San Antonio doesn’t have trains or a subway — it runs on buses, and one agency, VIA Metropolitan Transit, handles all of it. There are no fare gates anywhere: you tap or show proof of payment as you board, the same as everywhere else in the system.
The basics
VIA’s network is mostly local bus routes, plus a few faster tiers layered on top:
- Prímo — three bus rapid transit lines (100 Fredericksburg, 102 Military, 103 Zarzamora) with articulated buses, real-time arrival signs, and transit signal priority to skip ahead of traffic.
- Express routes — limited-stop commuter runs, including park-and-ride service, for a higher fare.
- VIA Link — an on-demand, shared-ride van service in six zones around the city; you book it like a rideshare, but it costs the same as a regular bus fare.
- VIAtrans — ADA paratransit for riders who can’t use fixed-route service.
Downtown, don’t miss The Local SATX — a free electric trolley (not run by VIA) that loops between the Alamo, La Villita, Market Square, the Pearl, and the River Walk. It’s a separate, no-fare way to cover the tourist core.
A major systemwide route redesign — VIA’s “Better Bus Plan” — takes effect August 24, 2026 (see the alert above), so if you’re working from an old map or route number, check it against VIA’s site first.
How to pay
Every VIA bus has a farebox reader at the front door. You’ve got several ways to pay:
- Tap a contactless bank card or your phone (Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay) right on the reader — Visa, Mastercard, and Discover are accepted (no American Express), with no added fees.
- Get a goCard, a reloadable smartcard — free for seniors 62+ and qualifying students, who get reduced fares applied automatically when they tap.
- Buy a goCard lite, a disposable card pre-loaded with a Day, 7-Day, or 31-Day pass, sold at H-E-B stores and VIA customer service centers.
- Use the goMobile+ app to buy a pass with Apple Pay, Visa, or Mastercard, then show the animated ticket on your screen to the driver when you board.
- Pay cash at the farebox — exact fare is strongly recommended, since drivers carry limited change.
There are no turnstiles or gates on any VIA service — proof of payment is how it’s enforced.
Fares
| Regular bus | Express bus | |
|---|---|---|
| Adult | $1.30 | $2.60 |
| Reduced (children 5–13, seniors 62+, Medicare, disability, active-duty military, students) | $0.65 | $1.30 |
Transfers are free for 2½ hours after you first tap, no matter how many buses you take. Passes stack the same fare across a longer window:
| Pass | Full | Reduced |
|---|---|---|
| Day | $2.75 | $1.35 |
| 7-Day | $12.00 | $6.00 |
| 31-Day | $38.00 | $19.00 |
| Annual | $365.00 | — |
There’s also an off-peak special for seniors and mobility-limited riders: $0.25 per ride on weekdays from 9am–3pm, or free on weekends with a VIA ID card. VIA Link, VIA’s on-demand service, charges the same $1.30 base fare (with the same reductions) as a regular bus.
Getting from the airport
Take Route 5, a regular local bus, from San Antonio International Airport (SAT) straight into downtown.
- Where to catch it: the Lower Roadway (Arrivals/Baggage Level) outside Terminal B, on the far west end.
- Cost: $1.30 — the same as any other city bus ride.
- Time: about 30 minutes to downtown.
- How often: roughly hourly, running about 5am to 10:30pm daily (weekend hours vary).
If you’re coming from the far north side instead, the Stone Oak Express (Route 7) connects the Stone Oak Park & Ride to the airport in 15–20 minutes for $2.60, weekdays only, every 30 minutes from 5:30am–7pm — useful if you’re parking rather than heading downtown.
VIA is also building a new north–south rapid bus corridor (the planned Green Line) along San Pedro Avenue, eventually linking the airport to downtown and the historic missions with dedicated lanes — it’s still under construction, not running yet.
Apps to download
- VIA goMobile+ — the official app for buying and activating fares, with English and Spanish support.
- Transit — real-time arrivals and clear step-by-step directions across VIA’s network.
- Google Maps or Apple Maps — solid for general trip planning with live VIA data.
When it runs
Frequency depends on the route tier: Prímo BRT lines run every 12–15 minutes at peak and operate roughly 4–4:30am to 1am daily. Many local routes run every 30–60 minutes depending on the corridor and time of day — VIA’s ongoing “Better Bus Plan” redesign is working toward 30-minutes-or-better on every route between 6am–7pm weekdays and 8am–6pm weekends.
Late night has its own system. Instead of running full routes all night, many buses converge downtown together at 10:30pm, 11:30pm, and 12:30am so riders can make cross-town transfers before the buses head back out (numbered in the 200s, e.g. Route 204 combines daytime Routes 4 and 5). The last, 12:30am lineup returns to the VIA garage rather than downtown.
Accessibility
All fixed-route buses accommodate wheelchairs. VIAtrans is VIA’s ADA paratransit service for riders who can’t use regular buses — eligibility is based on functional ability, not age or income, and involves an application plus a professional assessment (decision within 30 days). One-way VIAtrans trips cost $2.00 ($0.90 for children 5–13), and service runs the same areas and hours as fixed-route buses, roughly 4am to midnight.
Etiquette & local quirks
- Tap or show proof every time — there are no gates, so fare checks rely on you having already paid.
- Bring exact change if paying cash — drivers work with limited change on hand.
- The downtown “lineup” at night is unique to San Antonio — if you’re out late, head downtown for the 10:30/11:30/12:30 meetup rather than waiting at a random stop on your home route.
- Prímo buses board like BRT elsewhere — use the marked stations and stops, not just any curb.
Good to know
- VIA’s Better Bus Plan is a multi-year, systemwide redesign (phased through 2030) aimed at getting every route to 30-minutes-or-better frequency; the next wave of changes lands August 24, 2026.
- The VIVA tourist trolley-bus routes that some older guides mention (Culture, Missions, Centro) were suspended in 2020 and never came back — don’t go looking for them; The Local SATX free downtown trolley has taken over that role for visitors.
- A planned Green Line rapid-bus corridor along San Pedro Avenue — eventually linking the airport, downtown, and the historic missions — is under construction; it isn’t running yet.