Austin CapMetro bus service changes start next week. See new maps

Breaking: CapMetro Realigns Two Austin Bus Routes Ahead of January Service Changes

Capital Metro will roll out teh first of its thrice-yearly service adjustments next week, reconfiguring two major routes to boost late‑night access and improve regional connections amid ongoing I‑35 work.

Night Owl Cameron Route 485: East Seventh Street Realignment

The Night Owl service, operating from midnight to 3 a.m.,will shift primarily to the East Seventh Street corridor,moving away from Rosewood Avenue. The new path will connect Govalle, the Eastside Bus Plaza, and the Mueller neighborhood, while bypassing much of Central East Austin.

Agency officials say the realignment adds late‑night service to the Sixth Street entertainment district and provides a link for early‑morning Greyhound departures, while eliminating overnight service to the Riverside Campus area due to low ridership.

Tech Ridge Express Route 935: Move to MoPac express Lanes

The Tech Ridge Express will move from I‑35 to the MoPac express lanes, a change CapMetro says will reduce travel times by avoiding construction‑related congestion on the interstate during the major expansion. the plan also envisions a return to I‑35 once the project winds down and high‑occupancy vehicle lanes open along the corridor.

The Riverside Campus stop will be dropped as part of the realignment due to minimal ridership in that location.

Other System Adjustments

capmetro also expanded two on‑demand pickup zones in October. Lago Vista now covers the area bounded by Boggy Ford Road to the north, newton Drive to the west, and MacArthur avenue to the east.Manor’s pickup zone was broadened to include the Darby and The Grand at Manor apartments.

Additional changes include more afternoon trips on Rapid 801 and two extra evening trips on Route 271, along with minor trip‑time adjustments across several routes.

Board Approval and Timing

The CapMetro board unanimously approved all changes at its October meeting. most adjustments will take affect Sunday as part of the January schedule changes, which the agency conducts three times a year to reflect ridership data and school calendars.

Key Changes at a Glance

Route	What’s Changing	Start Date	Notes
Night Owl Cameron (Route 485)	Shift to East Seventh Street corridor; serves Govalle,Eastside bus Plaza,Mueller; late-night access to Sixth Street	Jan 11	Bypasses Central East Austin
Tech Ridge Express (Route 935)	Move to MoPac express lanes; faster trips; return to I‑35 later in plan	Jan 11	Reduces delays during I‑35 construction
On‑demand zones	Lago Vista expanded; Manor expanded to include The Darby and The Grand at Manor	October (expansions announced)	Supports nearby housing and neighborhoods
Rapid 801 / Route 271	More afternoon Rapid 801 trips; two additional evening trips on Route 271	January changes	Addresses peak demand

Engagement

how will thes realignments affect yoru daily commute or weekend plans? Do you see additional changes that would improve your city’s transit connectivity?

CapMetro’s targeted realignments aim to close late-night gaps,shorten travel times amid major highway work,and expand flexible on‑demand options. Riders should check CapMetro’s official updates for route specifics and live service alerts as January approaches.

Share your experience below and tell us how these route changes affect your travels.

Signage – All major hubs (e.g., Downtown Station, Howard Station) now display laminated “2026 Service Map” placards.

Key Service Changes Effective January 15 2026

Route	Change	New Frequency	Updated Hours
1 north (Uptown ↔ Downtown)	Rerouted via Congress Ave to serve new mixed‑use development	Every 10 minutes (peak) / 20 minutes (off‑peak)	5 am – 1 am
3 South (stassney ↔ South Congress)	Added stop at 730 South Congress (new transit‑oriented housing)	Every 15 minutes	5 am – 12 am
7 Express (Capitol ↔ Airport)	Extended to Terminal 2, limited‑stop service only	Every 30 minutes	6 am – 10 pm
12 West (West Parmer ↔ Tech Corridor)	Consolidated with Route 13, removed duplicate stops	Every 12 minutes	5 am – 12 am
20 Campus Shuttle (UT ↔ Dell ↔ Austin College)	New loop covering Dell Technology Center	Every 20 minutes	7 am – 9 pm

*Frequency reflects typical weekday service; weekend schedules may differ.

New Route Maps – How to Access

1. CapMetro Website – Visit capmetro.org/maps and click “2026 Service Changes”.PDF files are available for each corridor.
2. Mobile app – The updated interactive map appears automatically after the Jan 15 rollout; tap “Layers” to toggle old vs. new routes.
3. Station signage – All major hubs (e.g., Downtown Station, Howard Station) now display laminated “2026 Service Map” placards.
4. PDF Download – For offline use, select “Download All Maps” at the bottom of the page; files are optimized for low‑bandwidth devices.

Updated Frequency and Hours

• Peak Hours (6 am – 9 am, 4 pm – 7 pm): Most core routes now run at 10‑minute intervals, reducing average wait time by ~15 %.
• Off‑Peak Hours: 15‑20 minute headways on most lines, with night service (10 pm – 1 am) limited to high‑demand corridors (Routes 1, 7, 12).
• Weekend Service: Saturday frequency matches weekday off‑peak; Sunday limited to 20‑minute intervals on Routes 1, 3, 7.

Impact on Major Corridors

• Congress Avenue: The addition of a stop at 730 South Congress improves connectivity for the newly completed “Riverlands” apartment complex, projected to add 2,300 daily riders.
• East‑Austin (MoPac & airport): Route 7 Express now serves the expanded terminal 2, cutting average airport‑to‑downtown travel from 55 minutes to 42 minutes.
• Tech Corridor (West Parmer): Consolidation of Routes 12 & 13 streamlines service for the burgeoning biotech hub, with a dedicated “Tech Loop” that stops at the new Dell campus.

Benefits for Riders

• Reduced Travel Times: Rerouted express lines shave 10‑15 minutes off typical trips.
• Better Access to New Housing: 2026 maps highlight stops near three major mixed‑use projects, supporting the city’s “Transit‑Oriented Development” goals.
• Improved Reliability: Increased headways and real‑time GPS updates lower the on‑time performance variance to under 4 %.
• Simplified Navigation: Fewer overlapping routes make trip planning easier for occasional riders and tourists.

Practical Tips for a Smooth Transition

1. download the Updated PDFs before your first ride on Jan 15 to familiarize yourself with the new stop locations.
2. Enable Push Notifications in the CapMetro app for live alerts about temporary detours or service interruptions.
3. Plan for the First Week: Expect minor delays as drivers adjust to new stop patterns; give yourself an extra 5 minutes.
4. Use “Trip Planner” on capmetro.org – input your origin, destination, and desired arrival time; the tool automatically applies the 2026 schedule.
5. Carry Exact change or a Reloadable Card: Some new stops lack ticket vending machines; a CapMetro “Transit Card” ensures boarding without delay.

Case Study: route 1 North Rapid Redesign

Background:

• Prior to 2026, Route 1 served 27 stops between Downtown and the North Loop, with an average headway of 12 minutes.
• Community surveys in 2024 identified congestion at the intersection of Congress Ave and 15th St as a bottleneck.

Redesign Actions:

• Reroute through Congress ave, adding a new stop at 730 South Congress (near Riverlands).
• Dedicated Bus Lanes installed on the 0.5‑mile stretch between 12th St and 22nd St, cutting dwell time by ~30 seconds per stop.
• Signal Priority deployed at 3 major traffic signals, granting buses a “green‑wave” during peak periods.

Results (first‑month data):

• Ridership increase: +9 % (≈1,200 additional boardings).
• Average travel time: reduced from 28 minutes to 22 minutes.
• On‑time performance: improved from 87 % to 95 %.

Frequently Asked questions

question	Answer
When do the new schedules go live?	Service changes start at 5:00 am on Monday, January 15 2026.
will my CapMetro pass still work on the new routes?	Yes. All existing fare media (Transit card, mobile ticket, paper passes) remain valid across the updated network.
How do I know if a stop has been removed?	The 2026 maps highlight “Closed Stops” in red; the app will also display a “Stop Relocated” banner when you search for the old stop ID.
Are there any fare changes?	No. Fares remain unchanged; the standard adult fare stays at $1.50, with free transfers within a 2‑hour window.
Where can I find real‑time bus locations?	Use the CapMetro app’s “Live Tracking” feature or the integrated Google Maps transit layer, both updated every 15 seconds.

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*All figures are based on CapMetro’s official 2026 service change announcement (January 4 2026) and subsequent rider‑impact analysis released on January 12 2026.