Pittsburgh’s transit is built around its hills and three rivers: a single agency — Pittsburgh Regional Transit (PRT) — runs buses, a light rail system locals call the T, and a cable car up to Mt. Washington. One fare card works across almost all of it, and a second, independently run incline takes the same cash or card.
The basics
The backbone is the T, a light rail system with three lines — Red, Blue, and Silver — that run through a downtown subway and across the Allegheny River to the North Shore, then fan out south into the South Hills suburbs.
Buses cover the rest of the city, and three dedicated busways — the East (Martin Luther King Jr.) Busway, the West Busway, and the South Busway — give PRT buses their own lanes free of car traffic, so routes on them run fast and frequent.
The Monongahela Incline, a PRT-run funicular, hauls riders up the cliff to Mt. Washington for the classic skyline view. Right next to it, the Duquesne Incline does the same climb; PRT owns it but the nonprofit Society for the Preservation of the Duquesne Heights Incline independently operates it — it takes cash or a PRT ConnectCard, but isn’t part of the regular fare network.
How to pay
PRT is mid-transition from its old ConnectCard to a new tap card called ReadyFare — the rollout is happening group by group through 2026 and into 2027, so you may see either card in use. Your options:
- Tap a ReadyFare or ConnectCard at the fare box on the bus, or at the reader on the light rail platform. Buy or load one at a Fare Vending Machine, the Downtown Service Center (623 Smithfield Street), or a ReadyFare retail outlet.
- Buy a mobile ticket in the official Ready2Ride app or the Transit app, then hold your phone to the scanner when you board. ReadyCash lets cash-preferring riders convert cash into a mobile ticket the same way.
- Pay cash on board — exact change only, no bills accepted for change.
The T uses a pay-where-you-live system rather than gates: heading toward Downtown, you pay before you board; heading away from Downtown, you pay after you get off, tapping at a platform reader. There’s also a small free fare zone on the T between First Avenue and Allegheny stations — no payment needed if you’re only riding within it.
Fares
A single fare buys 3 hours of unlimited transfers when paid with a card or mobile ticket (cash fares are single-ride only, no transfers):
| Fare | Day Pass | 7-Day Pass | 31-Day Pass | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adult | $2.75 | $7 | $25 | $97.50 |
| Half fare (reduced) | $1.35 | — | $12.50 | $48.75 |
| Seniors 65+ | Free with a PA Senior ID or Senior ConnectCard | |||
| Kids 6-11 | $1.35 with a Kid’s ConnectCard | |||
| Kids 5 & under | Free with a paying adult (limit 4 per adult) |
These fares apply system-wide — buses, the T, and the Monongahela Incline all use the same fare structure.
Getting from the airport
Take the 28X Airport Flyer bus. It picks up outside Door 9 on the ground level of the pre-security terminal and runs to Downtown by way of the West Busway, West Carson Street, and Oakland.
- Cost: $2.75, same as any other ride — pay cash (exact change) or tap a ReadyFare/ConnectCard on board. A ticket vending machine near Door 8 takes credit cards, and mobile tickets work too.
- How often: every 32 minutes on weekdays until 10pm, then every 44 minutes overnight; every 33 minutes on Saturdays; every 36 minutes on Sundays.
- Buses on this route are wheelchair accessible.
Apps to download
- Ready2Ride — the official PRT app for buying and activating mobile tickets for bus, rail, and the inclines.
- Transit — also sells mobile tickets, plus real-time arrivals and step-by-step trip planning.
- PRT TrueTime — a browser-based real-time tracker; you can also text your stop ID to 41411 for the next arrivals.
When it runs
Weekday service is the most frequent; Saturdays and Sundays run less often and start later in the day. The Monongahela Incline runs about every 15 minutes, from 5:30am to 12:45am Monday through Saturday and 8:45am to midnight on Sundays and holidays. The Duquesne Incline runs daily from 6:30am to 12:30am.
Accessibility
PRT’s buses and light rail vehicles are wheelchair accessible, with automated stop announcements. ACCESS is the region’s shared-ride, door-to-door paratransit service for people with disabilities, human-service-agency clients, and riders 65 and over — book through myaccessride.com or by calling 412-442-2000 (weekdays 6am-7pm, weekends and holidays 8am-4:30pm).
Etiquette & local quirks
- Remember the T’s pay-where-you-live rule: tap before boarding toward Downtown, tap after leaving Downtown. Don’t assume it works like a bus.
- Bikes are welcome: buses have a front rack for two, and the T allows two bikes per car, stowed in the wheelchair area and loaded only at high-platform stations — wheelchair users always get priority over bikes. The Monongahela Incline takes one bike at a time; the Duquesne Incline takes two. Battery-powered scooters aren’t allowed inside vehicles or on the bike racks.
- The two inclines look like a matched pair but aren’t run by the same outfit — don’t expect your ReadyFare mobile ticket to work on the Duquesne Incline; bring cash or a physical ConnectCard.
Good to know
- ConnectCard still works. If you’re handed or already own an older ConnectCard, keep using it — PRT is transitioning riders to ReadyFare gradually by account type, and ConnectCards remain accepted through the changeover.
- Both inclines climb the same hillside, but confirm which one you’re at — the Monongahela Incline is the one PRT operates directly and covers with this guide’s regular fares; the Duquesne Incline, though also PRT-owned, is run day-to-day by an independent nonprofit and takes only cash or a ConnectCard.