Ultra Music Festival fans who rely on the free Miami Metromover may have to pay in 2027. Miami-Dade commissioners have voted to raise some transit fares, and Mayor Daniella Levine Cava is expected to change a plan that would end free Metromover rides for most riders. Ultra is held each year at Bayfront Park in downtown Miami.
At a glance
- Vote: commissioners approved a 50-cent rise in Metrorail and bus fares, 9-4
- New Metrorail and bus fare: $2.75 per ride, up from $2.25
- Metromover: the mayor is expected to set a $1 fare
- Still free: students, seniors and disabled residents
- Timeline: none announced
- Reported by: 7News Miami
What we know
According to 7News Miami, the Metrorail and bus increase would cost a regular rider roughly $240 more a year. Reporters Jordan Kissane, Joe Roetz and Matthew Garcia said the mayor will use the extra $10 million in revenue to bring back late-night bus routes.
The mayor is also expected to amend a plan to end free Metromover rides, keeping them free only for students, seniors and disabled residents. Everyone else would reportedly pay $1 per ride.
There is no set date for any of these changes. County commissioners have tried to bring in a Metromover fee for years but have struggled to work out how to collect it.
Why it matters for Ultra
The Metromover is one of the easiest ways to get to and from Ultra. Tens of thousands of festival-goers use it each year to reach and leave Bayfront Park.
If riders need to pay before boarding, the end of each night could see heavy queues as people stop to buy fares instead of walking straight onto the platform. It is not known whether the county would waive the fare over the festival weekend.
The mayor plans outreach campaigns so residents can check whether they qualify for free or reduced fares once the new prices begin. Fans planning a trip can keep an eye on Ultra Miami 2027 for event updates.
What happens next
For now, nothing has changed at the turnstile. The key questions are when the Metromover fare would start and how the county would handle the huge crowds that Ultra weekend brings downtown.