Landing in a new city is easier when you don’t have to guess how to get around. Gainesville public transportation is mostly bus-based, and once you know the main hubs, it’s straightforward to navigate.
Whether you’re visiting or moving to Gainesville, here’s what you need to know to use public transportation in Gainesville FL, and get around the city with confidence.
Table of Contents
Gainesville Regional Transit System (RTS) – Primary Gainesville Public Transportation Provider
The City of Gainesville’s Regional Transit System (RTS) is the core of Gainesville public transportation. RTS serves the City of Gainesville and the surrounding areas of Alachua County with fixed route bus service. The RTS Gainesville system is operated by the city and funded by the city and Alachua County, with certain routes also funded by the University of Florida and Santa Fe College.
RTS operates dozens of routes across the county, many of them serving Gainesville neighborhoods, the University of Florida and Santa Fe campuses, campus apartments, major shopping centers, and the Gainesville Regional Airport.
Every RTS Gainesville bus is now equipped with GPS for live tracking. You can use the NaviGator app (Android or Apple devices) or the GNV RideRTS app (Android) to track your bus live.
Accessibility
RTS has made a commitment to the community to make RTS bus rides accessible and available to everyone in Gainesville. Through federal and state grants, the City of Gainesville recently completed ADA improvements for 100 city bus stops to make Gainesville public transportation more accessible. The improvements include upgraded lighting, updated shelters, sidewalk installation or retrofitting with ADA compliant curb ramps, and increased pad space to accommodate wheelchairs.
People who are ADA certified can ride all RTS fixed-route services for free with a valid ADA card. The city also offers paratransit service for any resident with a Gainesville address. Complementary door-to-door paratransit service is provided to residents who cannot use the RTS fixed-route service. On-demand service is provided through MV Transportation, the Community Transportation Coordinator for Alachua County.
Paratransit service must be scheduled at least one day in advance. It’s provided with a lift-equipped accessible vehicle.
Mobility on Demand (East Gainesville Only)
In 2025, RTS introduced a new addition to Gainesville public transportation: the Mobility on Demand (MOD) program, which launched in East Gainesville. Residents in the area can request free door-to-door transportation to clinics, health screenings, and essential services. The service runs weekdays from 5:30 am to 8:30 am and from 4:30 pm to 8:00 pm.
Request or schedule a ride through the RTS Fares app or by calling 352-393-RIDE.
RTS Bus Schedule & Routes
RTS bus routes include campus service routes, UF-funded city routes, and city routes funded by the city, county, and Santa Fe College. Beginning in fall 2025, several routes have been consolidated, and frequency has been reduced due to funding cuts.
RTS city routes include:
- Route 1 – Rosa Parks Downtown Station to the Butler Plaza Station
- Route 3 – Rosa Parks to North Main Post Office
- Route 5 – Rosa Parks Transfer Station to Oaks Mall
- Route 6 – Rosa Parks to North West Walmart Supercenter
- Route 7 – Rosa Parks to Eastwood Meadows
- Route 8 – UF Health to NW Walmart Supercenter
- Route 9 – The Hub to Hunter’s Run
- Route 10 – Rosa Parks to Santa Fe College
- Route 11 – Rosa Parks to Eastwood Meadows
- Route 12 – The Hub to Dollar General (combines RTS Routes 12, 34, and 35)
- Route 13 – Alight Apartments to Cottage Cove Apartments
- Route 15 – Rosa Parks to NW 13th Street at NW 23rd Ave
- Route 17 – Rosa Parks to Beaty Towers (combines RTS Routes 16 and 17)
- Route 20 – Reitz Union to Oaks Mall (combines RTS Routes 20 and 21)
- Route 23 – Butler Plaza to Santa Fe College via Ft. Clark Blvd.
- Route 26 – Rosa Parks to Airport
- Route 33 – The Hub to Butler Plaza Station with service to apartment complexes on Southwest 38th Terrace & Southwest 20th Avenue
- Route 37 – Reitz Union to Butler Plaza
- Route 38 – The Hub to Enclave/Gainesville Place
- Route 43 – UF Health to Santa Fe College
- Route 52 – Reitz Union to Jonesville
- Route 75 – Oaks Mall to Butler Plaza
- Route 76 – Haile Market Place to Santa Fe College
- Route 78 – Santa Fe College to Butler Plaza
- Route 600 – Eastwood Meadows to Rosa Parks (Mobility on Demand)
You can use the online RTS Trip Planner tool to plan your route, find a bus stop, and view routes. The RTS Fares app also shows RTS bus schedules and maps, or you can use the desktop version at http://riderts.app/.
Gainesville launched “Find My Bus” in 2025. This text-based tool gives you real-time bus arrival predictions by texting your bus stop ID (and optionally your route number) to 844-899-1556.
RTS Bus Fares
RTS fares must be paid with exact change, or you will receive an RTS change card. Current fares are:
- $1.50 for adults
- $0.75 for Medicaid and Medicare recipients (with a valid photo ID and Medicare/Medicaid card)
- $0.75 for veterans and active duty military (with a valid veteran or military photo ID)
- $0.75 for city college students (with a valid student photo ID)
- Free for ADA certified (with ADA photo ID)
The Age-Based Fare Free Transit Program allows riders 18 and under, or 65 and over, to ride the RTS for free. The program requires an RTS photo ID card. You can apply for a digital card online or a physical card at the RTS headquarters at 34 SE 13th Road.
For regular riders, a bus pass makes sense. There are several options:
- 24-hour RTS day pass: $3 (purchased from a bus driver or at the Rosa Parks Downtown Station)
- Monthly pass: $35 (valid for 31 days)
- Monthly half-fare pass: $17.50
- Monthly student pass: $17.50
- Semester pass: $60 (valid through the University of Florida or Santa Fe College semester – Spring, Summer, or Fall)
Passes can be purchased online or at these locations:
Rosa Parks Downtown Station: 700 SE 3rd Street, Gainesville, FL 32601
Butler Plaza Transfer Station: 4231 SW 30th Avenue, Gainesville, FL 32608 (Monday to Friday, 8 am to 4 pm)
Note: If you buy a bus pass through the GoRTS Fares app, a debit and credit card processing fee of 2.45% will be added to your total with a $1.00 minimum fee.
Plan a Trip & Pay for Fares Through the RTS App
To make Gainesville public transportation as convenient as possible, download the RTS Fares app, available for Android and iOS devices. The app supports trip planning, finding a stop, and paying for fares.
Live bus tracking can be done through two apps: NaviGator (Android or iOS) or the GNV RideRTS app (Android).
Santa Fe College (SF) and University of Florida (UF) Bus System – RTS & Campus Connector
Because Gainesville is a university town, a big share of Gainesville public transportation is designed around campus movement – between apartments, the university, and nearby shopping and medical areas. About 70% of RTS riders are university students.
Santa Fe College (SF) and University of Florida (UF) students have unlimited access to RTS services paid by a transportation fee per credit hour for undergrads. UF and SF faculty and staff (and UF retirees) enjoy unlimited prepaid RTS service through the RTS Employee Bus Pass Program.
Beginning in 2025, several RTS UF-funded student commuter routes have been combined. According to UF Transportation and Parking Services (TAPS), these bus routes will now operate on a standard weekly schedule of 6:30 am to 11:00 pm Monday to Friday, 7 am to 7 pm on Sunday, and 11 am to 7 pm on Sunday.
The UF campus Route 118 will operate Monday to Friday from the Hub to the Southwest Recreation Center. Route 126 will be the campus weekend circulator between Lakeside and Sorority Row, operating from 11 am to 7 pm.
UF campus service routes 122, 125, 127, and 150 have been replaced by Campus Connector, the university’s private shuttle service. There are two Campus Connector routes – Eastside and Westside – with free service for riders with a valid Gator ID.
RTS Gator Aider Shuttle Service
Catching a Gators game? Gainesville public transportation can be the least stressful way to reach Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. RTS runs the Gator Aider shuttle as a park-and-ride program for University of Florida Gators home football games, and the city says it continues for the 2025 season.
Gator Aider shuttle rides are $20 for a single-game ride ticket or $100 for a season pass. You can purchase tickets on game day or in advance through the RTS Fares app or at a park-and-ride location (cash only).
There are four park-and-ride locations: Celebration Pointe, the 34th St UF Park and Ride (Lot 2), Parking Garage 9 (Archer Road), and UF Health Professional Park (Williston Road). Stadium drop-off/pickup is at the East Hall Parking lot.
Shuttle service begins 3 hours before kickoff, the last bus leaves 15 minutes before kickoff, return service starts at the beginning of the 4th quarter, and service ends 1 hour after the official end.
Other Gainesville Public Transportation Options
Bicycling is a common way for residents to get around the city. Gainesville is a Silver Bicycle Friendly Community with a growing number of protected bike lanes and scenic trails like the Gainesville-Hawthorne State Trail.
The City of Gainesville’s Micromobility Program offers electric scooters and e-bikes for rent throughout the city from three providers: Bird, Spin, and Veo. On average, there are 400 trips on rented e-scooters and e-bikes every day in Gainesville.
Gainesville isn’t served directly by rail service or Amtrak, but you can take an Amtrak operated connecting bus from Gainesville to the nearest Amtrak station. Amtrak Connection 6291 in Gainesville lets you transfer in Lakeland (LKL) to the Amtrak Floridian train, which runs south to Winter Haven, Delray Beach, and Miami.
Gainesville FL Public Transportation FAQ
Does Gainesville, FL Have Public Transportation?
Yes. Gainesville, Florida has public bus service through the City of Gainesville’s Regional Transit System (RTS), which connects major areas like downtown (Rosa Parks Downtown Station), the University of Florida (Reitz Union area), and Butler Plaza. The University of Florida campus is also served by the Campus Commuter shuttle.
How Do You Get Around Gainesville?
For drivers, Gainesville is served by I-75, US 441, and US 301 for direct routes to Orlando, Jacksonville, and Ocala, and State Routes 20, 24, and 26. The city has a grid street system, and most roads are numbered. Gainesville public transportation is a convenient way to get around the city. Regional Transit System (RTS) buses serve downtown (Rosa Parks Downtown Station), the University of Florida area, and shopping hubs like Butler Plaza.
Riders can plan trips using the free RTS Fares app and check real-time bus arrivals using the GNV RideRTS app or by texting a bus stop ID to “Find My Bus” at 844-899-1556.
Are UF Buses Free?
University of Florida and Santa Fe College students enjoy free use of the RTS Gainesville public transportation system. Buses are fare-free with a valid Gator 1 ID for students. If you are not eligible through a school ID, you pay regular RTS fare (for example, $1.50 cash with exact change or $3.00 for a 24-hour pass).
Is There an RTS Bus Schedule App?
Yes. Gainesville’s Regional Transit System (RTS) uses the free RTS Fares app for trip planning and route schedules. The desktop version is available at RideRTS.app. For real-time tracking, riders can use the free GNV RideRTS app (iOS and Android) or text a bus stop ID to 844-899-1556.
How Does the UF Bus System Work?
In Gainesville, the University of Florida’s bus system is largely provided through UF-funded RTS routes plus the UF Campus Connector managed by UF Transportation & Parking Services (TAPS). RTS bus service is free for students with a valid GATOR 1 card. Many commuter routes run on a standardized schedule with weekend service for high-demand routes. The Campus Connector operates Monday to Friday from 7:00 am to 8:30 pm.
Moving to Gainesville? Get Started With a Free Moving Quote
While limited to mostly fixed-route bus service, Gainesville public transportation still offers a convenient way to get around the city, especially for college students and visitors.
If you’re planning to relocate to the Gainesville area, 2 College Brothers also hopes to make the moving process easy and convenient. Call our Gainesville movers today at (352) 448-9095 to discuss your move and get a free, personalized moving estimate.
