La Paz’s municipal transit council has approved a fare increase that would raise the cost of a bus ride to 16 pesos on urban routes and 18 pesos on outlying routes to El Centenario and Chametla. The proposal now heads to the city council for final approval and publication in the official state gazette.
The decision came out of the second ordinary session of the Municipal Transport Council for taxi-colectivo service, and represents the first concrete fare figure after weeks of discussion over rising driver costs.
According to Councilman Javier Bustos Alvarado, who sits on the city’s transport commission, the fare update is the result of ongoing dialogue among bus concession operators, riders and the municipal government. Officials said they conducted technical reports, held neighborhood meetings, carried out surveys at high-traffic points and analyzed the results before settling on the 16-peso figure.
The current fare sits at 13.50 pesos, meaning riders would see an increase of roughly 2.50 pesos per trip—just over 18 percent. For expats and residents who rely on local buses for errands, medical appointments or getting around town, the change adds up. Two trips a day, five days a week, means an extra 100 pesos per month per person.
Officials pointed to rising fuel costs and operational expenses as the primary justification for the adjustment. Acting Mayor Amor Fenech Montaño, who presided over the council session, emphasized that the proposed increase reflects ongoing cost pressures facing operators.
The city’s transport commission will now socialize the proposal—a process that typically includes public comment periods and additional community outreach—before presenting it to the full city council. If approved by the council, the fare would take effect once published in the Diario Oficial, Baja California Sur’s official gazette.
For now, buses continue operating at the existing 13.50-peso rate. Similar fare debates have played out across the state, with Los Cabos transport operators also seeking increases to offset operational costs.
Riders who want to weigh in on the proposal can attend upcoming city council sessions or reach out to the municipal transport commission during the socialization period. No timeline has been announced for the council vote, but the process is expected to move forward in the coming weeks.
