Last Updated: February 26, 2013

The number of people riding the public transit system in the Phoenix area continues to grow. It isn't just because our population is still growing. As the price of gasoline continues to be a significant factor in our budgets, and as the quality of valley air impacts our quality of life, people are changing their transportation habits. That means they are using more public transportation.

Valley Metro is the name of the regional transit system in the Phoenix metropolitan area. It is comprised of:

• Local, Express and RAPID commuter bus service
• Neighborhood circulators
• Dial-a-Ride
• Vanpool service
• Online carpool matching system
• Assistance to local businesses to help them meet the Maricopa County trip reduction goals
• METRO light rail

You can use the Valley Metro Bus Book to plan your routes. If you want to plan a specific trip, the online Trip Planner might be the most efficient way for you to accomplish that. They also print Bus Books. You can usually find them at libraries and some grocery stores, or you can contact Valley Metro and order one. When I did it, it arrived in just a few days. They are like small phone books, so you probably don't want to carry it around with you. There's a handy pullout map with all the bus routes.

How Much Is the Bus in Phoenix?

Effective March 1, 2013 the local bus fare is $2 per ride. An all day pass is twice that amount, $4. If you don't buy your all-day pass in advance, it's and extra $2 to purchase it on the bus.

Express buses have a higher fare. Here is the entire rate schedule.

Valley Metro has been adding many retail outlets for passes so that consumers can purchase them more conveniently at the lower price. Check here to find a retailer near you.

If you ride the bus regularly, or you need to take more than one bus to get to your destination, you'll probably find that one of the following passes is the most economical:

All Day Pass - Can be used all day, from bus to bus or from bus to rail and back again. These work best if you typically don't ride the bus, but you will be doing so one or two days per month for special trips.

7, 15 and 31 Day Local Passes - Your multiple-day local pass will be valid for 7, 15 or 31 consecutive days after activation. They are activated on first use, not when you buy them. The 3 and 7-day passes are great for your visiting relatives, or if you are attending a class just this week, or your car will be in the shop for a few days.

How Do I Buy Bus Tickets and Passes?

You can:

1. Purchase your fare online
2. Purchase your fare at transit centers or retail locations
3. Purchase your fare on the bus. The farebox accepts exact change per individual in $1, $2 and $5 bills and U.S. coins (except 50 cent pieces).

Children under 6 are not charged a fare for local or express bus service when accompanied by a fare-paying adult. There are also special fares for people ages 6 -18 years old, ASU students, homeless people, seniors (over 65), people with disabilities and a few other groups. Here are the specific charges.

There are no tickets, tokens or transfers on our transit systems. Bus drivers can't make change.

Call 5-1-1 for Transit Information

Arizona has a 5-1-1 system in place to provide our residents with detailed information about our roads, public transit, airports, parks and tourism. Many people think of using 5-1-1 when they are driving to find out about road closures. Arizona's 5-1-1 system also provides information to people using public transportation. Just dial 5-1-1 on almost any phone in Arizona and you can access the system. It is a local call. You'll hear the menu for all the system options.

Voice Mode for Phoenix Transit Information
Say "Transit"
Say "Valley Metro"
You then have 4 choices: Bus, Dial-a-Ride, Ride Share, Light Rail

My take on voice mode: I prefer to use voice mode, but it can be sensitive to background sounds, like people chatting or road noise. Sometimes I find that I have to speak too loudly into the phone, which may be inappropriate in a public area. At any time that you want to leave voice mode, you can press * and enter touch tone mode.

Touch Tone Mode for Phoenix Transit Information
Press *
Then 2, then 1

You'll hear about any transit routes that experiencing delays or problems. You may be automatically transferred to Valley Metro's Customer Service Department during their regular business hours by pressing the # key.

_{All dates, times, prices and offerings are subject to change without notice.}