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Getting around Austin

One rail line, and a rapid bus network that does most of the real work.

CapMetro (Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority) · official site

Network map

Tap any station for departure times

LeanderLakelineHowardKramerMcKallaCrestviewHighlandMLK JrPlaza SaltilloDowntown
  • MetroRail Red Line
  • Airport station

Leander

Next departures

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Northern terminus, big park & ride.

Jump to a station

MetroRail Red Line

From the airport, on your first night

AUS

Austin–Bergstrom International

  1. 1Exit baggage claim and cross to the ground transportation island.
  2. 2Board CapMetro route 20 Manor Rd / Riverside towards downtown.
  3. 3Ride to downtown, or change at Riverside for the UT area.
Journey time
About 35–45 minutes to downtown
Cost
$1.25 (free with a UT ID)

Read this first: Route 20 runs roughly 5am–midnight. Outside that, or with heavy luggage, take a rideshare — about $25–35 into central Austin.

Fares and how to pay

Single ride
$1.25 bus · $3.50 MetroRail
Day pass
$2.50 bus · $7.00 rail
Monthly
$41.25 bus · $96.25 rail

Student discount

UT Austin students ride free on all CapMetro services with a valid UT ID — this is already paid for in your student fees. Austin Community College students also ride free. Do not buy a pass before you check.

How to pay

  • Download the CapMetro app and buy a mobile ticket — simplest option on arrival.
  • Or tap a contactless card on the validator.
  • Exact cash is accepted on buses; no change given.
  • If you are a UT student, just show your ID card — you do not need to pay at all.

Transfers

A day pass is automatically capped: once you have paid the equivalent of a day pass, the rest of the day is free.

Buses worth knowing

Rail gets the attention, but most students live on the bus network.

  • MetroRapid 801Every 10–15 min

    North Lamar ↔ South Congress through downtown and UT. The backbone route.

  • MetroRapid 803Every 10–15 min

    Burnet ↔ South Lamar via downtown.

  • Route 20 Manor Rd / RiversideEvery 15 min

    East Austin, UT and the Riverside student apartments.

  • Route 7 Duval / Dove SpringsEvery 15–20 min

    North campus through UT to south Austin.

  • Route 10 South 1st / Red RiverEvery 15–20 min

    UT and the Capitol to south Austin.

Apps to install on day one

  • CapMetro

    Tickets and live tracking in one app.

  • Transit

    Good live countdowns for the stop you are at.

  • Google Maps

    Reliable planning across bus and rail.

What your advisor would tell you

  • If you are a UT student, transit is already free with your ID. A surprising number of students pay for a year before finding out.
  • MetroRail is a commuter line, not a metro — it is infrequent, does not run on Sundays, and is built around 9-to-5 commuters. Do not plan your life around it.
  • The MetroRapid 801 and 803 are the real backbone. Living near either is worth more than living near the rail.
  • West Campus and Riverside are the two big student rental areas. West Campus is walkable to UT and priced accordingly; Riverside is cheaper but you will depend on the bus.
  • Austin traffic is bad and getting worse. A 15-minute drive at 10am can be 45 minutes at 5pm — check your commute at the time you would actually travel.

A map only gets you so far on your first night

Reading about the Austin system at 2am after a 20-hour flight, with two suitcases and no US phone number, is a different thing entirely. Plan it with your advisor before you fly, and message them if anything goes wrong on the way.

Get an advisor