The cost of riding the Union Pearson Express has been cut by close to 60 per cent in an attempt to boost sagging ridership numbers, Transportation Minister Steven Del Duca announced Tuesday.

The one-way adult fare is now $12, down from $27.50, for riders without a Presto card, and $9, down from $19, for riders with a Presto card.

The fare reduction was approved by the Metrolinx board of directors at a meeting this evening.

Riders will also be able to hop on the train at Bloor GO Station or Weston GO Station and travel to the airport for $5.02 and $4.71 respectively, provided they have a Presto card.

The new fares go into effect on March 9.

“We wanted to make sure that we moved forward with a plan that would help grow the ridership, in particular by making it more affordable for middle-class families and commuters across this region,” Del Duca told reporters at Union Station.

The move to lower fares comes after the UP Express smashed ridership records earlier this month when they offered the service for free during the Family Day weekend.

Numbers released recently by Metrolinx show that trains were running at around 10 per cent capacity in the last two months of 2015 and that on average, the UP Express has about 2,450 daily riders.

But on Feb. 13, the first day of the free weekend promotion, more than 10,000 people boarded the UP Express.

“If the service isn’t being used we will continue to have financial challenges,” Del Duca said of the decision to reduce fares.

Fare cut still not enough: TTCriders

Despite the drop, transit advocacy group TTCriders says the cost of UP Express fares is still out of reach for some.

"TTCriders is pleased Metrolinx is starting to listen to riders demands to turn the Union Pearson train into an affordable mass transit line, but the fare reductions will not make this train affordable for everyone," the group said in a written statement released Tuesday.

The group added that to travel from Dundas and Weston to Union, it would cost a commuter $2825 to take the Union Pearson train five days a week for 50 weeks.

"If there’s no fare integration, a commuter would still need to spend another $1500 or so to use the TTC," the statement continued.