Miami’s transit runs on one countywide agency and one flat fare. Miami-Dade Transit operates the rail, the free downtown people mover, and the bus network — tap once and you’re covered, with free transfers between bus and rail built in.
The basics
Three modes make up the core network:
- Metrorail — a 25-mile elevated heavy-rail line split into two color-coded branches, the Green Line and the Orange Line, meeting through downtown and Brickell.
- Metromover — a free, fully automated people mover looping through downtown, Brickell, and the Omni/Arts & Entertainment District across 21 stations.
- Metrobus — the county’s bus network, including a handful of inter-county express routes (95, 301, 302) that cost a bit more.
Two other rail services connect at MiamiCentral downtown but aren’t part of your Miami-Dade Transit fare: Tri-Rail, the regional commuter train up to Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach, and Brightline, private intercity rail to Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, and Orlando — both sell their own separate tickets.
How to pay
Unlike some cities, Miami’s Metrorail stations have fare gates, not an honor system — tap to get in.
- Tap a contactless bank card or your phone (Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay, Fitbit Pay) directly on the reader at the fare gate or farebox. It charges the standard fare and automatically caps your spending for the day — as long as you keep tapping the same card or device every time.
- Get an EASY Card ($2 for the card itself), load it with cash value or a pass at a station machine, Transit Service Center, sales outlet, or online, then tap it the same way.
- Pay cash on the bus — exact change only (bills and coins, no pennies), since drivers can’t make change. Cash payments don’t qualify for free transfers.
- Buy a mobile pass in the GO Miami-Dade Transit app (1-Day or 7-Day) or the older EASY Pay app.
Metromover needs no payment at all — just walk on.
Fares
| Fare | Day cap | |
|---|---|---|
| Adult | $2.25 | $5.65 |
| Reduced (Medicare, disability, K-12 students) | $1.10 | $2.80 |
| Express bus (95, 301, 302) | $2.65 | — |
| Metromover | Free | — |
Passes, for stays longer than a couple of days:
- 1-Day: $5.65 ($2.80 reduced) — valid from first use until 2am the next day.
- 7-Day: $29.25 ($14.60 reduced).
- 1-Month: $112.50 ($56.25 reduced).
Transfers are free between Metrobus and Metrorail in either direction, as long as you pay with an EASY Card, EASY Ticket, or contactless tap — cash fares don’t include a transfer. Bus-to-bus transfers are free for three hours from your first tap. Transferring to or from Metromover costs the regular fare in one direction (Metromover → Metrorail, Metromover → Metrobus) and is free in the other (Metrorail → Metromover, Metrobus → Metromover).
Miami-Dade County residents may also qualify for free riding: the Golden Passport (seniors and Social Security beneficiaries) and Patriot Passport (veterans who are county residents).
Getting from the airport
From baggage claim, follow signs to the MIA Mover, a free automated train that connects the terminals to the Miami Intermodal Center — where you’ll find the Metrorail Orange Line station.
- Route: the Orange Line runs directly downtown to Brickell and Government Center on weekdays.
- Cost: $2.25, the same as any other ride.
- Weekends: the Orange Line only shuttles between the airport and Earlington Heights station — you’ll need to transfer to the Green Line at Earlington Heights to reach downtown.
- Hours: Metrorail runs from about 5am to midnight, daily.
No official travel time to downtown is published, so budget some extra time, especially on a weekend transfer.
Tri-Rail also stops at the Miami Intermodal Center if you’re headed toward Fort Lauderdale or West Palm Beach instead of downtown.
Apps to download
- GO Miami-Dade Transit — the current official app: real-time arrivals, trip planning, and 1-Day/7-Day mobile passes.
- EASY Pay — the older official app, still needed for managing an EASY Card or buying certain passes while GO Miami-Dade is phased in.
- Google Maps — solid for trip planning with live Miami-Dade Transit data built in.
When it runs
- Metrorail: about 5am to midnight, seven days a week.
- Metromover: 5:30am to 10pm daily, arriving every 90 seconds at rush hour and every 3 minutes off-peak.
- There’s no true overnight service on either — plan around the midnight/10pm cutoffs.
Accessibility
Every Metrorail station is wheelchair accessible, with elevators and backup accessible service arranged within 30 minutes if an elevator is down. Metrobus has wheelchair lifts or ramps and priority seating; if a bus is full or its lift fails and the next one is more than 30 minutes out, the agency will arrange backup transportation. Metromover stations have elevators and tactile tiles for visually impaired riders.
Special Transportation Service (STS) is Miami-Dade’s door-to-door paratransit for riders who can’t use regular transit, including eligible out-of-town visitors. It’s $3.50 a trip; book through the reservations line (305-871-1111). Certified STS riders ride Metrobus and Metrorail free.
Etiquette & local quirks
- Metrorail is gated, not honor-system — tap in at the fare gate; there’s no tap-out.
- Metromover is completely free, so it’s the easiest way to hop around downtown, Brickell, and the Arts District without thinking about fare at all.
- Keep using the same card or phone every time if you want fare capping to actually cap — switching between a card and your phone resets it.
- Express buses (95, 301, 302) cost more than standard routes — don’t assume every bus is $2.25.
Good to know
- Heat and humidity are constant outside of a few winter weeks — most Metrorail and Metromover platforms are open-air but covered, so plan for the wait, not just the ride.
- Fare evasion (not paying, or entering through a rear/emergency door) violates County Ordinance #30B and Florida Statute 812.015(1)(j) — violators are subject to arrest, so pay before you board or tap in.
- If you’re continuing north toward Fort Lauderdale or West Palm Beach, both Tri-Rail and Brightline depart from MiamiCentral downtown, but neither is covered by your Miami-Dade Transit fare.