FL: Let HART be Your Ride this Summer

July 10, 2014
Vacationers prefer to "travel like a local" using public Transportation.

With summer in full swing, it's a great time to use HART to get to your favorite local attractions.

According to the American Public Transportation Association's (APTA) annual "Travel Like a Local" Summer Travel Survey, at least 124 million Americans are planning to vacation in a U.S. city and nearly 67 percent will take advantage of public transportation to reap huge benefits.

As HART Interim Chief Executive Officer Katharine Eagan explains, "Riding the bus instead of driving or renting a car is a great way to keep summer gas prices from pumping extra money out of your wallet. From buses to streetcars, HART offers public transit options for both new visitors and local residents."  

For only $2 each way, HART is by far the most convenient and affordable way to travel to and from the airport, to shopping malls and business districts, or to all of the area's tourist destinations. 

Customers can also purchase a 3-Day Unlimited Ride Fare Card at the start of their trip for only $11.75. The card is valid on all HART local buses, the In-Town Trolley, and the historic and popular TECO Line Streetcar System.

Planning a Vacation or Stay-cation?

Visitors and locals can ride HART to avoid traffic jams, parking fees and hassles:

  • Busch Gardens - Routes 5, 18, 39
  • Lowry Park Zoo - Routes 41, 45
  • Florida Aquarium - Route 8, the TECO Line Streetcar
  • Channelside Bay Plaza (Dining, retail, Splitsville) - Route 8, the TECO Line Streetcar
  • Ybor City Historic District (Centro Ybor) - Routes 8, 5, 12, the TECO Line Streetcar
  • International Plaza (Shopping) - 15, 30
  • Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI) - Route 6
  • Tampa Bay Times Forum - Route 8, In-Town Trolley, TECO Line Streetcar
  • David A. Straz Jr. Center - In-Town Trolley, TECO Line Streetcar
  • Tampa Convention Center - Route 4, 19, In-Town Trolley, TECO Line Streetcar
  • Tampa Museum of Art - Routes 7, 10, 14, In-Town Trolley
  • Tampa Theatre - Route 19, 30, In-Town Trolley
  • Glazer Children's Museum - Routes 7, 10, 14, In-Town Trolley
  • University of South Florida - Routes 5, 6, 18
  • Westshore Plaza (Shopping) - Routes 15, 30, 45
  • Raymond James Stadium (Home of the Outback Bowl) - Routes 7, 32, 36, 45

Worry-Free Mall Parking    

Local residents can also leave the car at home and not worry about mall parking because HART routes connect to most major shopping centers, including: 

  • International Plaza: Route 15, 30   
  • University Mall: Routes 12, 45 
  • Westfield Brandon: Routes 8, 31, 37 
  • Westfield Citrus Park: Route 39 
  • Westshore Plaza: Routes 15, 30 and 45

Need a Lift to the Airport?

Air travelers can enjoy convenient pick-up and drop-off by leaving the driving to HART and saving on expensive parking fees or taxi fares. 
In addition, Route 30 also now operates on Saturday and Sunday all the way until midnight. Service begins at 4:40 a.m. through midnight during the week and 7:00 a.m. to midnight on the weekends. 

Route 30 runs from downtown Tampa along Kennedy Boulevard to Westshore and then to the airport, with many stops along the way. The Route 30 service operates every 30 minutes between downtown and Tampa International Airport. 

Don't know how to get started? Our online Transit Map Trip Planner will plan out the route for you and tell you what bus to take to your destination.   

Thanks to the HART OneBusAway Tampa app, riders can easily find out when the next bus will arrive at their stop. The FREE application is available on a number of devices and platforms (Desktop computer, tablets, smartphones, Android, iPhone and mobile phones with browsers), which means less waiting at the stop and more time enjoying other things.