📌 Quick answer: A full Red Line trip from Agbado to Oyingbo costs ₦1,000, after Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu cut the fare by 30% from ₦1,500 in February 2025. A full Blue Line trip from Marina to Mile 2 was set at ₦750, with shorter trips cheaper, and LAMATA gives a 25% discount for off-peak travel between 10am and 4pm. Both lines accept only the Cowry card, not cash. The Blue Line runs about 100 trips a day, Monday to Saturday, with a reduced Sunday service; the Red Line runs nine trips on weekdays and does not run on Saturdays.
Lagos now has two urban rail lines, and both offer a way around the city’s road traffic. But they work very differently: the Blue Line runs trains every few minutes at peak time, while the Red Line runs only a handful of morning and evening trains.
This guide brings together the fares and timetables published by the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA), the agency that runs the Lagos Rail Mass Transit (LRMT), so you can plan a trip and know roughly what it will cost.
Lagos Train Fares at a Glance
| Line | Full trip | Shorter trips | Discount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Line (Agbado – Oyingbo) | ₦1,000 | Not published by LAMATA | None announced |
| Blue Line (Marina – Mile 2) | ₦750 | ₦400 to ₦500 (2023 zonal fares) | 25% off, 10am – 4pm |
Two points to keep in mind:
- The Red Line fare is the newer figure. LAMATA announced the ₦1,000 Agbado–Oyingbo fare on 18 February 2025 and said the cut took effect immediately.
- The Blue Line fare comes from 2023. LAMATA’s managing director, Abimbola Akinajo, announced the ₦750 full-trip fare and the ₦400 to ₦500 zonal fares before the line opened on 4 September 2023. As at 1 November 2026, LAMATA’s website does not list a newer Blue Line fare. The validator shows how much is taken from your card each time, so check it on your first trip.
Red Line Fare: ₦1,000 From Agbado to Oyingbo
On 18 February 2025, while commissioning the Abule Egba Bus Terminal, Governor Sanwo-Olu announced a 30% cut in the Red Line fare.
“This means that a trip from Agbado to Oyingbo will now cost N1000,” the governor said, adding that the cut was meant to encourage more people to use the line and give commuters some relief.
The ₦1,000 figure is for the full journey. The announcement did not list fares for shorter trips, such as Ikeja to Yaba, and LAMATA has not published a station-to-station Red Line fare table on its website. Confirm the exact deduction for a shorter trip at the station or on the validator.
Blue Line Fare: ₦750 From Marina to Mile 2
When the Blue Line began commercial service in September 2023, LAMATA’s managing director said:
“A full Journey from Marina to Mile 2 will cost N750 and Zonal fares will be between N400 and N500 for people not making the complete full trip.”
At the time, a temporary 50% transport palliative from the Lagos State Government halved that to ₦375. That palliative is no longer in place, so budget for the full fare.
The 25% Off-Peak Discount
On 10 August 2024, LAMATA announced a 25% discount for Blue Line passengers who travel in the off-peak period between 10am and 4pm. On a ₦750 full trip, that brings the fare to about ₦562.50.
If your working hours are flexible, travelling after 10am or before 4pm is the simplest way to save on the Blue Line. LAMATA has not announced a similar off-peak discount for the Red Line.
What a Month of Train Commuting Costs
Here is what a return trip every working day would cost at the full-trip fares, assuming 22 working days in a month.
| Commute | Per day (return) | Per month (22 days) |
|---|---|---|
| Red Line, Agbado – Oyingbo | ₦2,000 | ₦44,000 |
| Blue Line, Mile 2 – Marina (peak) | ₦1,500 | ₦33,000 |
| Blue Line, Mile 2 – Marina (off-peak both ways) | ₦1,125 | ₦24,750 |
These figures cover the train only. Many riders also pay for a bus, keke or okada to and from the station, so add that to your budget.
Red Line Timetable and Stations
The Red Line runs from Agbado to Oyingbo in Ebute Metta, with eight stations. LAMATA’s official timetable lists five trains towards Oyingbo and four towards Agbado each weekday.
| Agbado → Oyingbo (departs Agbado) | Arrives Oyingbo | Oyingbo → Agbado (departs Oyingbo) | Arrives Agbado |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6:15am | 7:05am | 6:00am | 6:50am |
| 7:10am | 8:00am | 8:10am | 9:00am |
| 9:10am | 10:00am | 5:20pm | 6:10pm |
| 6:50pm | 7:40pm | 6:40pm | 7:30pm |
| 7:50pm | 8:40pm | – | – |
The full journey takes about 50 minutes. The stations, in order from Agbado, are:
- Agbado
- Iju
- Agege
- Ikeja
- Oshodi
- Mushin
- Yaba
- Oyingbo
Because there are only nine trips a day, missing your train can mean a wait of an hour or more, or no train until the evening. Plan to reach the station at least 10 to 15 minutes early.
Does the Red Line Run on Weekends?
No, not normally. In a December 2025 notice about extra services for a weekend event, LAMATA stated that “The Red Line does not operate on Saturdays.” LAMATA does not publish a Sunday Red Line timetable either. If you need to travel at the weekend, plan for road transport or the Blue Line.
Blue Line Timetable and Stations
The Blue Line is far busier. LAMATA’s schedule page now lists 102 trips daily from Monday to Saturday, with trains every 8 to 12 minutes at peak times. A full trip from Marina to Mile 2 takes about 18 minutes.
The five stations are:
- Marina
- National Theatre
- Iganmu
- Alaba
- Mile 2
| Day | Service |
|---|---|
| Monday – Saturday | From about 6am, with LAMATA’s June 2026 notice giving 9:30pm as closing time |
| Sunday | 24 trips, one every 30 minutes |
| Peak frequency | A train every 8 to 12 minutes |
LAMATA increased the service to 94 trips a day from 15 June 2026 and moved the weekday start from 6:30am to 6:00am. Its schedule page has since been updated to 102 trips. Timetables change, so check the live schedule on lamata-ng.com before you travel.
In September 2026, LAMATA said the Blue Line had moved about 9 million passengers in 70,000 trips in its first three years.
How to Pay: The Cowry Card
You cannot pay cash on either line. LAMATA says commuters must use their Cowry cards to get onto the trains.
- Get a card. Cowry, the Lagos State mass transit payment partner, says you can get a card “at the nearest terminal”. The same card is used on BRT buses.
- Fund it before you travel. You can top up through the Cowry app by bank transfer, and some banking apps, such as Kuda, list Cowry top-up under transport payments.
- Tap at the gate. Tap your card on the validator at the station gate, and keep it handy until you have left the station.
- Keep a buffer. Keep at least the full-trip fare on your card so you are not stopped at the gate.
If you think you have been overcharged because of a faulty validator, LAMATA’s FAQ page says customer care will take your details and pass them to the card operator for investigation, after which you can be refunded to your wallet.
Blue Line or Red Line: Which One Is for You?
The two lines serve different parts of Lagos and do not share a station, so most people use whichever one is on their own route.
- Use the Blue Line if you travel between Mile 2, Alaba, Iganmu, National Theatre and Marina. It is frequent enough that you can simply turn up and wait a few minutes.
- Use the Red Line if you live along the Agbado–Ikeja–Oshodi–Yaba corridor and work fixed hours that match its morning and evening trains.
LAMATA plans to extend both lines: the Blue Line west towards Okokomaiko and the Red Line south towards Marina. Until those extensions open, the fares and timetables above are what you can use.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is the Red Line train fare in Lagos?
₦1,000 for the full trip from Agbado to Oyingbo, after the Lagos State Government cut the fare from ₦1,500 in February 2025. LAMATA has not published fares for shorter trips on its website.
How much is the Blue Line train fare from Marina to Mile 2?
₦750 for the full trip, with shorter trips announced at ₦400 to ₦500. LAMATA gives 25% off between 10am and 4pm.
Can I pay cash on the Lagos train?
No. LAMATA says you must use a Cowry card. Cash and paper tickets are not accepted.
Does the Red Line run on Saturday?
No. LAMATA has stated that the Red Line does not operate on Saturdays, and it does not publish a Sunday timetable.
What time is the first Red Line train from Agbado?
6:15am, arriving at Oyingbo at 7:05am, according to LAMATA’s timetable. The last train from Agbado leaves at 7:50pm.
How long does the Blue Line take from Marina to Mile 2?
About 18 minutes.
Sources
- Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority – “Lagos Red Line Train Schedule”, lamata-ng.com, checked 1 November 2026
- Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority – “Blue Line Train Schedule”, lamata-ng.com, checked 1 November 2026
- Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority – news releases of 10 August 2024 (off-peak discount), 18 February 2025 (Red Line fare cut), 4 December 2025 (weekend services), 8 June 2026 (Blue Line timetable) and 5 September 2026 (three years of the Blue Line)
- Lagos State Number Plate Production Authority – “Lagos Blue Rail Line begins commercial operations September 4”, 31 August 2023
- Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority – FAQs page, lamata-ng.com, checked 1 November 2026
Last updated: 1 November 2026 · NaijaSabi Travel Desk. Fares and train times can change; check LAMATA’s official schedule and your card validator before you travel.
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