In an effort to answer our readers 100+ questions submitted last month, we’re going to add on to our Asked + Answered series here in our #ShareThis section. Because who doesn’t love sharing the ins and outs of their beloved city?
#Asked: How does the ART bus work? What are the routes, rates and ridership?
#Answered:
The ART (Asheville Redefines Transit) bus system runs from about 5:30 a.m. until 10 p.m. Monday – Saturday and from around 8 a.m. until 6 p.m. on Sundays and holidays (individual routes vary; see them here). Service is within the City of Asheville and to Black Mountain. A route that serves UNC Asheville runs later into the night on Thursdays – Saturdays.
The bus fleet includes 7 hybrid buses and 23 buses that run on biodiesel.
For a list of all ART routes + maps, click here.
Getting a ticket
- Need to buy a ticket or a pass? They’re for sale at the ART Station (49 Coxe Ave.) and may be purchased with cash or card. Transfers are included in the price of your ticket and are good for 90 minutes.
- You can pay for your ride with cash, or with a pre-paid ticket or pass. Cash fares must be exact change.
- 1 ride on the ART costs $1. A ticket booklet of 11 rides is $9. A monthly pass is $20, while an annual pass will set you back $220.
- Students, seniors, Medicare recipients and disabled individuals are eligible for discounted fares (more information here). Disabled individuals can also use ART’s complementary paratransit services (through Mountain Mobility), which provide next-day transportation to go to appointments, school, work, shopping + more.
- If you’re an employee of the City of Asheville, Buncombe County, A-B Tech, Grove Park Inn, or UNC Asheville, you could ride for a discount or for free. Employers can also purchase annual passes for their employees via the Passport Program. Discounts are available beginning at 20 pass purchases.
- Children under 5 (accompanied by an adult) ride free.
Transit hacks
- If you have a bike, you can bring it at no extra charge. 🚴
- Buses are equipped with wheelchair lifts + additional accommodations for riders with disabilities.
- Some pets, including small cats + dogs in pet carriers + service animals, are allowed. 🐱
Where’s my bus?
- The City provides tracking and real-time mapping of ART buses on each route. Want to know where your bus is? Instructions are posted at stops and are online here.
Get involved
- The City is currently working through the Transit Master Plan, which was adopted in 2010. They just conducted a review of the plan and are updating it to meet the current needs of transit users in Asheville. Asheville’s Vision for 2036 includes a goal for widespread, reliable public transit.
- Want to share your opinion on ART? This survey is collecting responses before City Council’s April 10 budget meeting.
- The Transit Committee meets the third Tuesday of every month from 3:30 – 5:30 p.m. in the 4th floor training room of the Municipal Building (100 Court Plaza). The Multimodal Transportation Committee meets the fourth Wednesday of each month (except for November + December) at 3:00 p.m. in the first floor conference room in City Hall
