Most GO Transit riders can expect to pay more for their commute starting Feb. 1. But some Union Pearson Express (UPX) train tickets are going down.

The Metrolinx board will likely approve the increase of about 5 per cent on all but the shortest GO rides on Thursday.

The provincial transportation agency is also launching changes to the UPX fare schedule. Those include allowing children 12 and under to ride free — up from 6 years of age — and a reduced return adult fare of $44 rather than the initial $53. New family fares, for airport meet-and-greets and long layover fares, of $55 will also be introduced.

Qualified airport workers will also be able to buy a monthly pass for a limited time for $250, rather than the regular $300.

Different fares come into effect on various dates through Jan. 2.

According to a board report released Monday, the shortest GO trip prices will be frozen because those are already appropriately priced.

Riders who pay $5.30 to $5.69 a trip will benefit from the freeze. But longer-distance rides will cost between 40 and 60 cents more.

Passengers who use Presto will see a bigger discount with their card, however, to 11.15 per cent from 10 per cent.

"Presto users will now pay less for short-distance trips due to the fact that the fares for these trips are not increasing while the initial discount for using Presto is increasing," said the report.

Metrolinx says the higher fares are necessary to help pay for service improvements such as weekday, non-rush hour trips on the Kitchener line, more trains on the Lakeshore West and Milton lines and the new West Harbour Station in Hamilton.

"While the initial capital construction costs are not funded through fare revenue, the ongoing operating, maintenance and storage costs are supported partially through the fare box," said the report.

The changes to UPX fares are based on the experiences of other airport trains around the world and an attempt to attract more riders. In November, Metrolinx introduced coupons offering riders a free return fare from the airport on the $27.50 regular priced ticket.

The train that was launched in June is building ridership, but the board report shows it climbing slowly from about 71,500 riders in June to about 79,000 in October. Ridership actually dropped slightly in August. Weekday ridership is up 12 per cent, according to the board report.

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Nearly six months after it launched, UPX is attracting about half its first year target of 5,000 daily riders.

Public transit advocates have suggested the airport train is too expensive and its price structure should be reworked to make it practical as public transit. There has also been speculation that the train could be reconfigured to be part of transit plan to connect airport area employment with Markham mostly using existing GO tracks.