MARTA is Atlanta’s combined bus, rail and streetcar transit system. It includes 48 miles of rail, 2.7-miles of circular streetcar tracks, and more than 1,000 miles of bus routes spanning Atlanta. That means MARTA can get you wherever you need to be. It’s just a matter of knowing where to start.

Planning 
Whether you’re a first-time rider or a seasoned pro, every trip starts with two important details: where you are and where you’re headed. If you know both of these details, check out our Plan a Trip tool and see which routes work best for you. Once you have your trip planned out, it’s simply a matter of checking the schedules for buses, streetcars and trains and arriving at the right stop or station on time.

Fare

You have to have the right fare before riding MARTA. For trains, this means tapping your Breeze Card or ticket to the target on the gates before entering the station. For the Streetcar, you may purchase your fare directly from a Streetcar vending machine using credit or debit cards or use “stored value” on your Breeze card. And for buses, this means tapping your card on the fare box by the driver or placing the correct amount of cash in the box.

As for fare types, what you pay for MARTA fare depends entirely on how you plan to ride. Want to know what option is best for you? Check out our fare programs guide. No matter what option you choose, having the right fare to ride MARTA is a must.

Easy Boarding
Finding and riding MARTA is a cinch once you know where you’re traveling. Keep an eye out for the MARTA logo on bus stop signs and outside of our rail stations — though those are pretty tough to miss on their own.

When taking a MARTA bus, look for the route names and numbers just above the windshield. Signal the driver if you’re at a stop and wish to board the bus.

For streetcars, determine the closest boarding platform located on the loop. 

For trains, follow the signs that say “To Trains” and make your way to the boarding platform. Don’t forget to pay attention to the signs in the stations — you don’t want to take the south train when your destination is north!

MARTA operates primarily within the Atlanta perimeter. Bus routes and rail lines do extend beyond the the Interstate 285 loop, but the majority of our routes and lines run within the perimeter.

MARTA rail runs north, south, east, west and northeast. All four of our lines connect at Five Points station in downtown and extend to or beyond the perimeter. As for bus routes, they cover and connect every Atlanta community. Our streetcar connects you to world-class attractions like civil rights landmarks around Sweet Auburn and attractions in the Centennial Park District like the SkyView Atlanta ferris wheel or Georgia Aquarium. . 

Check out our system map for a detailed look at the way our routes and rail lines operate throughout Atlanta.

Bus Service
Weekdays: 5 a.m. – 1:30 a.m. 
Weekends and Holidays: 5 a.m. – 12:30 a.m.

Note: Some bus schedules vary depending on the neighborhood. Check with your local routes if you have any questions.

Train Service
Weekdays: 4:45 a.m. – 1 a.m. 
Weekends: 6 a.m. – 1 a.m.

After 9 p.m., Red Line travels between Lindbergh and North Springs 
After 9 p.m., Green Line travels between Bankhead and Vine City

Streetcar

Monday – Thursday: 6 a.m. – 11 p.m.
Friday: 6a.m. – 1 a.m.
Saturday: 8:30 a.m. – 1 a.m.
Sunday: 9 a.m. – 11 p.m.

Need more information on route schedules? Call our Routes/Scheduling Info line at 404-848-5000.

Planning a trip just got a lot easier. Although it’s always a great idea to do some research on your own when planning a trip, our updated Plan a Trip tool takes care of the heavy lifting and lists the combined bus routes and rail lines you’ll need to take to get to your destination. Give it a try the next time you’re planning a commute.

Beyond knowing which routes you need to take and where they connect- NOTHING! Every breeze card and breeze ticket possess the capability to hold a maximum of 4 transfers in a span of 3 hours. This method is designed to get you to your destination, so long as you are traveling In the same direction, making it a BREEZE to ride with MARTA.

You must have a Breeze card or ticket to receive a free transfer. Transfers are automatically loaded to the card or ticket when tapping to exit from a station or when tapping to board a bus. You're allowed up to four transfers within a three-hour period.

Parking availability differs from station to station. While some stations offer everything from free one-day parking to long-term parking, other stations don’t have any parking options at all. Take a look at our Parking Availability and Parking Fees pages to see which stations offer the type of parking you’ll need.

Yes, riding MARTA is safe. More than 500,000 people ride MARTA every weekday without any safety problems. That’s thanks in large part to our dedicated police force that keeps MARTA safe and secure 24/7. MARTA Police patrol all of our buses, streetcars, trains, stations and parking lots — preventing crime before it has the chance to happen and making sure you get to your destination safely.

Given the number of people riding every single day, MARTA has to be reliable. Our combined bus, streetcar and rail network has the capacity to take you nearly anywhere in Atlanta, and our system undergoes regular maintenance and inspection to keep it running in top shape. If something does happen that affects MARTA service, we’ll update our  Service Updates page and find a way to fix the transit problem.

You’re allowed to eat and drink in bus and rail stations, but state law prohibits eating while traveling on MARTA trains, streetcars and buses. That being said, feel free to carry food in closed containers and drink beverages in resealable plastic containers.

MARTA offers various mobile apps and web services available to the public. Check out our MARTA App Station and browse through our official MARTA Applications. Please let us know if you have any questions regarding our apps; we are always looking for better ways to improve the user experience within our apps.