How to Get Around Pittsburgh with Your Free Bus Fare
Riding the bus is one of the best ways to get around Pittsburgh as a student. (Rhianna Davis)
Chatham University students’ ID cards grant free access to Pittsburgh Regional Transit’s (PRT) buses, light rail, and historic inclines. This gives all students access to free public transit throughout Pittsburgh and Allegheny County. It is one of the most affordable ways to get around town.
This page serves as a quick guide to using PRT’s services safely and efficiently.
Download the Transit App
Transit, a mobile application available on the Apple and Google Play stores, is currently one of the best apps to plan trips with PRT. It gives users real-time bus and train arrival times based on information provided by PRT and crowdsourced by app users. Other services, like Google Maps, can also provide information about PRT schedules, but Transit has the clearest instructions and the most reliable information.
Bus Lines Near Chatham:
28X: Airport Flyer | Travels from Point Breeze to Pittsburgh International Airport. Because of infrequent stops and limited pick up and drop off rules, it’s often best to only use this bus to go to and from the airport.
64: Lawrenceville—Waterfront | Travels between Butler Street in Lawrenceville and the Waterfront open-air mall in Homestead. Stops in the Bloomfield, Friendship, Squirrel Hill, and Greenfield neighborhoods.
67: Monroeville | Travels between the eastern suburb of Monroeville and downtown Pittsburgh. Stops in Oakland, Point Breeze, Wilkinsburg, and Churchill.
69: Trafford | Travels between the eastern suburb of Trafford and downtown Pittsburgh. Also stops in Oakland, Point Breeze, Wilkinsburg, East Pittsburgh, and Pitcairn.
71B: Highland Park | Travels to Highland Park from Downtown with stops in Oakland and East Liberty.
71D: Hamilton | Travels from Oakland to Wilkinsburg, with stops in Point Breeze and Homewood. Like the 71B, it also travels through Oakland along Fifth Avenue.
74: Squirrel Hill—Homewood | Travels between the Squirrel Hill, Homewood, East Liberty, and Larimer neighborhoods.
Paying Your Fare
The fare box is rectangular, silver, and has a pea-green digital display at the top. Below the screen is an orange card target where riders can tap their Connect Cards and other bus passes, like the Chatham ID. This is where you pay your fare upon entering the bus. Transfers are free with a Connect Card or other passes.
The Bus
The bus is likely the main way students at Chatham’s Shadyside campus will interact with PRT. From Shadyside, the 67, 69, and 74 are accessible at Woodland Road and Wilkins Avenue. The 28X, 64, 71B, and 71D are accessible near Fifth Avenue and College Avenue.
Ensure you are on the correct side of the street when waiting for the bus. Generally, the flow of traffic on your side of the street should be heading in the direction you plan to travel.
Plan Your Trip
Planning your trip before you embark will make it safer, smoother, and less stressful.
Know when and where the bus is supposed to arrive.
Know when and where you are supposed to get off the bus.
Know how you will return from your destination.
Have a backup plan, in case the bus is late.
Find information about schedules at the PRT website and the Transit app.
Be aware of any changes in service by following PRT’s main Twitter account and their alerts page.
Note that many lines operate on reduced schedules on holidays and weekends.
Light Rail
The PRT is also in charge of Pittsburgh’s light rail system, known as “The T.” The light rail is more limited than the bus, traveling only from Pittsburgh’s North Shore, where Heinz Field and PNC Park are located, to suburbs in the South Hills, including the South Hills Village shopping mall.
The Duquesne Incline is a popular tourist attraction, but some people still rely on it as a form of public transit. (Mick Stinelli)
The Incline
The inclines travel up and down Mount Washington from the South Shore every fifteen minutes.
The Monongahela Incline is one of Pittsburgh’s most historic attractions. It was opened in 1870, making it the oldest continuously operating funicular in the U.S. From the car, riders get unparalleled views of the city skyline. “The Mon Incline,” as it is commonly called, accepts Connect Cards and other passes just as buses do.
The Duquesne Incline, which is closer to the Fort Pitt Bridge, accepts all types of payment except credit and debit cards.
Connect Cards
Your Chatham ID will act as a PRT pass, but you may find yourself at some point needing a Connect Card for a guest or just to have as a backup.
Find cards at one of the locations listed on the Connect Card website.
Load a Connect Card at the machines located at major transit stations — like the one at Atwood Street and Fifth Avenue in Oakland, or the light rail stations Downtown.
You can also load a Connect Card online, but be aware that there is often a longer delay before the funds are in your card.
Transit also allows to buy digital tickets in the app. These passes appear as scannable codes, which are available for a limited time after they are scanned for use. They can be scanned when entering the bus, or at certain light rail stations, at a small podium with the Ready2Ride logo on them. Do not confuse these podiums with the fare box.
Be Safe, Be Kind
Riding public transit in Pittsburgh is largely a safe experience, but passengers should always remain aware of their surroundings and etiquette.
PRT has its own police department.
In case of an emergency, dial 412-255-1385 or 911.
Make sure the bus driver can see you waiting at the designated bus stop. Never chase the bus.
Move to the back of the bus upon boarding, and leave the seats closest to the front open for passengers who are elderly, disabled, or have mobility needs.
Don’t play audio from your personal device unless you have headphones or ear buds.
If you have questions or concerns while riding, don’t be afraid to ask the PRT operators for help.
Mick Stinelli is a Writer and Digital Content Specialist at Chatham University. His writing has previously appeared in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and 90.5 WESA.