Farebox recovery ratio
Fares collected versus operating expenses in public transport
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The farebox recovery ratio (also called fare recovery ratio, fare recovery rate or other terms) of a passenger transportation system is the fraction of operating expenses which are met by the fares paid by passengers. It is computed by dividing the system's total fare revenue by its total operating expenses.[1]
Fare structures
There are generally two types of fare structures: a simple, flat rate fare structure (pay a fixed fare regardless of time of day and/or travel distance) or a complex, variable rate fare structure (pay a variable fare depending on time of day and/or travel distance). A variable fare structure is typically associated with a higher recovery ratio, though it may simply be the case that such systems are implemented only on more profitable networks or modes such as commuter rail. Variable-rate fares require a higher initial investment in fare ticketing technologies such as the use of contactless smart cards, turnstiles or fare gates, automated ticket machines, as well as IT infrastructure.[2]
Farebox ratios around the world
The farebox recovery ratio is the ratio of fare revenue to total transport expenses for a given system.[1] These two figures can be found in the financial statements of the operators. Oftentimes the operator runs multiple modes of transport (e.g. subway and bus), and there is no data for individual modes (segment analysis). In this case the operator is considered as one system, or a group of modes are collectively considered one system.
Fare revenue is not the same as "transport" or "operational" revenue, as there are often secondary sources of revenue such as lockers and paid restrooms and advertisement revenue. Fare revenue is a subset of transport revenue, which is in turn part of total revenue along with "non-transport" or "non-operational" revenue.
Total "transport" or "operational" expenses are a part of total expenses along with "non-transport" or "non-operational" expenses. Total transport expenses may include expansion projects if they are paid for by the operator.
Asia
Please note that, the "operating ratio" (Japanese: 営業係数 Korean: 영업계수) commonly published by some Asian systems is different from farebox recovery ratio even after inverting the number to turn cost per unit revenue into revenue per unit cost, as that figure includes all operating revenue instead of only the fare revenue.[3]
| Country or Region | System | Ratio | Fare system | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hong Kong | Mass Transit Railway (MTR) | 106.76% | Mostly Distance based | 2021[4] |
| Hong Kong | Hong Kong Tramway | 48.80% | Flat rate | 2021[5] |
| Hong Kong | Kowloon Motor Bus | 100.05% | Route-specific | 2021[6] |
| Long Win Bus | 77.91% | Route-specific | 2021[6] | |
| Hong Kong | Citybus | 72.98%[7] | Route-specific | 2021[8] |
| New World First Bus | 76.73% | Route-specific | 2021[8] | |
| Japan | JR Central Rail | 245.95% | Distance based | FY2018[9] |
| Japan | JR East Rail | 142.44% | Distance based | FY2018[9] |
| Japan | JR West Rail | 132.38% | Distance based | FY2018[9] |
| Japan | JR Kyushu Rail | 111.34% | Distance based | FY2018[9] |
| Japan | JR Shikoku Rail | 69.84% | Distance based | FY2018[9] |
| Japan | JR Hokkaido Rail | 59.18% | Distance based | FY2018[9] |
| Japan | JR Freight Freight rail | 96.25% | Distance based | FY2018[9] |
| Japan | Sapporo Municipal Subway | 220.79% | Distance based | FY2018[9] |
| Sapporo Streetcar | 104.31% | Flat rate | FY2018[9] | |
| Japan | Hakodate Streetcar | 82.87% | Distance based | FY2018[9] |
| Japan | Sendai Subway | 159.68% | Mixed zonal and distance based | FY2018[9] |
| Japan | Tokyo Metro | 161.55% | Distance based | FY2018[9] |
| Japan | Tokyo Toei rail services | 74%[10][failed verification] | Distance based | 2015 |
| Tokyo Toei Subway | 171.46% | Distance based | FY2018[9] | |
| Tokyo Toei Streetcar | 83.39% | Flat rate | FY2018[9] | |
| Tokyo Toei elevated rail | 109.84% | Flat rate | FY2018[9] | |
| Tokyo Toei other rails | 136.81% | Distance based | FY2018[9] | |
| Japan | Yokohama Municipal Subway | 232.28% | Distance based | FY2018[9] |
| Japan | Meitetsu Railway | 155.99% | Distance based | FY2018[9] |
| Meitetsu Tramway | 90.70% | Distance based | FY2018[9] | |
| Japan | Nagoya Municipal Subway | 167.24% | Distance based | FY2018[9] |
| Japan | Kintetsu Railway Rail | 152.77% | Distance based | FY2018[9] |
| Kintetsu Railway Cable | 36.70% | Various | FY2018[9] | |
| Japan | Nankai Electric Railway Rail | 161.26% | Distance based | FY2018[9] |
| Nankai Electric Railway Cable | 31.12% | Flat rate | FY2018[9] | |
| Japan | Keihan Electric Railway Rail | 166.51% | Distance based | FY2018[9] |
| Keihan Electric Railway Subway | 29.05% | Distance based | FY2018[9] | |
| Japan | Keihan Electric Railway Streetcar | 73.08% | Distance based | FY2018[9] |
| Keihan Electric Railway Cable | 71.73% | Flat rate | FY2018[9] | |
| Japan | Hankyu Railway | 123% | Distance based | 1991[11] |
| 169.74% | FY2018[9] | |||
| Japan | Hanshin Electric Railway | 146.75% | Distance based | FY2018[9] |
| Japan | Osaka Municipal Transportation Bureau | 137% | Distance based | 1991[11] |
| Osaka Metro Subway | 208.51% | Distance based | FY2018[9] | |
| Osaka Metro APM/AGT | 105.35% | Distance based | FY2018[9] | |
| Japan | Kyoto Municipal Subway | 201.04% | Distance based | FY2018[9] |
| Japan | Kobe Municipal Subway | 169.52% | Distance based | FY2018[9] |
| Japan | Nishi-Nippon Railroad Rail | 149.92% | Distance based | FY2018[9] |
| Japan | Fukuoka City Subway | 205.38% | Distance based | FY2018[9] |
| Japan | Kitakyushu Monorail | 144.15% | Tabular | FY2018[9] |
| Japan | Nagasaki Electric Tramway | 105.11% | Flat rate | FY2018[9] |
| Japan | Kumamoto Tram | 102.60% | Flat rate | FY2018[9] |
| Japan | Kagoshima Tram | 98.36% | Flat rate | FY2018[9] |
| Japan | Okinawa Urban Monorail | 187.55% | Distance based | FY2018[9] |
| Pakistan | Lahore Metrobus | 37.2% [12] | Flat rate | 2014 |
| Taiwan | Taipei Mass Rapid Transit | 87.64% | Distance based | 2021[13] |
| Taiwan | Kaohsiung Mass Rapid Transit | 52.57% | Distance based | 2020[14] |
| Singapore | SMRT Corporation (Singapore) | 101% | Distance based | 2018[15] |
| China | Beijing Subway | 22% | Flat rate[16] | 2013[17] |
| 35.08% | Distance based | 2021[18] | ||
| China | Shenzhen Metro | 82.20%[19] | Distance based | 2021[20] |
| China | Guangzhou Metro | 77.05%[21][22] | Distance based | 2021[21] |
Europe
| Country | Region / City | System | Ratio | Fare system | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Austria | Vienna | Vienna U-Bahn | 49% | Flat rate | 2008[23] |
| Germany | Berlin | Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe | 70% | Zone based | 2010[24] |
| Belgium | Brussels | Brussels Intercommunal Transport Company | 35% | 2007[25] | |
| Czechia | Prague | Prague Integrated Transport | 17% | Flat rate | 2022[26] |
| Denmark | Copenhagen | Copenhagen Metro | 93.5% | Zone based | 2023[27] |
| France | Paris | Île-de-France Mobilités | 38% | Flat rate[a] | 2018[28] |
| Germany | Munich | Munich Transport and Tariff Association | 70% | Zone based | 2010[29] |
| Italy | Milan | Milan Transportation System | 49% | 2016[27] | |
| Rome | Rome Metro | 36% | 2007[25] | ||
| Netherlands | Amsterdam | Gemeentelijk Vervoerbedrijf Amsterdam | 88% | Distance based | 2018[30] |
| Rotterdam | Rotterdamse Elektrische Tram | 99% | Distance based | 2018[31] | |
| Poland | Warsaw | ZTM | 37% | 2019[32] | |
| Spain | Catalonia | Metropolitan lines of Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya (Catalonia) | 93% | Zone based | 2014[33] |
| Madrid | Madrid Metro | 41% | 2007[25] | ||
| Sweden | Stockholm | Storstockholms Lokaltrafik | 52% | Flat rate | 2017[34] |
| Kalmar County | Kalmar länstrafik | 43% | Zone based | 2023[35] | |
| Östergötland County | Östgötatrafiken | 47% | Zone based | 2024[36] | |
| Switzerland | Zurich | Zürich S-Bahn | 60% | Zone based | 2014[27] |
| Finland | Helsinki | Helsinki Regional Transport Authority | 49%[37] | Zone based | 2019 |
| Turkey | Istanbul | Metro Istanbul A.S. | 90% | Flat rate | 2019[38] |
| United Kingdom | London | London Underground | 129.50%[39] | Zone based | 2022-2023[39] |
| London Overground and Docklands Light Railway | 94%[40] | Zone based | 2018–19[40] |
- Île-de-France is divided into 5 concentric zones starting from Paris. As of 2026, only weekly, monthly, and yearly Navigo subscriptions, can still be purchased at a fare including only either zones 2-3, 3-4, or 4-5, alongside the "all zones" option. All tickets and other subscriptions automatically include all zones.
North America
Canada
| Region | Operator | Fare Revenue ($000s, CAD) | Operating Expenses ($000s, CAD) | Ratio | Fare System | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nationwide | VIA Rail | $408,400 | $812,500 | 50.3%[41] | Distance & demand based | 2023[42] |
| British Columbia Coast | BC Ferries | $759,073 | $985,196 | 77%[41] | Flat rate | 2025[43] |
| Brampton | Brampton Transit | $125,102 | $233,752 | 53.5%[41] | Flat rate | 2024[44] |
| Calgary | Calgary Transit | $147,400[45] | $437,900 | 33.7%[41] | Flat rate | 2023[46] |
| Edmonton | Edmonton Transit System | $123,841 | $623,513 | 19.9%[41] | Flat rate | 2024[47] |
| Mississauga | MiWay | $101,400[48] | $215,800[48] | 47% | Flat rate | 2024[49] |
| Montreal | Société de transport de Montréal | 46% | Flat rate | 2016[50] | ||
| Ottawa | OC Transpo | $289,773 | $724,386 | 40.0%[41] | Flat rate | 2024[51] |
| Quebec City | Réseau de transport de la Capitale | 39% | Flat rate | 2011[49] | ||
| Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area | GO Transit | $429,200 | $1,816,900 | 23.6%[41] | Distance based | 2023[52] |
| Toronto | Toronto Transit Commission | $937,934 | $2,392,245 | 39.2%[41] | Flat rate | 2023[53] |
| Vancouver | TransLink | 46.4% | Zone based; transition to distance based upcoming | 2024[54] | ||
| Victoria | BC Transit (Victoria regional transit system) | 28.4% | Flat rate | 2022[55] | ||
| Winnipeg | Winnipeg Transit | $92,544 | $218,985 | 42.3%[41] | Flat rate | 2024[56] |
| Regional Municipality of York | York Region Transit | $75,000[57] | $304,291 | 24.6%[41] | Flat rate | 2024[58] |
United States
| Region | System Operator | Fare Revenue | Operating Expenses | Ratio | Fare System | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nationwide | Amtrak | $2,991,500,000 | $3,626,800,000 | 81.1% | Distance & demand based | 2024[59] |
| Montgomery County MD, DC | RideOn | $5,276,327 | $178,136,970 | 3% | Flat Rate | 2023[60] |
| Northern Virginia, DC | VRE (Virginia Railway Express) | $28,000,000 | $190,000,000 | 15% | Distance based | 2023[61] |
| Boston, MA-NH-RI | MBTA | $545,414,783.00 | $1,556,792,859.00 | 20.5% | Flat rate[62] | 2023[63] |
| New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT | NYC Ferry | 29% | Flat Rate | 2017[64] | ||
| MTA Bus | $95,403,036.00 | $712,036,903.00 | 13.40% | 2020[65] | ||
| MTA Long Island Rail Road | $272,532,791.00 | $1,464,445,571.00 | 18.61% | Zone based[66] | 2020[65] | |
| MTA Metro-North | $243,671,760.00 | $1,207,182,081.00 | 20.19% | Distance based[66] | 2020[65] | |
| MTA New York City Transit | $2,018,495,902.00 | $8,258,335,723.00 | 24.44% | Flat rate[66] | 2020[65] | |
| MTA Staten Island Railway | 11% | Flat rate | 2019[66] | |||
| PATH | $73,263,022.00 | $448,244,536.00 | 16.34% | Flat rate[67] | 2020[65] | |
| NYCDOT | $1,342,638.00 | $144,618,026.00 | 0.93% | Free (Staten Island Ferry) | 2020[65] | |
| NJTransit | $743,742,067.00 | $2,325,547,904.00 | 31.98% | Zone based on most Buses and all commuter trains Flat Rate on some buses and all light rails[67] |
2020[65] | |
| Bee-Line Bus System | $18,698,988.00 | $161,250,867.00 | 11.60% | 2020[65] | ||
| Chicago, IL-IN | CTA | $236,301,686.00 | $1,436,453,698.00 | 16.45% | Flat rate[68] | 2020[65] |
| METRA | $102,350,491.00 | $710,195,494.00 | 14.41% | Zone based[67] | 2020[65] | |
| Atlanta, GA | Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority | $100,300,226.00 | $492,839,897.00 | 20.35% | Flat rate[67] | 2020[65] |
| Portland, OR-WA | TriMET | $94,456,931.00 | $518,451,362.00 | 18.22% | Flat rate[67] | 2020[65] |
| Baltimore, MD | MTA | $102,029,183.00 | $805,145,982.00 | 12.67% | Variable[69] | 2020[65] |
| San Diego, CA | SDMTS | $78,709,562.00 | $291,553,478.00 | 27.00% | Flat rate[67] | 2020[65] |
| Houston, TX | Houston Metro | $37,305,222.00 | $587,595,095.00 | 6.35% | 2020[65] | |
| Miami, FL | County of Miami-Dade (Transportation & Public Work) | $47,456,089.00 | $553,336,216.00 | 8.58% | Flat rate[67] | 2020[65] |
| Denver-Aurora, CO | RTD | $76,264,572.00 | $623,982,843.00 | 12.22% | Zone Based[70] | 2020[65] |
| Pittsburgh, PA | PRT | $79,071,495.00 | $434,687,600.00 | 18.19% | 2020[65] | |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | DART | $43,547,629.00 | $569,628,198.00 | 7.64% | Flat rate[71] | 2020[65] |
| Honolulu, HI | City and County of Honolulu (Department of Transportation Services) | $46,815,334.00 | $278,447,442.00 | 16.81% | 2020[65] | |
| San Francisco-Oakland, CA | SFMTA | $153,699,058.00 | $903,485,983.00 | 17.01% | Flat rate[72] | 2020[65] |
| BART | $341,586,797.00 | $681,983,690.00 | 50.09% | Distance based[73] | 2020[65] | |
| AC Transit | $66,561,904.00 | $501,047,399.00 | 13.28% | 2020[65] | ||
| Oakland Airport Connector | 96% | Flat rate | 2015–2016[74] | |||
| Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI | Metro Transit | $40,804,932.00 | $413,038,880.00 | 9.88% | Flat rate with rush hour and express surcharges[67] | 2020[65] |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Orange County Transportation Authority | $42,450,631.00 | $268,394,220.00 | 15.82% | 2020[65] | |
| LA Metro | $199,728,314.00 | $1,841,473,552.00 | 10.85% | Flat rate[67] | 2020[65] | |
| Long Beach Transit | $10,201,475.00 | $92,339,794.00 | 11.05% | 2020[65] | ||
| Big Blue Bus | $6,438,008 | $85,659,665 | 7.5% | Flat rate[75] | 2025[76] | |
| Phoenix-Mesa, AZ | Valley Metro | $21,292,051.00 | $208,489,994.00 | 10.21% | 2020[65] | |
| San Antonio, TX | VIA Metropolitan Transit | $15,033,510.00 | $222,032,078.00 | 6.77% | Flat rate[67] | 2020[65] |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | St. Louis Metro | $30,986,092.00 | $282,175,101.00 | 10.98% | 2020[65] | |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | VTA | $28,886,823.00 | $403,260,461.00 | 7.16% | 2020[65] | |
| Buffalo, NY | NFTA | $34,814,699.00 | $141,163,925.00 | 24.66% | 2020[65] | |
| Salt Lake City-West Valley City, UT | UTA | $32,521,480.00 | $319,885,004.00 | 10.17% | 2020[65] | |
| Austin-Round Rock- San Marcos, TX | CapMetro | $15,298,332.00 | $229,551,099.00 | 6.66% | Flat rate[67] | 2020[65] |
| Charlotte, NC-SC | CATS | $21,018,416.00 | $162,317,729.00 | 12.95% | 2020[65] | |
| Detroit–Warren–Dearborn, MI | DDOT | $13,954,074.00 | $101,100,585.00 | 13.80% | Flat rate[67] | 2020[65] |
| Miami–Fort Lauderdale–West Palm Beach, FL | BCT | $13,814,362.00 | $158,832,625.00 | 8.70% | 2020[65] | |
| Milwaukee–Waukesha, WI | MCTS | $16,739,398.00 | $141,752,155.00 | 11.81% | 2020[65] | |
| Orlando–Kissimmee–Sanford, FL | Lynx | $13,596,128.00 | $139,097,081.00 | 9.77% | Flat rate[67] | 2020[65] |
| Sacramento, CA | SacRT | $21,517,225.00 | $173,873,225.00 | 12.38% | 2020[65] | |
| Cleveland–Elyria, OH | RTA | $26,194,783.00 | $259,797,759.00 | 10.08% | Flat rate[67] | 2020[65] |
| Washington, DC-VA-MD | Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority | $492,953,775.00 | $2,028,885,121.00 | 24.30% | Distance based[77] | 2020[65] |
| Montgomery County, Maryland | $13,387,860.00 | $127,225,668.00 | 10.52% | 2020[65] | ||
| Seattle, WA | King County Metro bus | 8.9% | Flat[78] | 2022[79] | ||
| Washington State Ferries | 51% | Route Based | 2023[80] | |||
| Sound Transit Express Bus | $14,403,774 | $144,174,454 | 10% | Zone & distance based | 2023[81] | |
| Sound Transit Link Light Rail | $32,358,465 | $205,314,451 | 16% | Zone & distance based | 2023[81] | |
| Sound Transit Sounder Regional Rail | $4,966,273 | $65,649,821 | 8% | Zone & distance based | 2023[81] | |
| Pierce Transit | $54,164,161 | $127,654,974 | 42% | Flat rate | 2021[82] | |
| Albany-Schenectady, NY | CDTA | $20,804,704.00 | $93,755,632.00 | 22.19% | 2020[65] | |
| Harrisburg, PA | Capital Area Transit | $2,398,430 | $20,278,765 | 17% | Flat rate | 2022[83] |
| Las Vegas-Henderson, NV | Las Vegas Monorail | 56% | Flat rate | 2016[73] | ||
| RTC | $51,823,479.00 | $227,523,119.00 | 22.78% | 2020[65] | ||
| Philadelphia, PA-NJ-DE-MD | SEPTA | $353,276,517.00 | $1,301,894,928.00 | 27.14% | Flat rate[67] | 2020[65] |
| PATCO | $15,542,809 | $63,349,398 | 25% | Distance based | 2023[84] | |
| Orlando, FL | SunRail | 7% | Distance based | 2018[85] | ||
| Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board (Caltrain) | 70% | Zone based | 2019[86] | |||
| Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority | 10% | Express surcharges | 2016[87] | |||
| Southern California Regional Rail Authority (Metrolink) | 34% | Distance based | 2019[88] |
Oceania
| Country | Region | System | Ratio | Fare system | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | Canberra | ACTION | 6.3% | Flat rate | 2024[89] |
| Australia | Brisbane | Translink (Queensland) | 24% | Zone & time based | 2013[90] |
| Australia | Perth | Transperth | 23% | Zone & time based | 2013[90] |
| Australia | Adelaide | Adelaide Metro | 21% | Zone & time based | 2013[90] |
| Australia | Darwin | Transport in Darwin | 10% | Zone & time based | 2013[90] |
| Australia | Hobart | Transport in Hobart | 22% | Zone & time based | 2013[90] |
| Australia | Melbourne | Melbourne | 30% | Zone & time based | 2014[91] |
| Australia | Sydney | Sydney Trains | 20% | Distance based | 2016[92] |
| Australia | Sydney | Metropolitan Bus System | 25% | Distance based | 2016[92] |
| Australia | Sydney | Sydney Ferries | 32% | Distance based | 2016[92] |
| New Zealand | Auckland | Auckland | 44% | Zone based | 2012–13[93] |
| New Zealand | Christchurch | Christchurch | 35% | Zone based | 2012–13[93] |
| New Zealand | Dunedin | Dunedin | 60% | Zone based | 2015–16[93] |
| New Zealand | Hamilton | Hamilton | 34% | Flat rate | 2012–13[93] |
| New Zealand | Wellington | Wellington | 57% | Zone based | 2012–13[93] |