off the train you will be required to tap off at the validator on that platform. If you forget to tap off you eventually you will be charged for the full three county fare. To start with they are telling us you will only be charged a minimum fee until everyone gets a handle on the whole tapping off thing.

What happens if I’m caught without a ticket on SunRail?

To start with probably nothing. The conductors will have an ability to sell you a ticket on the train and we imagine that’s going to be what they will do since there will be many confused people about the whole taping of pass thing. But before you think riding for free and paying only when the conductor asks, it’s worth noting that there are two state statutes regarding transit fares. They require a minimum $50 fine for not paying and it can be up to $1,000. We suggest just paying your $2.

Can I share my SunRail pass?

Officially the SunCards terms of service says no. Specially, you won’t be able to pay for two people with one SunCard. However we’re not so sure anyone will know or care if you give your SunCard to a friend/spouse to use. With that said you should see the answer to the question above about the $1,000 fine.

Do SunRail tickets or passes expire?

Yes. All passes (weekly, monthly or annual) must be activated within 30 days of purchase. SunCards expire ten years after purchase. You can check the expiration date of you SunCard at any of the ticket vending machines or at SunRail.com. If you have registered your SunCard you can transfer any remaining value to a new SunCard within 30 days of expiration.

How much money can I put on my SunCard?

We’ve been told you’ll be able to put anywhere from $5 to $300 on your card. Right now when we access our account online it is asking us to put $20 on the card. We’re heading to checkout a ticket vending machine to see what options they have.

What if I have a travel plan and stored value on my card? Will it deduct my stored value when I ride?

This is why it’s important to tap off. If the ride you took is covered by your travel plan (e.g. the correct number of counties) you will not have any amount deducted from your stored value.

Will my SunRail passes, cards and tickets work on Lynx?

Eventually, yes.

You’ll be able to get off SunRail tap your ticket or SunCard to the fare system on the Lynx bus and get a free transfer. You’ll also be able to take your Lynx pass or ticket and swipe them at the SunRail vending machine to get a free one county SunRail ticket (you will pay an extra $1 for every county line you cross).

You will also be able to use your SunCard stored value to pay for your bus fare.

However, as of right now we are not 100% sure that this will work on May 19. A SunRail spokesperson tells us their vendor is working on this.

What type of SunRail pass should I purchase?

We’ve put together a spreadsheet to compare the different types of passes and will help you make that decision in a story we’ll be posting later this week.

SunCard

Church Street SunRail Station 12

Health Village SunRail Station 6

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  1. Can I purchase a round trip ticket and ride the sunrail without getting off until I reach my boarding spot?