Houston Hobby (HOU) on METRO route 500 Downtown Direct
Route 500 runs Hobby to downtown and on to Bush Intercontinental every 30 minutes, seven days a week, for 1.25 dollars.
- METRO route 500 Downtown Direct is the bus, and it links both Houston airports with downtown.
- The route calls at: William P. Hobby Airport, Polk @ Avenida De Las Americas, the George R. Brown Convention Center, and George Bush Intercontinental (IAH) Terminal C.
- Every 30 minutes, Monday to Sunday.
- The fare is 1.25 dollars, the same as any METRO local bus or METRORail ride.
- The discounted fare is 60 cents.
- A Day Pass is 3 dollars and gives unlimited rides on local bus, METRORail and curb2curb until 02:00 the next day.
- Children five and under ride free with an adult.
- A RideMETRO Fare Card costs 2 dollars and earns one free ride after every ten paid, or use the free virtual card.
- This is one of very few American bus routes that connects two airports directly.
One route, two airports
- METRO route 500, "Downtown Direct", is the airport bus for Houston, and unusually it serves both airports on one line.
- The stops that matter: William P. Hobby Airport; Polk at Avenida De Las Americas; the George R. Brown Convention Center; George Bush Intercontinental Airport Terminal C.
- Every 30 minutes, every day of the week for most operating hours.
- If you have a connection between HOU and IAH with a long enough gap, this is the cheap way to do it - the two airports are 40 km apart and a taxi between them is expensive.
What it costs
- 1.25 dollars. That is the standard METRO fare: the same on local buses, METRORail and curb2curb.
- Discounted fare 60 cents for eligible riders.
- A Day Pass is 3 dollars, unlimited on local bus, METRORail and curb2curb until 02:00 the following morning. That is the one to buy if you are moving around on your arrival day.
- Children five and under ride free with an adult.
- Transfers: paying up to a more expensive service costs only the difference, for up to three hours.
Paying
- A physical RideMETRO Fare Card costs 2 dollars, or use the free virtual card in the app.
- Either way you earn one free ride after every ten paid under the 1-for-10 loyalty programme.
- Cash into the farebox works but gives no change and no free transfer.
Hobby, and the other one
- Hobby is the older, closer Houston airport, about 11 km south-east of downtown, and it is Southwest Airlines' Houston base with a growing international operation.
- Bush Intercontinental (IAH) is 37 km north and is the United hub.
- They are on opposite sides of a very large city. Do not assume a same-day connection between them is easy: route 500 does it, but it is a long ride through Houston traffic.
Comments
No comments yet. Share the first one.
Share a tip
Sign in to continue.