Monthly Metropass customers will also be able to exchange their September Metropass for an EASY Card loaded with a September monthly pass. Passengers without a Metropass can obtain a free unloaded EASY Card, which can be loaded online, by phone, at select sales outlets, or at the EASY Card ticket vending machines located at every Metrorail station. 

Be sure to hold onto your EASY Card because they will sell for $2 after the initial giveaway. The EASY Card is reloadable and lasts three years.

No Metropasses will be sold for October. Passengers can load an October monthly pass onto their new EASY Card beginning September 18.

All new Metrorail faregates and EASY Card ticket vending machines are expected to be fully operational by September 18, so customers can start using their new EASY Cards right away. Just tap the card on the Metrorail faregate or Metrobus farebox, and you're on your way!

"We're encouraging all of our passengers to get their free EASY Cards starting September 18 so they can begin using the EASY Card system right away," MDT Director Harpal Kapoor said. "This soft launch will assist us in transitioning to the new system on October 1."

Since January, all Metrobuses have been equipped with working EASY Card fareboxes, and at this time, nearly all Metrorail station faregates have already been activated to accept the EASY Card. During the past few months, MDT has recorded over 1 million boardings from the 150,000 pre-issued EASY Cards that were distributed to Golden Passport, Patriot Passport, STS paratransit customers and select corporate discount passengers.

The EASY Card automated fare collection system will enhance customer convenience and reduce fare evasion by automatically deducting passenger fares from a reloadable smart card embedded with a computer chip.  For more information about the EASY Card, passengers should call 311.