Find NYC MTA Bus Routes, Timetables, Stops, Maps and Live Arrival Times
New York City MTA bus schedules are organized by borough and route code. A printed timetable shows planned trips, while MTA Bus Time and the official MTA app provide stop-level arrival predictions and current service information.
This guide explains Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens and Staten Island schedules, local and express routes, Select Bus Service, OMNY fares, transfers, accessible boarding, late-night Request-A-Stop service, official maps and service alerts.
ROUTE → DIRECTION → STOP CODE → ARRIVAL → TAP OMNY
Service area
Five NYC boroughs
Local bus fare
$3.00
Express bus fare
$7.25
Live arrival tool
MTA Bus Time
Last verified
Quick answer
How to Find the Correct MTA Bus Schedule
Identify the route code printed on the bus-stop sign or shown in your trip plan. Then open the corresponding borough schedule page, choose the exact route, confirm the destination direction and select the correct weekday, Saturday, Sunday or holiday timetable.
Identify the route
Look for a code such as B63, Bx12-SBS, M15, Q70, S79-SBS, SIM1C, BxM4 or QM5.
Choose the direction
Match the destination shown on the front of the bus. Do not rely only on “inbound” or “outbound.”
Choose the service day
Weekday, Saturday, Sunday and holiday schedules can use different first buses, last buses and frequencies.
Check the live stop
Use MTA Bus Time or the official MTA app after reading the timetable and active service alerts.
Critical distinction: the timetable is the planned schedule. Bus Time is a prediction based on vehicle data. A planned service alert can change the route, stop or operating pattern.
The official schedule directory separates routes into Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens and Staten Island pages. Each route link opens the current timetable document provided by the MTA.
Bronx Bus Schedules
Bronx local, limited and SBS routes generally use the Bx prefix. Bronx-to-Manhattan express services generally use BxM.
Examples include Bx1/Bx2, Bx6-SBS, Bx12-SBS, Bx15, Bx41-SBS, BxM1 and BxM11.
Borough prefixes are search tools, not strict boundaries. A route can cross into another borough or connect to a bridge, subway, airport or major terminal outside the area suggested by its prefix.
Route code decoder
What MTA Bus Route Letters Mean
BBrooklyn route family
Examples include B24, B44-SBS, B63 and B82-SBS.
BxBronx route family
Examples include Bx1, Bx12-SBS, Bx15 and Bx41-SBS.
MManhattan route family
Examples include M1, M15-SBS, M34-SBS and M60-SBS.
QQueens route family
Examples include Q44-SBS, Q60, Q70 and Q115.
SStaten Island route family
Examples include S40, S53, S79-SBS and S93.
BMBrooklyn express
BM routes connect parts of Brooklyn and Manhattan.
BxMBronx express
BxM routes generally connect the Bronx and Manhattan.
QMQueens express
QM routes generally connect Queens and Manhattan.
SIMStaten Island express
SIM routes connect Staten Island and Manhattan.
XLegacy express labels
Some Brooklyn express services retain X route numbers.
Do not drop route suffixes. M14A-SBS and M14D-SBS, Bx18A and Bx18B, or SIM1 and SIM1C can have different paths, terminals or operating periods.
Simplified rider workflow
How an MTA Bus Trip Moves Through the Five-Borough System
This SVG explains the lookup process. It is not a geographic route map and does not replace the official borough map or route timetable.
Choose the correct bus pattern
Local, Limited, Rush, SBS and Express Bus Differences
The same corridor may have more than one stopping pattern. Confirm the route label on the bus and bus-stop sign before boarding.
Local
Makes the normal local-stop pattern.
Limited
Makes fewer stops; look for “LTD” and purple stop signage.
Rush
Local farther from subway hubs and more limited near major connections.
SBS
Select Bus Service uses fewer stops, priority corridors and all-door OMNY boarding.
Express
Coach-style interborough service; many routes focus on weekday commuting periods.
Fewer stops does not guarantee the same terminal. Limited, rush, SBS and express variants can use different streets, pickup rules or operating periods.
Official real-time tool
How to Use MTA Bus Time for Live Arrivals
MTA Bus Time can search by route, intersection, address, ZIP code or six-digit stop code. Selecting the exact direction and stop displays approaching buses and related service information.
Approaching
A vehicle is reporting toward the selected stop. Read the destination because routes can have branches.
At terminal
The bus is at a route terminal. The published schedule helps show when the next trip is planned to begin.
Stale
Bus Time defines stale vehicle-location data as more than two minutes old but not more than five minutes old.
No buses en route
No tracked bus is currently approaching. This does not automatically prove that the entire route is canceled.
No scheduled service
The selected stop is not scheduled to receive service at that time. Recheck the day, direction and route branch.
Bus Time is predictive, not a guarantee. Traffic, detours, dispatching, GPS interruptions, crowding and vehicle substitutions can affect the displayed arrival.
How to Find the Correct MTA Bus Stop
Route code
Match the full label.
Destination
Read the bus headsign.
Stop code
Save all six digits.
Street side
Confirm travel direction.
Service type
Local, LTD, SBS or express.
Alert status
Check stop relocation.
Look for the official bus-stop sign.
Most stops use a tall round sign with a bus symbol and route numbers. Some older express signs may use a different design.
Read every route listed at the stop.
Several routes can share a stop before separating at a later intersection.
Check the direction or destination.
Stops on opposite sides of the same road normally serve different directions.
Save the six-digit stop code.
Entering the code in Bus Time is more precise than searching a common street name.
Look for temporary notices.
Construction, parades and street closures may move a stop to another block.
Signal the operator when necessary.
Stay visible near the curb and wait for the bus to stop and open its doors before approaching.
How to Read an MTA Bus Timetable PDF
Route
R
Confirm the complete code.
Direction
→
Match the destination.
Service day
D
Weekday or weekend.
Timepoint
T
Find a listed major stop.
Live check
!
Review Bus Time and alerts.
Timepoints are not every bus stop
Printed schedules show selected major intersections and terminals. Your stop may fall between two listed timepoints.
Read the destination above the table
The opposite-direction timetable can look similar while listing completely different streets and times.
Check weekday and weekend columns
Saturday, Sunday and holiday service can begin later, end earlier or use wider gaps.
Read every footnote
A symbol can identify school-day trips, limited service, alternate terminals, pickup-only stops or trips ending early.
Use the nearest earlier timepoint
When your stop is between timepoints, do not wait until the later timepoint’s printed departure.
Check the effective date
A search engine can surface an older PDF even after the route has been redesigned or rescheduled.
Official borough maps
View NYC MTA Bus Maps
The MTA publishes separate borough maps because displaying every New York City bus route on one small map would be difficult to read. Use the fallback button when an embedded map does not load.
Manhattan Bus Map Viewer
Use this map to compare north–south avenue routes, crosstown buses, Select Bus Service corridors and subway connections.
Map limitation: a borough map shows the normal network, not every active detour, temporary stop relocation or canceled trip.
Fares verified August 4, 2026
MTA Bus Fares, OMNY and Weekly Fare Caps
Local, Limited, Rush and SBS$3.00Base fare for most riders
Tap a contactless bank card, smartphone, wearable device or OMNY Card.
Express Bus$7.25Base express fare for most riders
Express routes use premium fares and may operate primarily during commuting periods.
Local Fare Cap$35Rolling seven-day cap
Use the same payment card, OMNY Card or device for every eligible subway and local bus ride.
Express Fare Cap$67Rolling seven-day cap including express buses
The first tap begins the seven-day period when the same payment method is used.
OMNY tap-and-ride
On local, limited, rush and express buses, board at the front and tap the reader. On SBS buses, riders can enter and tap at any door.
Reduced fares
Riders age 65 or older and people with qualifying disabilities may be eligible for half-fare travel. Express-bus reduced-fare rules include time restrictions.
Children
Up to three children under 44 inches tall can ride local, limited, rush and SBS buses free with a fare-paying adult.
Q70 LaGuardia Link: MTA identifies Q70 service to and from LaGuardia Airport as fare-free.
As of January 1, 2026, riders can no longer buy or refill a MetroCard. Existing valid MetroCards can still be spent down or transferred to an OMNY Card through eligible MTA customer-service channels.
Existing MetroCard value
Use the remaining balance before expiration or ask an MTA Customer Service Center about transferring eligible value to an OMNY Card.
Cash on regular buses
MTA currently accepts exact-change coins on local, limited and rush buses. Paper money and pennies are not accepted.
Cash on SBS
Riders paying cash use the sidewalk fare kiosk before boarding and retain the printed proof-of-payment ticket.
Time-sensitive transition: MTA says MetroCard and cash acceptance will end at the same time during 2026, but the exact date had not been announced when this guide was verified on August 4, 2026. Recheck before relying on cash or MetroCard.
One free transfer
Riders receive one free transfer within two hours from local bus to local bus, subway to bus or bus to subway.
Use the same payment method
Tap the same physical card, OMNY Card, smartphone or wearable device throughout the journey.
Transfer to an express bus
When transferring from a local bus or subway to an express bus, the rider pays the difference between the fares.
Common OMNY mistake: tapping a bank card on the first ride and a phone wallet linked to that card on the second ride can appear as two different payment devices.
MTA Bus Routes for LaGuardia and JFK Airport Connections
Q70 LaGuardia Link
Fare-free service connects LaGuardia Airport with Jackson Heights–Roosevelt Av/74 St and Woodside–61 St transit connections.
JFK connections
Several Queens and Brooklyn routes connect with subway stations, AirTrain stations or airport-adjacent areas. The route does not replace the AirTrain fare where AirTrain payment applies.
MTA states that all New York City buses are accessible for riders using wheelchairs. Operators can deploy the ramp or lift and use the kneeling feature when needed.
Boarding
Wait where the operator can see you, signal the bus and allow the operator to position the vehicle for safe ramp or lift deployment.
Wheelchairs and scooters
Riders can enter facing forward or backward. Lock the brakes during boarding and after reaching the securement position.
Priority seating
Priority seats are located near the front. Other riders must make designated accessible seating available when requested.
Stop announcements
Riders with partial or total vision loss can listen for recorded announcements or ask the operator to identify the next stop.
Leaving the bus
Signal before the stop, wait until the bus is stationary and allow the operator to release securements and deploy the ramp or lift.
Relay assistance
Call 511 for trip-planning help or use a preferred relay provider or free 711 relay service.
Vehicle access is not the same as sidewalk access. Construction, snow, curb conditions or temporary stop relocations can make a particular boarding point harder to use.
Some MTA buses have a marked Designated Open Stroller Area. Wheelchair priority seating remains separate and takes priority over general stroller convenience.
Bus has an open-stroller area
Follow the posted instructions and keep the child secured. Do not block the aisle, doorway or wheelchair securement space.
Bus does not have the designated area
MTA instructs riders to fold the stroller before boarding and keep it folded during the ride.
Crowding can change the practical situation. Follow the operator’s instructions when space is needed for a wheelchair user, emergency access or safe passenger movement.
Between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m., riders can ask the operator to stop at a safe location along eligible route segments even when that location is not a normal bus stop.
Service Type
Request-A-Stop Availability
Important Limitation
Local bus
Available between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m.
The operator must determine that the location is safe.
Rush route
Available in local segments.
Not available in the rush or limited segment.
Express bus
Available while dropping off in eligible non-express segments.
Not available on nonstop express portions.
Limited bus
Not available.
Use a regular designated stop.
Select Bus Service
Not available.
Use a regular SBS stop.
Shuttle bus
Not available.
Use the posted shuttle stop.
Ask early: tell the operator before reaching the desired location. The operator chooses the nearest safe place and can refuse an unsafe request.
MTA Bus Service Alerts, Detours and Planned Changes
Planned service change
Construction, street work or scheduled events may be announced in advance with a date and replacement stop.
Real-time disruption
Traffic, a collision, police activity or a disabled vehicle can cause a sudden detour or delay.
Temporary stop relocation
Read the complete alert to find the replacement corner or block rather than waiting at the closed stop.
Parade or street event
A large event can remove several consecutive stops and send buses to parallel avenues.
Winter weather
Snow, ice and blocked curbs can delay service or make an accessible boarding area temporarily unusable.
Email and text alerts
MTA allows riders to subscribe by route, travel time and service type for real-time and planned updates.
Write down the route immediately.
Record the complete route code, destination, boarding stop, exit stop, date and approximate time.
Save the vehicle number when visible.
The fleet number can help identify the specific bus that carried the item.
Describe the item precisely.
Include color, brand, material, size and identifying marks without publishing sensitive account information.
File the official claim.
NYC Transit allows online lost-property claims 24 hours a day.
Allow processing time.
Property normally reaches the central Lost and Found after the vehicle completes service and the item is processed.
Protect sensitive accounts.
Lock phones and suspend payment cards rather than waiting for the search to finish.
There is no charge to file an MTA Lost and Found claim. The office is appointment-only, and riders should not travel there unless the MTA has confirmed the item was found and arranged an appointment.
MTA Service Information
Call 511 for schedules, trip planning, fare help and service information.
Relay Assistance
Riders can use a preferred relay provider or the free 711 relay service.
Lost and Found Phone Help
Call 511. Lost and Found phone assistance is listed daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
MTA Bus Company Address
2 Broadway
New York, NY 10004
Official MTA App
Use the app for live arrivals, saved routes, service changes, maps and customer-service chat.
Emergency
Call 911 for an immediate emergency. Routine delays and fare questions belong with MTA customer service.
Useful report details: route, destination, stop code, intersection, date, time, vehicle number and a precise description are more useful than reporting only that “the bus was late.”
MTA Bus Checklist Before You Leave
Confirm the complete route code and suffix.
Match the destination on the bus headsign.
Select the correct weekday or weekend schedule.
Check the timetable effective date.
Save the six-digit stop code.
Check whether the trip is local, LTD, SBS or express.
Review Bus Time for the exact stop.
Read current service alerts and detours.
Use the same OMNY payment method for transfers.
Allow extra time for an important connection.
MTA Bus Schedule Problems and What to Do
The printed schedule and Bus Time disagree
The timetable shows planned service. Bus Time reflects tracked vehicles. Check the timetable date and active alerts before deciding which trip is operating.
Bus Time says “No buses en route”
No tracked vehicle is currently approaching. Check the next scheduled trip, route status and whether the bus is still at the terminal.
The bus passed your stop
Confirm that it was not limited, SBS, express, out of service, full or following an active detour.
The route number disappeared
The bus network may have been redesigned or renumbered. Use the borough schedule directory rather than an old bookmark.
The stop sign is covered or missing
Search the stop code or intersection and review alerts for a temporary relocation.
An OMNY transfer was not applied
Confirm that the same physical card or device was used for both taps and that the transfer occurred within the eligible period.
The map will not load
Open the official map in a new tab. The MTA server or browser may block embedded viewing.
You missed the last bus
Use the official trip planner to check nearby buses, subway service or a safe alternative. Do not assume the route operates overnight.
Independent-site disclosure: busschedule.us is not operated by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. It cannot dispatch buses, change schedules, guarantee predictions, process fares or locate lost property.
Frequently Asked Questions About MTA Bus Schedules
Where can I find an official MTA bus schedule?
Open the MTA New York City bus schedule directory, choose Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens or Staten Island, and select the complete route code.
How do I check when the next MTA bus is coming?
Use MTA Bus Time or the official MTA app. Search by route, intersection, address, ZIP code or six-digit bus-stop code.
What is the difference between an MTA schedule and Bus Time?
The schedule shows planned trips. Bus Time uses vehicle-location data to estimate arrivals at a specific stop.
How much is an MTA local bus fare in 2026?
The regular fare for local, limited, rush and Select Bus Service buses is $3 for most riders.
How much is an MTA express bus?
The regular express bus fare is $7.25 for most riders. Reduced-fare rules and time restrictions may apply to eligible riders.
Can I still use a MetroCard on an MTA bus?
Existing valid MetroCards remain accepted during the 2026 transition, but riders have not been able to buy or refill them since January 1, 2026. Check the MTA for the final acceptance date.
Can I pay cash on an MTA bus?
Cash is currently accepted on local, limited, rush and SBS buses under the MTA’s transition rules. Exact coins are required, and SBS cash riders must use the sidewalk kiosk before boarding.
What does SBS mean on an MTA bus route?
SBS means Select Bus Service. These routes generally make fewer stops, use priority corridors and allow OMNY riders to board and tap at any door.
What does LTD mean on an MTA bus?
LTD identifies limited-stop service. It skips some local stops, so riders must confirm that their stop is served.
Can an MTA bus drop me between stops at night?
Eligible local and certain express or rush segments offer Request-A-Stop service from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. It is not available on SBS, limited, shuttle or nonstop express segments.
Are MTA buses wheelchair accessible?
Yes. MTA states that all New York City buses are accessible for riders using wheelchairs, with ramps or lifts and designated priority seating.
What should I do if I leave something on an MTA bus?
Record the route, direction, stops, date and time, then file an official NYC Transit Lost and Found claim online. Filing a claim is free.
