FAQ

Welcome to MARTA

The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority is Atlanta's state-of-the-art public transportation system. MARTA's mission is to provide our customers with the highest level of safe, clean, reliable, and affordable transportation. Welcome aboard! We hope you enjoy the ride. Please click on any question to be taken directly to the answer. After each answer, you can continue to scroll down or click to return to the top of the questions. Thank you.

General

• 1. How do I ride MARTA?
• 2. When does MARTA Operate?
• 3. How can I use MARTA to/from the Airport?
• 4. Is MARTA accessible for disabled riders?
• 5a. How Does MARTA Help Atlanta? (The Economy)
• 5b. How Does MARTA Help Atlanta? (The Environment)
  

Fare Information

• 6. How much does it cost to ride MARTA?
• 7. Does MARTA have special passes for groups?
  

A: Easy Planning - Call 404-848-5000 and give our highly trained Customer Information operators your departure and destination points. We have a complete staff of operators who speak multiple languages. Take your time; repeat the information given and then write down information about MARTA locations, the names and numbers of routes, departure and arrival times, and any transfer information you may need. Feel free to ask questions and to call again to review your instructions.

Easy Boarding
Look for the blue, gold, and orange striped signs that identify MARTA stops, stations and vehicles.

Bus Riders: MARTA buses display the names and numbers of routes just above the windshield. Signal to the driver that you wish to board.

Train Riders: Signs that display, "To Trains" direct you to the boarding platforms. Remember which direction (north, south, etc.) you plan to travel. Look for white courtesy telephones, customer service personnel and uniformed MARTA transit police for additional assistance.

Easy Fares
A single $1.75 fare covers one-way bus or train trips, including transfers.  You will need a Breeze Card or Ticket to ride.  An additional .50 cents will be added to the purchase of a Breeze Ticket to cover the cost of the ticket and $5 to the purchase of a new Breeze Card includes two free trips.

Bus riders may drop exact cash (bills or coins) into the fare box near the driver. Or tap your Breeze Card/Ticket on the target on the farebox.

TRANSFER POLICY: Bus to Bus transfers are no longer issued. You must have a valid Breeze Card/Ticket loaded with appropriate fare to ride MARTA. Transfers are only available on a Breeze Card or Ticket and are automatically loaded when you tap to board a bus or exit a rail station. If you pay with cash you will still need a Breeze Card/Ticket to receive your transfer. Bus-to-Bus transfers are designed to help customers get from point A to point B that are not accessible using one bus route. Transfers cannot be used for roundtrip travel.

Train riders may purchase Breeze Cards/Ticket at Breeze Vending Machines located inside all Rail Stations. Tap Breeze Card/Ticket on the target on station entry gates to enter station.

Easy Riding
Enjoy the ride, but stay alert.
If you need assistance while traveling, bus riders may ask our friendly drivers to help you identify your stop. As you approach your stop, pull the overhead cord, or push the strip along the windows to let the driver know you want to get off.
For rail transit users, rail system maps are clearly posted inside each train car. Trains stop at all stations and the station name is announced prior to arrival. The station name is also visible from the train. Exit signs located in every station identify directions to nearby streets and landmarks.

A: Buses: Buses generally run from 5 a.m. to 1 a.m., Monday through Saturday, and from 5 a.m. until 12:45 a.m. on Sundays, weekends and holidays. Individual bus routes vary.

Rail: MARTA's rail system runs from 5 a.m. until 1 a.m. Monday through Saturday, and from 5 a.m. until 12:45 a.m. on Sunday, weekends and holidays. Trains run every 10 minutes on weekdays and every 15 minutes after 9:00 p.m. daily, Saturdays, Sundays and holidays.

Renovation Work Schedules: Due to renovation on the rail system, expect up to 20 minutes between trains after 9 p.m., Monday through Thursday, and continuously Friday, 9 p.m., through Sunday on certain weekends. For more information, please visit scheduled delays or call Customer Information at (404) 848-5000.

Holidays: Please see our holiday schedule.

A: MARTA has a rail station right inside Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. This service offers the quickest and most inexpensive way to get to downtown Atlanta's hotels and other hotels all over Fulton and DeKalb counties. The station is located near the baggage claim area, at the North end of the Airport.

When leaving the airport after 9 p.m. be aware that you must change trains at Lindbergh Station to reach Buckhead, Medical Center, Dunwoody, Sandy Springs and North Springs Stations. During periods that renovation is occurring on the system be aware that some trains may terminate abnormally.  Always confirm the destination of your train by looking at the train destination sign and listening for train announcements.

MARTA's Airport Station

A: MARTA provides easy service to elderly and disabled passengers. All of MARTA's trains and rail stations, as well as our entire bus fleet are accessible.

All of our buses are equipped with wheelchair lifts and/or kneeling capability. We also provide priority seating as designated at the front of every bus by the international handicap symbol for our senior citizens and persons who may use wheelchairs for transportation. Wheelchair tie-downs are available on all of MARTA's buses.

Each rail station is 100 percent accessible with special, wide faregates for persons with disabilities. Escalators and elevators are located between the rail, bus, and street levels at each station. Each train has a special wheelchair space at one end of each rail car.

MARTA has a TDD Schedule Information telephone number for the hearing impaired. Call (404) 848-5665 between 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., Monday through Friday, and from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekends and most holidays.

A: MARTA connects employees and employers throughout the metro region. MARTA carries 98 percent of all transit riders in the Atlanta region. MARTA helps alleviate congestion, which is the No. 1 barrier to economic growth in metro Atlanta. MARTA is a selling point in attracting mega conventions and major sporting events. MARTA has been a catalyst for the economic growth and development of the Atlanta region. Without MARTA, it is unlikely the region would have attracted major corporations to locate here, or would have attracted major economic generators such as the 1996 Olympics. MARTA contributes $476 million annually to Atlanta’s gross regional product. MARTA has helped Atlanta live up to its image as a world-class city steeped in a rich history of transportation. MARTA represents a nearly $4 billion public investment that should provide the basis for a coordinated regional mass transit system.

A: A study conducted by the American Public Transit Association found that in 2001 alone, public transportation use in the Atlanta area saved 19.3 million gallons of gasoline, and kept more than 300 million pounds of pollutants out of the air. MARTA has one of the largest fleet of compressed natural gas buses in the nation, increasing mobility while reducing pollution. The availability of MARTA as a transit alternative saved Atlantans approximately 25 million man-hours in traffic delays.

Fare Information

     Q: 6. How much does it cost to ride MARTA?

A: MARTA is $1.75 for a one-way fare (no pennies). $2.00 Effective 10/1/2009

One-way fare: $1.75 - $2.00 Effective 10/1/2009
10 Trips: $17.50 - $20.00 Effective 10/1/2009
20 Trips (discounted price): $30.00 - $34.00 Effective 10/1/2009
7-Day Pass: $13 (unlimited rides for 7 consecutive days) - $15.00 Effective 10/1/2009
30-Day Pass: $52.50 (unlimited rides for 30 consecutive days) - $60.00 Effective 10/1/2009
Elderly/Disabled Half-Fare (with card): $0.85 - $0.90 Effective 10/1/2009

Note: An additional .50cents will be added to purchase of a new  Breeze Ticket and $5 to the purchase of a new card includes two free trips.

Breeze Cards and Breeze Tickets can be bought and reloaded at Breeze Vending machines in all 38 Stations and any of MARTA's RideStores and Cashier locations, which are located inside Five Points, Lenox, Airport Stations and at the MARTA Headquarters building across from Lindbergh, Sandy Springs and North Springs Train Station.

A: For out-of-town visitors, MARTA has created a special volume discount program with passes, which are valid for the duration of your stay.  The Visitors Pass allows unlimited travel on MARTA for groups of 15 and more.  A minimum of 20 business days’ notice is required.  Click here for more information.

*1-Day Pass - $8.50
*2-Day Pass - $9.50
*3-Day Pass - $11.50 ($12.50 Effective 10/1/2009)
*4-Day Pass - $12.50 ($13.50 Effective 10/1/2009)
7-Day Pass - $13.50 ($15.50 Effective 10/1/2009)
Add $3 to the cost of the Pass for each additional day.

*Note: 1-Day, 2-Day, 3-Day and 4-Day Visitor Passes are available to purchase form the Breeze Vending Machines located in all 38 MARTA Rail Stations.