Tampa’s public transportation is small compared to its size, but what’s there is easy to use: one agency, HART, runs almost every bus in Hillsborough County on a single tap-and-cap fare, and a free streetcar links downtown to the historic Ybor City district. It won’t get you everywhere — this is still a driving city at heart — but for downtown, Channelside, Ybor, and the airport, you can skip the rental car.
The basics
HART (Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority) runs the local and express bus network that covers roughly 1,000 square miles of the county, along with:
- HARTFlex — a van service on a single route (East Fletcher, in the University area); currently fixed-route and walk-up only — you wait at a marked HART stop and the driver drops you at any other stop along the route in the same direction, for $1 a trip.
- HARTPlus — paratransit for riders who can’t use the regular fixed-route buses.
Separately, the TECO Line Streetcar runs along an 11-stop line connecting downtown, Channelside, and Ybor City — it’s owned by a local nonprofit but operated day-to-day by HART. Across Tampa Bay in St. Petersburg and Pinellas County, buses are run by a different agency, PSTA, which uses the same fare system.
How to pay
Since January 2025, HART’s fare system is Flamingo Fares, and you’ve got four ways to pay:
- Tap a Flamingo Fares smart card or the Flamingo Fares app at the farebox reader as you board.
- Tap a contactless debit, credit, or prepaid card, or your phone’s wallet (Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay) — no separate card needed.
- Pay cash on board — exact change only; drivers can’t make change.
- The TECO Line Streetcar needs no payment at all — it’s fare-free.
There are no fare gates: buses are boarded through the front door past the driver, and you tap or pay as you get on. Keep tapping the same card, app, or bank card every time you ride — that’s what makes the automatic fare capping (below) work, and your tap is your proof of payment if you’re ever asked.
Fares
A one-way bus ride currently costs:
| Per ride | Daily cap | Monthly cap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular | $2.00 | $4.00 | $65.00 |
| Discount (youth 6–18, seniors 65+, Medicare, disabled, disabled veterans) | $1.00 | $2.00 | $32.50 |
| Kids 5 and under | Free (with a paying adult, under the height line) | — | — |
Fare capping works automatically and with any payment method: keep tapping the same Flamingo card, app, or bank card, and once you’ve paid the equivalent of a day pass or a month pass, the rest of that day or month is free. There’s nothing to buy in advance. A Discount Flamingo Card costs $3 and requires proof of eligibility.
The TECO Line Streetcar is free — no fare, no tap required.
Getting from the airport
HART Route 10 is the direct bus between downtown Tampa and Tampa International Airport, running seven days a week — weekdays from about 5:30am to midnight, weekends from about 7am to 11:30pm. It costs the same $2.00 as any other HART ride.
Two other routes also touch the airport: Route 30 (downtown–airport, roughly hourly) and Route 32 (connecting from the Netpark Transfer Center). None of HART’s published route information states a travel time for the airport trip, so it’s worth checking the Transit app for a live estimate before you go.
Apps to download
- Flamingo Fares — the official app for loading and managing your fare.
- Transit — HART’s partner app for real-time bus tracking and trip planning; HART gives every rider free access to the app’s premium “Royale” tier (full route maps, live vehicle tracking, step-by-step trip guidance) at no cost.
- Google Maps — also carries HART’s live arrival data for trip planning.
When it runs
Service span varies by route. A few reference points:
- HART Route 10 (downtown–airport): weekdays ~5:30am–midnight, weekends ~7am–11:30pm.
- HART Route 30 (downtown–airport): weekdays ~4:30am–midnight, weekends ~7am–midnight.
- TECO Line Streetcar: every 15 minutes, Monday–Thursday 7am–11pm, Friday 7am–2am, Saturday 9am–2am, Sunday 8:30am–11pm.
There’s no systemwide late-night network — most routes wind down by midnight on weekdays, earlier on weekends — but the streetcar runs unusually late on Friday and Saturday nights.
Accessibility
HART’s fixed-route buses are wheelchair- and scooter-accessible, with PA systems that announce stops and lighted stop-request signs. Riders who can’t use the regular bus network because of a disability can apply for HARTPlus door-to-door paratransit; eligibility is based on functional ability to use fixed-route buses, not on having a particular disability.
Etiquette & local quirks
- Tap every time you board, even if your fare is already capped for the day — it’s your proof of payment, and inspectors can ask to see it.
- Cash fares need exact change — the farebox and driver can’t make change.
- The streetcar is a different system from the bus — no fare, no tap, just get on.
- Heading across the bay to St. Petersburg? That’s PSTA, a separate agency, but it runs on the same Flamingo Fares card or app.
Good to know
- HART eliminated paper fare cards in January 2025 — if you’re used to an older magnetic-stripe HART card, it no longer works; Flamingo Fares is the current system.
- HART’s fleet is being converted to compressed natural gas (CNG) buses.
- Outside downtown, Channelside, and Ybor City, bus coverage thins out fast and frequencies drop — for most of suburban Tampa, a car (or rideshare) is still the practical choice.