Fares and Passes
Fare Fees
- Medicaid and Medicare Recipients: $0.75
Cash exact change or you will get an RTS change card. Valid Photo ID and Medicare/Medicaid Card required.
- Veterans and Active Duty Military: $0.75
Cash exact change or you will get an RTS change card. Valid Veteran/Military Photo ID required.
- ADA Certified: Free
ADA Photo ID required.
- City College Students: $0.75
Valid Student Photo ID required
RTS “18 and Under, 65 and Over” Free Fare Program
Individuals 18 years of age and under, as well as those 65 and over, are eligible to ride the City of Gainesville’s Regional Transit System (RTS) for free.
Both the Gainesville City Commission and Alachua County Commission approved an agreement to jointly fund a new, one-year RTS pilot program. The program provides age-based free fare transit services through Sept. 30, 2022. (Not included in the new program Gator Aider transit – between various park-and-ride locations and Ben Hill Griffin Stadium during football season.)
It is a crime to refuse to pay a fare or attempt to evade payment of fare. Violators may be prosecuted under 812.015 Florida Statutes.
Purchase Locations
Passes* may be obtained at the following locations:
- Bus Driver: All Day Passes and Cash Fare
- By Mail: Monthly Fare
- Rosa Parks RTS Downtown Station located at 700 SE 3rd Street: All Passes
- Transit App (***COMING SOON ***): Select your fare. Pay with the app. Google Play or Apple.
- Butler Plaza Transfer Station located at 4231 SW 30th Avenue.
- !!! CLOSED !!! NO PASSES SOLD AT BUTLER PLAZA LOCATION
Call (352) 334-2600 for pass information.
Mailing Address:
Rosa Parks RTS Downtown Station
RTS-Station 5
PO Box 490
Gainesville, FL 32627
Transit app
You can also download the Transit App (***COMING SOON ***): Select your fare. Pay with the app. Google Play or Apple.
Student Passes
Student Semester Pass – $60.00
A valid Student ID is required at time of purchase for:
- Santa Fe College (online students only – not full-time students)
- City College
- University of Florida (online students only – not full-time students)
Passes may be obtained at the following locations:
- Bus Driver: All Day Pass & Cash Fare
- By Mail: Monthly Fare
- Rosa Parks RTS Downtown Station: All Passes
- Transit App (***COMING SOON ***): Select your fare. Pay with the app. Google Play or Apple
Monthly Student Pass – $17.50
Passes may be obtained at the following locations:
- Bus Driver: All Day Pass & Cash Fare
- By Mail: Monthly Fare
- Rosa Parks RTS Downtown Station: All Passes
- Transit App (***COMING SOON ***): Select your fare. Pay with the app. Google Play or Apple
PLEASE NOTE: High school, middle and elementary school students are not required to have ID cards. Pass is valid only for month purchased. A new pass will need to be purchased on the 1st of the following month.
Monthly Passes
Full Fare Monthly Pass – $35.00
Passes are valid on a month-to-month basis on all RTS main routes. Bearer may use this pass without limitation on any number of trips. Note: Monthly pass is not valid on special service routes. Bearer of a monthly pass or student semester pass does not have to show his or her ID to board the bus.
PLEASE NOTE: Please note: Pass is valid for 31 days after activation. Remove “a new pass will have to be purchased on the 1st of the following month.”
Half Fare Monthly Pass – $17.50
Passes are good on RTS main routes and are valid on a month-to-month basis. Bearer may use this pass without limitation on any number of trips. A person with a valid Military/Veteran ID or a Medicaid or Medicare card, may also show their ID card for a reduced fare on fixed route service. Military/Veteran ID and/or Medicaid or Medicare card ID’s are required at the time of purchase to qualify for the monthly half-fare pass of $17.50.
PLEASE NOTE: Monthly passes are valid for 31 days from the date of activation.
Passes may be obtained at the following locations:
- Bus Driver: All Day Pass & Cash Fare
- By Mail: Monthly Fare
- Rosa Parks RTS Downtown Station: All Passes
- Transit App (***COMING SOON ***): Select your fare. Pay with the app. Google Play or Apple
Employee Bus Pass Program
The City of Gainesville Regional Transit System (RTS) offers an employer program to help make a transition to riding public transit easier: the RTS Employee Bus Pass Program. The RTS Employee Bus Pass Program was created to mitigate traffic and parking problems at the University of Florida and Downtown and to encourage employees to use public transit as an alternative mode of transportation. The goal of this program is to provide unlimited access to the transit system for employees of contracted participants to diminish the cost per trip compared to regular bus fare.
This program provides a no-hassle way for employees to take public transit to and from work while protecting the environment and saving money. Please read below for information on this program.
Download brochure in PDF format(PDF, 152KB)
How the RTS Employee Bus Pass Program Works
When an employer enters into a one-year contract with RTS, that employer purchases unlimited access bus passes for all employees for one year at the rate of $7.50 each. Any employee will be able to show an RTS bus driver his or her ID card and enjoy RTS fixed-route services for free, with the exception of special services such as Gator Aider, etc. An RTS employee bus pass sticker may be required on employee IDs, depending on the company’s identification card policy.
The RTS Employee Bus Pass Program allows employees pre-paid, unlimited access to RTS fixed-route services. With the RTS Employee Bus Pass Program, workers simply show their employee IDs and board the bus – it’s that simple. An annual transaction between the participating employer and RTS ensures unlimited employee transportation for a year.
The RTS Employee Bus Pass Program doesn’t require time from the employer’s personnel to administer the program since an employee ID is all that is needed once a contract is completed.
The Regional Transit System staff is ready to present the program to you and provide informational materials for you to distribute to your employees. For more information or to schedule a meeting, please call Kimberly Sweigard 352-393-7852
RTS Employee Bus Pass Program Eligibility
Any employer with 100 employees or more is eligible to enter into an Employee Bus Pass Program contract with RTS.
Students, Faculty, Staff and Retirees
UF Students, Faculty & Staff
Designated UF students, faculty, staff & retirees enjoy pre-paid unlimited access to all RTS fixed-route services. No fee required. Affiliate cards not valid. Gator 1 ID card required on City Routes only.
Note: Not valid on special services such as Gator Aider, etc.
Santa Fe Students, Faculty & Staff
Designated Santa Fe students, faculty, staff & retirees enjoy pre-paid unlimited access to all RTS fixed-route services. No fee required. Affiliate cards not valid. Valid landscape format Santa Fe ID card required on City Routes only.
Note: Not valid on special services such as Gator Aider, etc.
City of Gainesville and GRU Employees
All City General Government and GRU employees ride fixed-route service with no fee required by simply showing their employee photo ID badge. Now that all City employees have access, you no longer need to get an RTS employee bus pass sticker for your ID badge to ride the bus. Not valid on special services.
UF Health
UF Health employees ride fixed-route service with no fee required by simply showing their employee Gator 1 photo ID badge.
ADA Paratransit Service
Part of our commitment to the community is making RTS rides available and accessible to everyone, including those with disabilities. ADA certified individuals can ride any RTS fixed-route service for free – just show your valid ADA card. RTS also offers complementary door-to-door paratransit service in lift-equipped vehicles for those ADA paratransit certified riders who are unable to use the fixed-route service. These rides are offered by appointment at a cost of $3 per trip. Please place your service request the day before your trip. Call MV Transportation at (352) 375-2784 to set up your travel reservation.