This article is part of our Moving to Houston guide.
Last updated October 17, 2026
Public transit in Houston is run by METRO, which operates more than 80 local bus routes, three METRORail light-rail lines, commuter Park & Ride buses and small on-demand shuttle zones. A local bus or train ride costs $1.25, and transfers are free for three hours if you pay by card or app. Transit works well along the rail lines and the busiest bus corridors inside the 610 Loop. Outside them, most people drive for at least part of their week.
What are your transit options in Houston?
Every option below is run by METRO and uses one fare system, so one card or phone covers all of it.
| Option | Regular fare | How often | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| METRORail Red Line | $1.25 | Every 6 min weekdays, 12 min weekends | Downtown, Midtown, Museum District, Medical Center |
| METRORail Green and Purple lines | $1.25 | Every 12 min weekdays, 18 min weekends | East End, EaDo, Third Ward, UH and TSU |
| Local bus | $1.25 | Many routes every 15 min or better; others every 30 min | Most trips inside the Loop and along major roads |
| 433 Silver Line (Uptown) | $1.25 | Every 20 min | Galleria and Post Oak offices and shops |
| Park & Ride | $2.00 to $4.50 by zone | Mostly weekday commute hours | Suburban commuters going downtown or to the Medical Center |
| curb2curb and Community Connector | $1.25 | On demand, booked by app or phone | Short trips inside set neighborhood zones |
| 500 Downtown Direct | $4.50 | Every 15 to 30 min | Downtown to IAH or Hobby airport |
Frequencies are METRO’s posted figures for most hours. Check the RideMETRO app before you rely on one.
How does METRORail work?
METRORail is Houston’s light rail. It has three lines, and all of them meet downtown. Trains start before 5 a.m. and the last trips end after midnight, every day of the week.
- Red Line, 25 stations from Northline Transit Center/HCC in the north to Fannin South Park & Ride in the south. It runs through Midtown, the Museum District, Hermann Park, the Texas Medical Center and NRG Park, about 52 minutes end to end.
- Green Line, 9 stations from the Theater District downtown east to Magnolia Park Transit Center. The trip takes about 20 minutes.
- Purple Line, 10 stations from the Theater District southeast to Palm Center Transit Center, passing the University of Houston and Texas Southern University. The trip takes about 27 minutes.
The Green and Purple lines share track between the Theater District and the EaDo/Stadium station. The Red Line connects with them downtown at Central Station Main. Extra World Cup service in June and July 2026 was temporary; the posted schedule is back to normal.
How do METRO buses work?
Buses do most of the work in Houston. In 2015, METRO redrew its whole bus network as a grid. Frequent routes run along major roads, so you can change buses at a crossing street instead of riding downtown first. METRO says many of its more than 80 local routes come at least every 15 minutes. Less busy routes often run every 30 minutes, so check yours before you sign a lease.
A few routes to know: the 82 Westheimer is one of the system’s main east-west lines, and METRO finished rebuilding its bus lanes and stops in April 2026. The 25 Richmond, 20 Canal/Memorial and 85 Antoine/Washington are other key routes that METRO ran more often during the World Cup. You can track buses in real time in the RideMETRO app or by texting your stop ID and route number to 697433.
What happened to bus rapid transit?
Houston has one bus rapid transit line, the Silver Line in Uptown. It opened in 2020 and runs 4.7 miles on mostly dedicated lanes, from Northwest Transit Center past the Galleria to Westpark. METRO cut it from every 12 minutes to every 20 minutes in June 2024. The bigger plan was the University Corridor, a cross-town BRT line through downtown and the University of Houston area. In June 2024, METRO shelved it, citing cost. As of October 2026, it has no opening date, so older guides that promise it are out of date.
How does Park & Ride work?
Park & Ride is for suburban commuters. You drive to one of more than two dozen METRO lots, then take an express bus that uses HOV lanes to downtown or the Texas Medical Center with few or no stops. Fares depend on where you board: $2.00 in Zone 1, $3.25 in Zone 2, $3.75 in Zone 3 and $4.50 in Zone 4. If you transfer from a local bus or train within three hours, you pay only the difference. Day Passes and 3-Hour Passes don’t work on Park & Ride.
How much does it cost, and how do you pay?
A regular ride on local bus, METRORail, curb2curb or Community Connector costs $1.25. Children 5 and under ride free with an adult. There is no daily or monthly fare cap. Instead, METRO offers a $3 Day Pass good until 2 a.m. the next day, and a loyalty deal: one free ride after every 10 paid rides on a RideMETRO card or the app.
- Tap your bank card or phone. Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, Apple Pay and Google Pay all work at the validators.
- Get a RideMETRO card. The physical card costs $2. A virtual card in the RideMETRO app is free and shows a QR code you scan. The new system launched in early 2026, and the old Q Card stopped working in April 2026.
- Buy a paper pass. Ticket machines on rail platforms sell 3-Hour Passes and Day Passes.
- Pay cash on buses only. Use exact change. Cash fares don’t include a free transfer.
Free transfers last three hours, but only if you use the same card or phone every time you tap. METRO treats a plastic card and a copy of it in your phone wallet as two different methods.
Who gets a discount?
Half fare ($0.60 on bus and rail) is available to K-12 and college students, seniors 65 to 69, and people with disabilities who aren’t METROLift customers. Seniors 70 and older and qualified veterans ride free. All of these need a RideMETRO Discount Fare Card and proof of eligibility.
What is METRO’s on-demand service?
METRO runs two kinds of shared rides that you book in the METRO On Demand app or by calling 713-739-7433. Both cost the same $1.25 as a bus, and both include free transfers.
- Community Connector uses small electric shuttles and accessible minivans in five zones: Downtown, the Heights, Near Northside, Second Ward and Third Ward. It runs weekdays from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- curb2curb serves set zones in neighborhoods with thin bus service, such as Acres Homes, Hiram Clarke and Sunnyside, and connects riders to nearby bus and rail. You can book 10 minutes to seven days ahead.
Does Houston have bike share?
No. Houston BCycle shut down at the end of June 2024 after its ridership fell and its money ran out. METRO had planned to relaunch bike share but dropped it from its budget in fall 2024 and put the money into on-demand rides instead. Houston is now the largest U.S. city without bike share, and nothing has replaced it as of October 2026.
How do you get to the airports by transit?
Both airports have direct METRO service. Since February 22, 2026, the 500 Downtown Direct links downtown with both airports for $4.50.
- Bush Intercontinental (IAH): Take the 500 Downtown Direct to Terminal E. For $1.25, the 102 Bush IAH local bus runs from the Downtown Transit Center through Greenspoint to Terminal C. It makes many stops, so it’s slower. Both run about every 15 to 30 minutes.
- Hobby (HOU): The 500 Downtown Direct also serves Hobby. Local routes 40 Telephone/Heights, 50 Broadway, 73 Bellfort and 88 Sagemont stop at the Hobby Transit Center, just outside baggage claim, for $1.25.
Which neighborhoods work best without a car?
Live near a Red Line station or a frequent bus route and you can handle most weekday trips by transit. The strongest areas are:
- Downtown and Midtown, where all three rail lines and many bus routes meet.
- The Museum District and the area near the Texas Medical Center, on the Red Line, good if you work in the Medical Center.
- EaDo and the East End, on the Green and Purple lines.
- Third Ward, on the Purple Line near UH and TSU, with Community Connector service.
- Montrose and the Heights, with no rail but frequent buses close to downtown.
Our sister site, HoustonApartmentBuildings.com, keeps a list of Houston apartments near METRORail if you want to start your search there. For a broader look at areas, see our guide to the best Houston neighborhoods for newcomers. If you’ll live or work outside the Loop, read do you need a car in Houston? and how much it costs to live in Houston.
Frequently asked questions about public transit in Houston
Is METRORail free downtown?
No. METRO lists the same $1.25 fare for every METRORail ride, including short trips inside downtown. With a card or phone, that one fare covers transfers for three hours.
Can I still use my Q Card?
No. METRO stopped accepting Q Cards in April 2026. Use a RideMETRO card, the RideMETRO app, or tap a bank card or phone.
Is there a weekly or monthly pass?
METRO lists no weekly or monthly pass and no fare cap. The options are the $3 Day Pass and a free ride after every 10 paid rides on a RideMETRO card or app.
Sources
- Fares, transfers, passes and discounts: METRO, Fares (October 2026)
- METRORail lines, stations and frequency: METRO, METRORail (October 2026)
- Local bus routes and real-time tracking: METRO, Local Bus (October 2026)
- Silver Line: METRO, 433 Silver Line (October 2026)
- Park & Ride: METRO, Park & Ride (October 2026)
- curb2curb: METRO, curb2curb (October 2026)
- Community Connector: METRO, Community Connector (October 2026)
- IAH service: METRO, George Bush Intercontinental Airport (October 2026)
- Hobby service: METRO, William P. Hobby Airport (October 2026)
- 500 Downtown Direct to both airports: Houston First, METRO expands direct service to both airports (February 2026)
- RideMETRO fare system and Q Card phase-out: Hoodline, METRO’s new RideMETRO app shakes up Houston commutes (February 2026)
- World Cup service changes: METRO, Service enhancements for FIFA World Cup 2026 (June 2026)
- Westheimer bus project: Community Impact, METRO completes construction on Westheimer improvement project (April 2026)
- University Corridor BRT shelved: Houston Chronicle, Metro shelving University Corridor BRT, citing finances (June 2024)
- Silver Line frequency cut: Mass Transit, METRO’s move to slow service on Uptown BRT (April 2024)
- 2015 bus network redesign: Human Transit, Houston METRO’s Transit System Reimagining plan approved (February 2015)
- BCycle shutdown: ABC13, Houston bike share program BCycle shuts down (July 2024)
- METRO drops bike share: Planetizen, Houston Metro abandons bike share in favor of on-demand microtransit (September 2024)
Author: Go Big City Team
Next step: see the full Moving to Houston guide for rent, costs, transit, weather, jobs and neighborhoods in one place.