Find the Correct Route 8 for Your City
8 bus schedule is an ambiguous search. Several unrelated transit agencies operate a Route 8, including CTA in Chicago, King County Metro in Seattle, NFTA-Metro in Buffalo, Big Blue Bus in Santa Monica/West Los Angeles, and TheBus in Honolulu.
Use the city and agency first. Then check today’s direction, effective timetable, exact stop, fare, live arrival and service alert before you leave.
There Is No Single Route 8 Timetable
A Route 8 in Chicago has no schedule connection to Route 8 in Seattle, Buffalo, Santa Monica or Honolulu. The number is reused by separate transit systems.
Start with the location where you plan to board.
CTA, King County Metro, NFTA, Big Blue Bus, TheBus or another operator.
Read the destination sign, not only route number 8.
Select the exact intersection, station, terminal or stop ID.
Review predicted arrival and current alerts before walking out.
Find the Route 8 Information You Need
Match Your City to the Correct Route 8
CTA 8 Halsted — Chicago, Illinois
CTA Route 8 is the Halsted bus, running primarily along Halsted Street between the 79th Street area and Broadway/Waveland on Chicago’s North Side.
Service span from terminal: northbound from Halsted/79th begins about 4:05 a.m. weekdays and Sunday, and about 3:30 a.m. Saturday. Service continues past midnight.
Current change: CTA lists a temporary reroute affecting Route 8 via Halsted, Division, Elston and Milwaukee, with the posted reroute extending through December 25, 2026.
Useful connections: Halsted Green Line, Halsted Orange Line, UIC-Halsted Blue Line, North/Clybourn Red Line area and Wrigleyville.
King County Metro Route 8 — Seattle
Seattle Route 8 connects Mount Baker, the Central District, Madison Valley, Capitol Hill, South Lake Union and Seattle Center / Lower Queen Anne.
The published weekday timetable shows an early trip leaving Mount Baker Transit Center Bay 2 at 5:30 a.m., reaching Capitol Hill at about 5:50 a.m. and Lower Queen Anne around 6:05 a.m.
Morning weekday service becomes considerably more frequent, with many departures roughly 12–15 minutes apart during busier periods.
NFTA-Metro 8 Main — Buffalo, New York
NFTA-Metro Route 8 is the Main route. It connects the University Metro Rail Station/Main & Bailey area with Downtown Buffalo and the Waterfront.
One published timetable pattern begins at Main & Bailey at 5:00 a.m., reaches University Station at 5:04 a.m., Allen Medical Campus around 5:27 a.m., and Waterfront Village around 5:39 a.m.
Major corridor stops: University Station, Amherst Station, Delavan Station, Main & Michigan, Utica Station, Allen Medical Campus and downtown Buffalo.
Big Blue Bus Route 8 — Ocean Park Boulevard
Santa Monica Big Blue Bus Route 8 serves the Ocean Park Boulevard corridor between Santa Monica and UCLA/Westwood.
Important 2026 change: beginning August 9, all Route 8 trips were changed to begin and end at UCLA Gateway Plaza seven days a week. Route 8 no longer uses Hilgard Terminal.
The change also added or adjusted stops near UCLA Medical Center, Westwood Plaza and the Westwood/Rancho Park E Line connection.
TheBus Route 8 — Honolulu, Hawaiʻi
Honolulu Route 8 operates between Makiki, Ala Moana and Waikiki. The official timetable uses separate destination signs for Waikiki-bound and Makiki-bound service.
On the published weekday timetable, an early Waikiki-bound trip leaves Pensacola/Wilder at 5:50 a.m. and reaches the Monsarrat/Kalakaua area around 6:15 a.m.
Destination signs matter: eastbound buses show “8 WAIKIKI BEACH AND HOTELS,” while westbound service shows “8 ALA MOANA CENTER-MAKIKI.”
The official timetable also publishes HEA stop numbers, which riders can use with Honolulu Estimated Arrival tools.
Route 8 Schedule Comparison
These times are route-specific examples. The exact bus you need depends on direction, stop and service day. Mid-route riders should use the official stop timetable or live tracker.
| Route 8 | Current schedule clue | Useful time | What to check |
|---|---|---|---|
| CTA 8 Halsted Chicago |
CTA posted updated bus schedules effective Aug. 23, 2026. | Northbound terminal span starts about 4:05 a.m. weekdays; Saturday starts about 3:30 a.m. | Current reroute plus exact Bus Tracker stop prediction. |
| King County Metro 8 Seattle |
Effective Aug. 29, 2026 through Mar. 26, 2027. | Example weekday trip: Mount Baker 5:30 a.m. → Lower Queen Anne about 6:05 a.m. | Direction, exact stop and live Trip Planner result. |
| NFTA 8 Main Buffalo |
Effective Aug. 30, 2026. | Example: Main & Bailey 5:00 a.m. → Waterfront Village about 5:39 a.m. | Day of travel and direction selector. |
| Big Blue Bus 8 Santa Monica |
Major routing and timetable changes began Aug. 9, 2026. | Use the updated online schedule; older Hilgard Terminal timetables are obsolete. | UCLA Gateway Plaza and current Transit-app prediction. |
| TheBus 8 Honolulu |
Official Route 8 timetable currently published with effective date Mar. 2, 2025. | Weekday Waikiki-bound example begins Pensacola/Wilder at 5:50 a.m. | HEA arrival and destination sign before boarding. |
Route Number 8 Is Not Enough — Read the Destination Sign
Route 8 Fare Depends on the Transit Agency
CTA’s current fare page lists $2.25 for a regular bus ride using a Ventra transit account or eligible pay-as-you-go method.
Cash fare is $2.50 and does not include transfers.
The adult fare is $3.00. Youth 18 and younger ride free. Eligible senior, disabled and ORCA LIFT fares are lower.
NFTA-Metro uses MetGo and fare capping. Regular riders ride free after spending $5 in a day, $25 in a week or $75 in a calendar month.
Contactless regular fare is $1.25 and includes one free Big Blue Bus-to-Big Blue Bus transfer within two hours.
Cash fare is $1.50 exact change.
The adult HOLO fare is $3.00 with unlimited TheBus/Skyline rides during the two-hour period.
Adult cash fare is $3.25 with no transfer.
CTA, Big Blue Bus and TheBus all have situations where using the transit card/contactless system provides better transfer value than paying cash.
Major Stops That Help Identify the Correct Route 8
Scheduled Time vs Live Arrival
Scheduled time is the planned timetable. Live arrival is an updated prediction based on vehicle or operational information where the agency provides real-time data.
Traffic, detours, road work, weather, congestion, operator availability and canceled trips can move a live prediction forward or backward.
Use the transit agency’s own or endorsed tracker.
Confirm the correct city before continuing.
Match your destination or terminal.
Use exact stop name or stop number.
Recheck shortly before leaving.
Route 8 Changes Riders Should Know
Accessibility Checks Before You Travel
Small Checks That Prevent Big Route 8 Mistakes
Avoid These Route 8 Schedule Errors
Route 8 Boarding Checklist
- Confirm the correct city.
- Confirm the operating transit agency.
- Open the current official Route 8 page.
- Check the schedule effective date.
- Select weekday, Saturday, Sunday or holiday service.
- Choose the correct direction.
- Confirm the destination sign.
- Locate your exact stop or stop ID.
- Check fare and payment method.
- Review transfer rules.
- Check the live arrival prediction.
- Review current service alerts.
- Plan your return trip.
- Check accessibility requirements if needed.
Where to Verify Your Route 8
Current service span, route map, accessibility, schedule and active reroute information.
Open CTA Route 8Select Route 8, northbound or southbound, then choose the exact stop for estimated arrivals.
Open Bus TrackerCurrent Seattle timetable, effective-date range, major timepoints and route map.
Open Seattle Route 8Current Buffalo schedule, effective date, direction selector and major stops.
Open NFTA Route 8Current Ocean Park Boulevard route, map and August 2026 UCLA routing changes.
Open Big Blue Bus Route 8Official Route 8 timetable with stop numbers, destination signs and service notes.
Open Honolulu TimetableQuestions Riders Commonly Ask
What is the Route 8 bus schedule?
There is no single Route 8 timetable. Multiple transit agencies use the number 8, so first identify the city and transit agency before checking departure times.
What time does Route 8 start?
Start time depends on the transit agency and direction. CTA Route 8 begins very early in the morning, Seattle Metro Route 8 has an early weekday trip from Mount Baker at 5:30 a.m., and Honolulu’s published weekday timetable includes a 5:50 a.m. Waikiki-bound departure from Pensacola/Wilder.
What time is the last Route 8 bus?
There is no universal last Route 8 bus. The last departure is different for every agency, direction and stop, so use the official timetable or trip planner for your boarding point.
Does Route 8 run on Saturday and Sunday?
Many Route 8 services do, including CTA Route 8, King County Metro Route 8, Big Blue Bus Route 8 and Honolulu TheBus Route 8. Weekend times can differ substantially from weekday service.
How much does the Route 8 bus cost?
Fare depends on the city. Current examples include $2.25 for a CTA regular bus ride using Ventra, $3.00 on King County Metro, $2.00 on NFTA-Metro, $1.25 on Big Blue Bus with contactless payment, and $3.00 for the adult Honolulu HOLO two-hour fare.
How do I track Route 8 live?
Use the operating agency’s official or endorsed live tool. CTA offers Bus Tracker, King County Metro offers its Trip Planner, Big Blue Bus recommends current trip-planning tools, and Honolulu riders can use HEA stop-based arrival information.
Is Big Blue Bus Route 8 still using UCLA Hilgard Terminal?
No. Beginning August 9, 2026, Big Blue Bus changed Route 8 so all trips begin and end at UCLA Gateway Plaza seven days a week.
What does Honolulu Route 8 say on the destination sign?
The published timetable lists “8 WAIKIKI BEACH AND HOTELS” for Waikiki-bound service and “8 ALA MOANA CENTER-MAKIKI” for the opposite direction.
How early should I arrive for Route 8?
Arriving 5–10 minutes early is practical for most local stops. Allow additional time at large transit centers, unfamiliar locations, tourist areas or when making an important connection.
Where can I find the Route 8 map?
Use the operating agency’s official Route 8 page. A generic Route 8 map is unreliable because the same route number is used by unrelated transit systems in different cities.