Montgomery County students ride free with county’s Youth Cruiser Card

Montgomery County Ride On Buses, including Ride On ExtRa, Ride On Flex and Flash buses, are free for county residents aged 5 to 18 (or older if still enrolled in high school). The Youth Cruiser SmarTrip® card provides free rides throughout the year and replaces the need to use school IDs on the bus. The card also waives fares on most Metro buses that operate around the county.

The free card can be obtained by visiting the Montgomery County website, downloading and completing the application, and bringing proof of age and residency to specified locations. Applications can be brought to all county libraries, the Silver Spring TRiPS store, the Mobile Commuter Store and the Montgomery County Division of Treasury in Rockville. Lost or stolen cards can be replaced for a $2 fee, and cards can also hold stored value for Metro busses, Metrorail and other services that require a SmarTrip® card. Students can also download the Ride On Trip Planner App for regional trip planning for Ride On, Metro rail and bus, Bikeshare and scooters on the Apple App Store or Google Play.