How METRO Works: Houston Public Transit

By The Change Lab -- via manual_seed -- Apr 18, 2026

Overview

METRO is Houston's public transit agency — buses, light rail, and paratransit across a 1,300-square-mile service area. It is not run by the city. METRO is an independent transit authority with its own elected board, its own budget (funded primarily by a 1-cent sales tax), and its own police force.

METRO operates 85+ bus routes, 3 light rail lines (Red, Green/Purple), and METROLift paratransit. About 250,000 trips are taken on METRO every weekday.

Source: METRO, ridemetro.org

The Framework

Key Ideas

Light rail (METRORail):

Red Line — Fannin South to Northline TC. 12.8 miles through the Medical Center, Midtown, Downtown, Northside. The busiest line.
Green Line — Theater District to Magnolia Park. East End connector.
Purple Line — Theater District to Palm Center. Southeast Houston/Third Ward.
Trains run every 6-12 minutes during peak, 12-20 minutes off-peak. $1.25 per ride.

Bus system:

85+ routes covering most of the METRO service area.
Park & Ride — express commuter buses from suburban lots to downtown. Faster than driving during rush hour.
Local routes — neighborhood buses, every 15-60 minutes depending on route.
Frequent network — key routes (like the 82 Westheimer) run every 15 minutes or better all day.

Fares:

Local bus/rail: $1.25
Park & Ride: $2.00-$4.50
Day pass: $3.00 (unlimited local rides)
METRO Q Fare Card — reloadable card. Buy at rail stations, Fiesta, Randalls, or online at ridemetro.org.
Discounts: Students, seniors 65+, Medicare cardholders, and people with disabilities ride at half fare. Children under 5 ride free.

METROLift: Door-to-door paratransit for people with disabilities who cannot use fixed-route service. Must apply and be certified. Call 713-225-0119.

Source: METRO; APTA

Put It Into Practice

Practice

Plan a trip:

Use the METRO trip planner at ridemetro.org/trip-planner or Google Maps (select "transit" icon)
Arrive at your stop 5 minutes early — buses may run slightly ahead of schedule
Pay with METRO Q card (tap at farebox) or exact change (coins only, no bills on buses)

Track your bus in real time: