For over 50 years, the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) has been a reliable transportation option for Atlantans and tourists across the city and its outlying suburbs. Founded in 1971, MARTA was created in response to a growing need for public transportation in the city of Atlanta. To decrease inner-city congestion, the Metropolitan Atlanta Transit Study Commission suggested a five-county bus and railway system, starting what is known today as MARTA.
After purchasing the Atlanta Transit System in 1972, MARTA officially owned Atlanta’s city bus system, which led to a 20% increase in ridership one year after launch. Today, MARTA consists of 48 miles of rail lines and 740 bus stops and has serviced around 3.5 billion passengers to date, acting as a prominent social and economic driver for Atlanta development.
Along with providing reliable transportation for Atlanta residents and visitors, MARTA is committed to constructing safe, walkable spaces for passengers and spurring economic development around its stops. In the late ‘90s, the construction of the Lindbergh Center Station set the example and paved the way for $1.4 billion in annual economic activity for Georgia.
Since its founding, the organization prides itself on providing fantastic customer service, delivering the capital program efficiently, demonstrating fiscal responsibility for the city of Atlanta and its passengers and evolving the MARTA brand through the decades. The organization continues to deliver clean, safe spaces for travelers to reach their destinations and partners with the city of Atlanta to create a bright future for current and future residents.
MARTA operates Monday through Friday from 5 a.m. to 1:30 a.m. and on weekends and holidays from 5:30 a.m. to 1 a.m., over 500,000 passengers occupy the organization’s buses and rail stations annually. In the case of technical difficulties or inclement weather, MARTA lines are subject to delay. MARTA operates in Fulton and DeKalb counties and offers ADA-Compliant Paratransit Services for persons with disabilities.
The bus/rail fee is $2.50 per traveler and includes up to four free transfers in three hours.
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