Weekday and weekend fares will be increased $1 to $2 starting Feb. 15, depending on the amount of zones passengers travel in a given day. Reduced rates will exclusively apply to students with valid identification, people with disabilities and passengers over the age of 65.

Before the change, all passengers were given the reduced fares on weekends.

One-way passengers will pay an extra $1 when traveling through the first two zones, and pay $2 more to go through three or more zones on the Rail Runner Express.

Passengers who purchase a day pass will also pay $2 more when they travel through three or more zones.

The Rio Metro Regional Transit District Board, which manages the Rail Runner, voted last week to raise weekday rates to comply with federal Transportation Administration regulations.

The board decided to apply the weekday rates to the weekend fares in an effort to stay financially solvent, according to Augusta Meyers, a spokeswoman for the New Mexico Mid-Region Council of Governments.

Meyers said the department will suspend five Saturday train trips indefinitely in another cost-cutting effort that is expected to help save the department about $150,000 throughout the end of the 2009-10 fiscal year.

Last week, Gov. Bill Richardson announced the transfer of $750,000 in state funds would go toward balancing the budget of the Rio Metro Regional Transit District. The transfer would allow trains to keep running on weekends. The district planned to cut weekend service later this month in order to balance its budget.

Meyers said the fares aren't set in stone, and could change once the economy improves.

"Rates are something that can be modified," Meyers said. "But we want it to be (a rate) that the market will bear."

For more information, please visit www.nmrailrunner.com