Multiple US Cities Offer Free Transit After 5pm on July Fourth

Several major U.S. cities are offering free or reduced public transit fares on the evening of July 4 to encourage safe and convenient attendance at holiday events. Washington, D.C.'s Metro system will provide free rides on Metrorail, Metrobus, and MetroAccess from 5 p.m. until closing at 2 a.m., accompanied by increased police presence and street closures for security. Similarly, Austin's Capital Metro will suspend fares after 5 p.m. on most services, with adjusted bus and rail schedules to accommodate the Star Spangled Fest. Boston's MBTA is also offering free rides after 8:30 p.m. across all transit modes to help manage the large influx of visitors for celebrations like Harborfest and the fireworks over Boston Harbor. Meanwhile, New York City's MTA plans a fare increase and will phase out MetroCards by the end of 2025, aiming to shift fully to the OMNY digital payment system, which could offer more flexible fare options for frequent riders. These initiatives reflect efforts to boost public transit use during major holidays while balancing operational and security needs.