Atlanta Public Transport: How to Get Around the City

Atlanta public transport is operated by MARTA, the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority. Its network serves Fulton, DeKalb and Clayton counties, with rail, bus, Rapid bus service, the Atlanta Streetcar, MARTA Reach on-demand transit and MARTA Mobility paratransit. For getting around Atlanta, rail and bus form the main network, while the Streetcar serves a compact loop in downtown.

The system grew from public-transit discussions in the 1950s. The Metropolitan Atlanta Transit Authority Act passed in 1965, MARTA bought Atlanta’s main bus system in 1972, and rail service began with the East Line in 1979.

Today, the airport is part of the rail network: the station is attached to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport near baggage claim. If your trip starts or ends there, see this guide to getting between Hartsfield-Jackson and Atlanta.

For a city visit, think of MARTA as a combination of services rather than just a subway. Rail connects major parts of the metro area, buses extend coverage beyond the stations, and the Streetcar can help with some downtown destinations. MARTA Reach and Mobility serve different needs, including on-demand travel and paratransit.

Use MARTA’s official Plan a Trip tool to combine the bus routes and rail lines needed for a journey. It can help you work out whether a destination calls for one service or a transfer; check route schedules for service details.

That is more useful than treating the Atlanta metro map as a rail-only diagram, since buses are part of the network too.

Two stations to consider from Travel Inn Atlanta are Lakewood/Fort McPherson, about a 9-minute drive away, and East Point, about a 14-minute drive away. These are station access times, not rail journey times to downtown or other sights. Plan the route beyond the station separately with MARTA’s trip-planning tool.

Rail and bus service hours vary by service and day. MARTA publishes rail hours of 4:45 a.m. to 1 a.m. on weekdays and 6 a.m. to 1 a.m. on weekends.

Bus hours are listed as 5 a.m. to 1:30 a.m. on weekdays, and 5 a.m. to 12:30 a.m. on weekends and holidays; individual bus-route schedules can vary. After 9 p.m., the Red Line runs between Lindbergh and North Springs, while the Green Line runs between Bankhead and Vine City. Check the official site before you go.

A standard one-way fare for MARTA rail, bus, Rapid and MARTA Reach is $2.50. It includes up to four free transfers within three hours. A Streetcar ride has a separate regular fare of $1.00, and Streetcar trips do not include free transfers to or from MARTA bus or rail.

For repeated rides, listed MARTA passes include a 1-day, 24-hour pass for $9.00; a 2-day pass for $14.00; a 3-day pass for $16.00; a 4-day pass for $19.00; and a 7-day pass for $23.75.

The Streetcar’s 1-day, 24-hour pass is $3.00. Compare the number of days you expect to ride with the single-fare options, and remember that the Streetcar pass applies to its service rather than providing free transfers to MARTA rail or bus.

MARTA accepts tap-to-pay, including eligible contactless credit or debit cards and mobile wallets. Use the exact same payment method for a bus-to-bus or bus-to-rail transfer. If you pay cash on a MARTA bus, it covers a one-way fare only and does not provide transfers; no change is given, so exact fare is recommended.

At rail stations, the ADA faregate is the larger faregate near a rail entrance or exit. If you cannot use it, contact a station agent or use the customer-assistance phone.

Five Points Station is in downtown Atlanta, and the MARTA ride from there to the airport takes approximately 15 minutes. The Atlanta Streetcar offers a different kind of downtown connection: its 2.7-mile loop links Centennial Olympic Park and the King Historic District.

The route serves downtown attractions including the Georgia Aquarium, World of Coca-Cola, the National Center for Civil and Human Rights, and the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park area.

The Streetcar’s listed hours are Monday–Thursday, 6 a.m.–11 p.m.; Friday, 6 a.m.–1 a.m.; Saturday, 8:30 a.m.–1 a.m.; and Sunday, 9 a.m.–11 p.m. Since its route and transfers differ from MARTA rail and bus, check the trip details for the particular attraction you plan to visit.

Grant Park and Zoo Atlanta can also fit into a south-side itinerary. From the hotel area, Grant Park is about a 14-minute drive and Zoo Atlanta about a 14-minute drive.

For neighborhood context and green space, pair your planning with this guide to Grant Park. Center Parc Stadium is about an 11-minute drive from the hotel area; this stadium travel and entry guide covers that destination.

Some destinations south of downtown may be easier to plan as a cluster, but the available drive times are not MARTA journey times. The Delta Flight Museum is about a 12-minute drive from the hotel area, while Atlanta Metropolitan State College is about a 10-minute drive.

The Wren’s Nest is about a 17-minute drive. Use MARTA’s trip planner to check whether rail and bus connections suit your schedule before choosing how to travel between these places.

Atlanta’s visitor information also lists The Buc, a free shuttle serving Buckhead, as well as regional services including Xpress, CobbLinc and Gwinnett County Transit. These options extend beyond MARTA’s rail, bus and Streetcar services, so check the relevant operator’s details when planning a trip outside the core MARTA network.