CapMetro Rapid
CapMetro Rapid is a bus rapid transit service in Austin, Texas, owned and operated by the Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority. It consists of four routes in the system, which includes two original routes which run north-south served by stations designed by McKinney York Architects, and two more routes that went into operation as of March 2025.
History
The original Route 1 North Lamar/South Congress bus line – merged from the paired Route 1 North Lamar and Route 13 South Congress lines in 2001 – was the busiest line in the CapMetro system, with peak frequencies of 10 minutes headways Monday through Friday, with wider headways on the weekends. The 101 express line supplemented local service on the 1 line. In 2006, Route 1 was split in two as 1L and 1M, while maintaining high frequencies on the 1L/1M trunk line portion.CapMetro debuted the first MetroRapid service, North Lamar/South Congress on January 26, 2014. It replaced existing CapMetro Bus Routes 1L/1M and the 101 Express, which traveled along the same corridor. Route 801 serves 29 stations between Tech Ridge in North Austin and Southpark Meadows via the University of Texas and Downtown Austin. It supplements local service on Route 1, which now has wider headways, resulting in overcrowded buses.
A second route, MetroRapid Burnet/South Lamar, serves a total of 28 stations between The Domain and Westgate. It began operation during August 2014, supplementing service along Route 3 Burnet/Manchaca, which remains in service but now at a slightly reduced frequency.
CapMetro expanded MetroRapid started service on February 23, 2025 with two more routes: The Pleasant Valley Line and the Expo Center Line. Route 800 runs from Barbara Jordan to Vertex & Slaughter primarily along Pleasant Valley Road, supplementing Routes 7, 300 and 350 on portions of the route. Route 837 runs from Republic Square to Loyola & Decker primarily along Manor Road and supplementing Routes 20 and 337 on most of the route.
Operation and Headways
CapMetro Rapid operates from 5 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, and Saturdays and Sundays from 6 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.. On Saturdays, it operates from 6 a.m. to 2:30 a.m., and Sundays from 7 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Routes 801 and 803 operate at a high frequency of 10 minutes during the day and 15 minutes at night Monday through Friday, and every 15-20 minutes on the weekends. Routes 800 and 837 operate a frequency of 20 minutes daytime and 30 minutes at night seven days a week.
List of CapMetro Rapid stations
Route 800 - Pleasant Valley
north to south| Stop | Intersection/ address | Connections | Notes |
| Barbara Jordan | Berkman Drive and Barbara Jordan Boulevard | MetroBus 10, 335, 300, 837 Pickup Northeast ATX | northern terminus Serves Dell Children's Medical Center |
| Simond | Berkman and Simond Avenue | MetroBus 335, 485, 837 | |
| Mueller Tower | Berkman and Tom Miller Street | MetroBus 335, 485, 837 | Located near the preserved former control tower of the now-defunct Mueller Airport. |
| Airport Boulevard | Airport Boulevard and Manor Road | MetroBus 20, 135, 350, 485, 837* | Northbound stop on Manor, southbound stop on Airport.
|
| Oak Springs | Airport and Oak Springs Drive | MetroBus 2, 135, 350, 485Pickup East ATX | Northbound stop on Airport, southbound stop on Oak Springs |
| ACC Eastview | Webberville Road and Govalle Avenue | MetroBus 300 Pickup East ATX | Serves Austin Community College Eastview Campus and Eastside Early College High School. |
| 7th Street | North Pleasant Valley Road and East Seventh Street | MetroBus 4, 135, 300 UT Shuttle 672 Pickup East ATX | Serves CapMetro Headquarters |
| Cesar Chavez | North Pleasant Valley and East Cesar Chavez Street | MetroBus 2, 4, 300, 490, 491 UT Shuttle 672 | |
| Roy E. Guererro | South Pleasant Valley and Lakeshore Boulevard | MetroBus 300 UT Shuttle 672 | Serves Roy E. Guererro Colorado River Park and Krieg Field |
| Elmont | South Pleasant Valley and Elmont Drive | MetroBus 300 UT Shuttle 672 | |
| Riverside | South Pleasant Valley and East Riverside Drive | MetroBus 20, 228, 300, 483 UT Shuttle 671, 672 | |
| Sheringham | South Pleasant Valley and Sheringham Drive | MetroBus 228, 300, 483 | |
| Oltorf East | South Pleasant Valley and East Oltorf Street | MetroBus 228, 300, 310, 483 | Northsound stop on Pleasant Valley, southbound stop on Oltorf |
| Oltorf at Burton | East Oltorf and Burton Drive | MetroBus 228, 300, 310, 483 | |
| Iriquois | Burleson Road and Iriquois Lane | ||
| Mission Hill | Burleson and Mission Hill Drive | ||
| Franklin Park | South Pleasant Valley and Franklin Park Drive | Pickup Dove Springs | |
| Dove Springs | South Pleasant Valley and East Stassney Lane | MetroBus 7, 311, 486 Pickup Dove Springs | |
| Village Square | South Pleasant Valley and Village Square Drive | MetroBus 7, 486 Pickup Dove Springs | Serves Mendez Middle School |
| Onion Creek | South Pleasant Valley and East William Cannon Drive | MetroBus 7, 333 Pickup Dove Springs | |
| Easton Park | McKinney Falls Parkway and East William Cannon Drive | ||
| Vertex | East Slaughter Lane and Vertex Boulevard | MetroBus 318 | southern terminus |
Route 801 - North Lamar/South Congress
north to south| Stop | Intersection/ address | Connections | Notes |
| Tech Ridge | 900 Center Ridge Drive | MetroBus 1, 135, 152, 243, 325, 392, 935 Pickup Dessau CARTS | northern terminus Serves Tech Ridge Retail Center. Park and Ride |
| Parmer | North Lamar Boulevard and Indian Mound Drive North Lamar Boulevard just north of Parmer Lane | Pickup Walnut Creek | |
| Braker Southbound | North Lamar Boulevard and West Braker Lane | MetroBus 1, 392 Pickup Walnut Creek | Southbound only stop |
| Chinatown | North Lamar Boulevard and Kramer Lane | MetroBus 1 | |
| Masterson | North Lamar and Masterson Pass | MetroBus 1 | |
| Rundberg | North Lamar and West Rundberg Lane | MetroBus 1, 324, 325, 481 | Serves Rundberg/Lamar Shopping Center |
| Fairfield | North Lamar and West Elliott Street North Lamar and Fairfield Drive | MetroBus 1, 481 | |
| North Lamar Transit Center | 7911 Research Boulevard | MetroBus 1, 323, 350, 383, 481 | MetroRapid stop is located on the North Lamar southbound service road north of U.S. 183 intersection, within walking distance of transit center; both northbound and southbound buses stop there. |
| Crestview | 6920 North Lamar Boulevard | CapMetro Rail Red Line at Crestview station MetroBus 1, 7, 300, 350, 481 | MetroRapid stop is located on North Lamar at Airport Boulevard or Justin Lane |
| Brentwood | North Lamar and West Koenig Lane | MetroBus 1, 337, 481 | Serves Texas Department of Public Safety office |
| North Loop East | North Lamar and North Loop Boulevards | MetroBus 1, 481, 990 | |
| Triangle | 4600 Guadalupe Street West | MetroBus 1, 481, 990 UT Shuttle 656, 681 | MetroRapid stop is located on West Guadalupe at West Forty-seventh Streets Serves Texas Department of Health and Texas School for the Blind. Park and Ride |
| Hyde Park | Guadalupe at West Thirty-ninth Streets Guadalupe at West Thirty-eight-and-a-half Streets | MetroBus 1, 335, 481, 990 | Serves Austin State Hospital |
| 31st Street | Guadalupe and West Thirty-first Streets | MetroBus 1, 3, 30, 481, 803 | |
| UT/Dean Keeton | Guadalupe and West Dean Keeton Streets Guadalupe and West Twenty-sixth Streets | MetroBus 1, 3, 20, 30, 105, 410, 481, 803, 982, 987, 990 UT Shuttle 640, 642, 661 | Serves University of Texas at Austin |
| UT/West Mall | Guadalupe and West Mall walkway Guadalupe and West Twenty-third Streets | MetroBus 1, 3, 20, 30, 105, 410, 481, 803, 980, 981, 982, 987, 990 UT Shuttle 640, 642 | Serves University of Texas at Austin, The Drag |
| Museum | Lavaca and West Seventeenth Streets Guadalupe and Seventeenth | MetroBus 1, 3, 18, 20, 30, 105, 481, 803, 980, 981, 982, 985, 987, 990 UT Shuttle 663 | Serves Blanton Museum of Art and Bullock Texas State History Museum |
| Capitol | Lavaca and West Thirteenth Streets Guadalupe and West Twelfth Streets | MetroBus 1, 3, 20, 30, 103, 481, 803, 980, 981, 982, 985, 987, 990 UT Shuttle 663 | Serves Downtown Austin, the Texas State Capitol complex, ACC Rio Grande campus, Travis County Courthouse |
| Austin History Center | Lavaca and West Eighth Streets Guadalupe and Eighth | MetroBus 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 10, 20, 30, 103, 105, 111, 142, 171, 481, 485, 803, 935, 980, 981, 982, 985, 987, 990 UT Shuttle 663 | Originally called "Wooldridge Square" Serves Downtown, Austin History Center, CapMetro Transit Store, Congress Avenue Historic District and Sixth Street. |
| Republic Square | Lavaca and West Third Streets Guadalupe and West Fourth Streets | MetroBus 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 10, 20, 30, 105, 111, 142, 171, 483, 484, 486, 803, 837, 935, 980, 981, 982, 985, 987, 990 | Serves Downtown, City Hall, Lady Bird Lake and Republic Square. Within walking distance of Austin Convention Center and Downtown CapMetro Rail station. |
| Vic Mathias/Auditorium Shores | West Riverside Drive and Barton Springs Road | MetroBus 1, 7, 10, 20, 142, 483, 486, 935, 987 | Originally called "Auditorium Shores" Serves Auditorium Shores, Long Center, Palmer Events Center, Bat colony |
| SoCo | South Congress Avenue and East Elizabeth Street South Congress Avenue and West Monroe Street | MetroBus 1, 486 | Serves SoCo, Texas School for the Deaf |
| Oltorf | South Congress Avenue and East/West Oltorf Street | MetroBus 1, 300, 486 | |
| St. Edward's | South Congress Avenue and Woodward Street South Congress Avenue and Lightsey Road | MetroBus 1, 486 | Serves St. Edward's University |
| South Congress Transit Center | 301 West Ben White Boulevard | MetroBus 1, 310, 315 | |
| St. Elmo | South Congress Avenue and St. Elmo Road | MetroBus 1, 486 | |
| Little Texas | South Congress Avenue and Little Texas Lane | MetroBus 1, 311, 486 | |
| Pleasant Hill | South Congress Avenue at William Cannon Drive | MetroBus 1, 201, 333, 486 | |
| Slaughter | South Congress Avenue at Slaughter Lane | MetroBus 201 | |
| Southpark Meadows | Turk and Cullen Lanes | MetroBus 3, 10, 201, 318 | southern terminus Serves Southpark Meadows Shopping Center |