How to Ride MARTA Bus

First time riding the bus? Follow the step-by-step process to make taking MARTA a breeze!

1. Purchase a Fare

MARTA fare is $2.50 for a one-way trip, $5 for a round trip. There are three ways to pay a fare:

  • Purchase fare on the bus using cash. Exact change is recommended.
  • Purchase fare using the Breeze Mobile 2 App. When you do this, your phone will be your transit pass. You can learn more & download the app on MARTA's website (opens in new tab)
  • Purchase a Breeze Card/Ticket at any Breeze Vending Machine at MARTA Rail stations, RideStores or online at www.breezecard.com (opens in new tab). This is a physical card or ticket.
    • Breeze Cards are $2 and may be reloaded for up to 3 years.
    • Breeze Tickets are $1 for single-use only.
    • Two nearby locations to purchase a Breeze Card/Ticket:
      • North Springs Station – 7010 Peachtree Dunwoody Rd., Atlanta, GA 30328 (404-848-3840)
      • Sandy Springs Station – 1122 Perimeter Center West, Atlanta, GA 30338 (404-848-3829)

2. Find a Bus Stop

  • Buses run in both directions on a route, so plan to take the same bus route number to get to City Springs & back.
    • For example, if you took Route 5 from home to City Springs, you would also take Route 5 from City Springs to return home.
  • Find the MARTA Bus Stop nearest you. Here are two ways to find a MARTA Bus Stop:
    • Visit the MARTA website. A great place to start is the "Plan Your Trip" page – Plan a Trip (opens in new tab)
    • Use Google Maps to find a route. After inputting your destination, select the "transit" icon to identify the closest bus stops & fastest routes.
  • Prior to your trip, download the MARTA on the Go app (opens in new tab)
    • The app has complete schedules, important route updates, and real-time locations of MARTA buses, so you can track when the next bus will arrive.

3. Take the Bus

  • Walk to the Bus Stop.
    • Bus Stops are identified with a circular sign: A blue circle with a black bus icon.
    • Some Bus Stops are identified with the original MARTA sign – a rectangle shape with blue, gold, and orange colors.
  • To ensure the shortest route, make sure you are on the correct side of the street. Traffic should be moving in the direction toward your destination.
    • For example, if you intend to take Route 5 northbound to arrive at City Springs, you should stand at the bus stop where traffic is moving north. To return home, you'll stand at a different bus stop, where traffic is flowing southbound.
  • When the bus arrives, step onto the bus & pay your fare.
  • Ride the bus until your stop is approaching.

4. Exit the Bus

  • Pull the yellow cord to indicate your stop is approaching.
    • The yellow cord is located above the windows of the bus.
    • The bus only stops when someone is getting on/off the bus.
  • Arrive at your destination. Every stop has a "Stop ID" – You can enter this stop ID into Google Maps. The closest stops to City Springs are listed below:
    • Bus Route 5 northbound – Stop at Roswell Rd & Mt Vernon Hwy (Stop ID: 906326)
    • Bus Route 5 southbound – Stop at Johnson Ferry Rd & Roswell Rd (Stop ID: 903158)
    • Bus Route 87 northbound – Stop at Roswell Rd & Mt Vernon Hwy (Stop ID: 906326)
    • Bus Route 87 southbound – Stop at Roswell Rd & Johnson Ferry Rd (Stop ID: 906303)
  • Please wait until the bus has come to a complete stop before exiting. When exiting the bus, be sure to thank your driver!