To 40 years of service and the next 40 years of progress.
We'd like to thank the community for riding and enthusiastically supporting our service so CapMetro can continue to expand public transportation access for central Texas. Enjoy a fare-free ride on all CapMetro services on July 1 to celebrate our anniversary!
Keep scrolling to take a journey through CapMetro's history.
The Early Days: Laying the Tracks (1985–1993)
January 19, 1985 – Central Texans vote to create Capital Metro, replacing Austin Transit Service.
July 1, 1985 – CapMetro launches service with local, express and paratransit routes.
March 31, 1986 – Vanpool (RideFinders) program hits the road.
June 12, 1986 – Downtown parade welcomes 100 brand-new CapMetro buses.
August 18, 1986 – CapMetro partners with City of Austin to purchase rail line from Llano to Giddings.
September 1, 1988 – UT Shuttle service begins under CapMetro.
1993 – CapMetro buses become 100% wheelchair accessible — ahead of the curve.
Innovation & Exploration (1994–2010)
February 15, 1997 – CapMetro tests light rail with a 2-week demo.
November 7, 2000 – A light rail vote falls short by just 2,000 votes.
November 2, 2004 – Commuter rail approved! The Red Line gets the green light.
October 2, 2009 – The iconic Dillo trolleys retire after 30+ years.
March 22, 2010 – The Red Line commuter rail officially launches, connecting Leander to downtown.
Modern Moves (2011–2019)
January 26 & August 24, 2014 – Launch of Rapid Lines 801 & 803, Central Texas’ first BRT lines.
June 6, 2017 – Pickup begins offering on-demand microtransit in neighborhood zones.
June 3, 2018 – Cap Remap overhauls 52 routes and doubles high-frequency service.
2019 – CapMetro introduces its first fully electric buses.
A New Era with Project Connect (2020–Today)
November 2020 – Voters approve Project Connect, transforming Austin’s transit future.
October 2020 – Station opens
October 2021 – Red Line Improvements
January 2024 – Pickup Dove Springs Zone added
February 2024 – McKalla Station Opens (near Q2 Stadium)
January 2025 – Pickup Decker Zone added
February 2025 – Pleasant Valley & Expo Rapid Lines begin service
June 2025 – CapMetro is a proud sponsor of Antone's 50th Anniversary
Driven by Sustainability
Here's how CapMetro has led the charge in cleaner, greener transit through the years
Alternative-fuel vans and buses: CNG & LNG as early as the '80s
Water-recycling bus wash system since the '90s
Ozone Action Day Free Rides in the '90s–2000s
Hybrid-electric and clean diesel buses in the 2000s
Zero emission buses debut in 2019
With Project Connect in motion, zero emission fleets expanding, our commitment to accessibility stronger than ever and more-- CapMetro is set for an exciting future.
Explore Our Services Now
Bus
Routes 1–99, 200–499 and UT Shuttles. Take a connector bus from campus to our Flyer and Limited Routes 100–199 for fast service with limited stops to select destinations.
Rapid
Route 801 Connects Tech Ridge to Southpark Meadows
Route 803 Connects The Domain to Westgate
Route 800 Connects Mueller to Slaughter Lane via Pleasant Valley
Route 837 Connects Loyola/Decker to UT and downtown
Express
Express offers service between Park & Ride lots and the UT campus, State Capitol
Complex and downtown-area offices with routes 900–999.
Pickup
On-demand, shared ride service that can take you anywhere within a service zone. Download the Pickup app to get started.
Park & Rides
Don't live near a direct bus? Drive to one of our 16 Park & Rides and transit centers and hop on a bus to campus. Best of all, it's free to park at our facilities!