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How to pay your fare onboard the bus

Your guide to the Capital Metro fareboxes, magnetic farecards and smartcards.

Single Cash fares
$1.00 on all MetroBus routes and $2.75 on all MetroExpress routes.

  • Insert coins or bills one at a time. The fareboxes accept pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters, half-dollars, and dollar coins. The bill acceptor accepts $1 and $5 notes.
  • Exact change required. Bus operator does not provide change.
  • Capital Metro does not issue transfers. If you need to transfer to another bus, a Day Pass is the way to go!

Day Pass
Request a Day Pass from the bus operator BEFORE YOU INSERT YOUR MONEY OR A STORED VALUE CARD.

  • The day pass will print and issue from the top of the farebox (fig.1) with date and time you boarded and the expiration time.
  • Use the Day Pass on your connecting bus or on your return trip by swiping it through the card reader (fig. 2). Do not re-insert your pass back into the farebox (fig. 1) once it has been initially validated. This will only jam the farebox and cause you to be without your pass. The farebox will alert you and the bus operator if the card has expired.
  • Day Passes are valid for unlimited rides for up to twenty-four hours.

Reduced Day Pass
First tap your Reduced Fare ID to the target area of the farebox, then request a Reduced Day Pass from the bus operator BEFORE YOU INSERT YOUR MONEY OR A STORED VALUE CARD. You must tap your Reduced Fare ID with each boarding.

  • The day pass will print and issue from the top of the farebox (fig.1) with date and time you boarded and the expiration time.
  • Use the Day Pass on your connecting bus or on your return trip by swiping it through the card reader (fig. 2). Do not re-insert your pass back into the farebox (fig. 1) once it has been initially validated. This will only jam the farebox and cause you to be without your pass. The farebox will alert you and the bus operator if the card has expired.
  • Day Passes are valid for unlimited rides for up to twenty-four hours.
image of barebox to insert pass

Stored Value Card
$15 worth of rides for $12.

  • Insert card into the top of farebox (fig.1).
  • The unit will deduct the value of your fare and print your current balance on the back of the card.
  • You always know how much value remains.
image of barebox to swipe pass

31-Day Passes
Unlimited rides - one low price.

  • Swipe the pass with magnetic stripe down, facing you (fig. 2).
  • The farebox will accept the pass or alert you and the bus operator if the pass has expired.
  • Passes are still good for unlimited rides from the first day of validation. The first day the pass is validated in considered Day 1 of 31 consecutive days. DO NOT RE-INSERT YOUR PASS BACK INTO THE FAREBOX ONCE IT HAS BEEN INITIALLY VALIDATED. This will only jam the farebox and cause you to be without your pass.

University of Texas
Students, faculty and staff must use their UT ID to ride Capital Metro.

  • Swipe ID with magnetic stripe down, facing you (fig. 2).
  • The farebox will accept the ID or alert you and the bus operator if ID cannot be read by the farebox.
  • The ID is used as a "Flash" pass on UT shuttle routes, only.

NOTE: If the magnetic stripe on your UT ID can no longer be read by the magnetic reader on the farebox, you will be required to pay a full fare. The issue with the card must be addressed with the University of Texas and not Capital Metro.

Participating Employer/School Pass Program
Swipe the pass with magnetic stripe down, facing you (fig 2). Be prepared to show your employee ID.

Austin Community College Green Pass
Austin Community College students ride free with their Green Pass and student ID. As with other Employer/School pass programs, swipe the pass with magnetic stripe down, facing you (fig 2).

For more information on the Green Pass program, visit the ACC website.

Reduced Fare ID Cards
Seniors 65 and older, Medicare certified and people with qualifying disabilities must have a Reduced Fare ID Card to ride Capital Metro bus and rail services at the reduced rate. The price of the ID is $3 and applications are available at the Capital Metro Transit Store and online.

  • Tap the Reduced Fare ID Card to the farebox target area upon boarding the bus, then pay a cash fare or insert a stored value card or swipe your pass.

MetroAccess Customers
MetroAccess-certified customers may ride bus and rail services at a reduced fare with their MetroAccess ID Card.

  • Tap the Reduced Fare ID Card to the farebox target area upon boarding the bus, then pay a cash fare or insert a stored value card or swipe your pass.

Students and Active Military/Reserve Duty Customers
Students 6 – 18 years of age and active military/reserve duty customers may ride bus and rail services at a reduced fare with a valid issued school ID or valid issued military ID.


line seperatorCapital Metropolitan Transportation Authority
2910 East 5th Street | Austin, Texas 78702 | (512) 389-7400
Specific Route Information | (512) 474-1200