A CTA bus ride costs $2.25 in 2026 when you pay with a Ventra card, the Ventra app or a contactless bank card, and that fare includes up to two more rides within two hours. Paying cash on board costs $2.50 and includes no transfer. The CTA’s 2026 budget kept fares unchanged, and 24 routes form a “Frequent Network” with buses every 10 minutes or better for most of the day.
| Fare or fact | 2026 amount or detail |
|---|---|
| Bus fare (Ventra or contactless) | $2.25 full, $1.10 reduced, $0.75 student |
| Bus fare paid in cash | $2.50 full, no transfers |
| Transfers | Up to 2 more rides within 2 hours, free |
| 1-Day / 3-Day / 7-Day / 30-Day pass | $5 / $15 / $20 / $75 |
| Single-ride Ventra Ticket | $3 (up to 3 rides in 2 hours) |
| Frequent Network | 24 routes, every 10 minutes or better, 6 a.m.–9 p.m. weekdays, 9 a.m.–9 p.m. weekends |
| Real-time arrivals | Bus Tracker website or text “ctabus [stop ID]” to 41411 |
How riding a CTA bus works
Pay as you board. Tap a Ventra card, a phone with the Ventra app, or a contactless bank card on the reader.
Every stop has a sign with a stop ID number at the bottom. You can use that number to get live arrival times by text or on the CTA Bus Tracker site.
The CTA says all of its buses are accessible.
Passes ride free on both buses and trains, and they also work on Pace suburban buses. Transfers to the L are free within two hours when you use the same payment method.
Fares and passes as of 2026
The CTA proposed raising fares for 2026, but after Illinois passed a transit funding law, the Chicago Transit Board approved a 2026 budget with no fare increase in November 2025. The current fare chart dates from February 20, 2023.
| Option | Full | Reduced | Student |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bus ride (Ventra or contactless) | $2.25 | $1.10 | $0.75 |
| Bus ride (cash) | $2.50 | $1.25 | $0.75 |
| 1-Day pass | $5 | — | — |
| 3-Day pass | $15 | — | — |
| 7-Day pass | $20 | — | — |
| 30-Day pass | $75 | $35 | — |
A new Ventra card costs $5, and the fee comes back as transit value if you register the card within 90 days. Contactless bank cards cover full and reduced fares only.
Visitors staying several days usually come out ahead with a pass. Two round trips a day already cost more than the $5 1-Day pass.
Key bus routes for visitors
These routes reach the lakefront, museums and popular neighborhoods. Route endpoints come from each route’s CTA page.
| Route | Runs between | Useful for |
|---|---|---|
| 146 Inner Lake Shore/Michigan Express | Berwyn (Red Line) and Museum Campus/Adler Planetarium | Magnificent Mile, Museum Campus; express on Inner Drive with no stops between Belmont and Delaware |
| 151 Sheridan | Union Station and Devon/Clark | Union Station, Michigan Avenue, the North Side lakefront |
| 22 Clark | Howard (Red, Purple, Yellow) and Clark/Harrison | Lincoln Park, Lakeview, Andersonville; owl service |
| 36 Broadway | Clark/Devon and LaSalle Metra | Lakeview, Uptown, Edgewater |
| 66 Chicago | Chicago/Austin and Navy Pier | Navy Pier, River North, West Town; owl service |
| 6 Jackson Park Express | Wacker/Columbus and 79th/South Shore | Museum Campus, Hyde Park, Jackson Park |
| 9 Ashland | 95th/104th and Ravenswood Metra | Long north-south trip on the West Side; owl service |
| 77 Belmont | Along Belmont Avenue | Lakeview; Frequent Network |
| 79 79th | 79th/Western and 79th/Lakefront | South Side crosstown; owl service |
| J14 Jeffery Jump | South Side, along Jeffery Boulevard | Frequent Network |
On game days, the CTA points Bears fans to the 128 Soldier Field Express and the 146. The 128 costs $5 round trip.
The Frequent Network
The Frequent Network is a set of routes where buses come every 10 minutes or better from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekends. It reached 24 routes in 2026.
The routes are 4 Cottage Grove, 8 Halsted (from December 2026), 9 Ashland, 12 Roosevelt, J14 Jeffery Jump, 20 Madison, 34 South Michigan, 35 31st/35th, 47 47th, 49 Western, 53 Pulaski, 54 Cicero, 55 Garfield, 60 Blue Island/26th, 63 63rd, 66 Chicago, 72 North, 74 Fullerton, 77 Belmont, 79 79th, 81 Lawrence, 82 Kimball/Homan, 85 Central and 95 95th.
The 35, 74 and 85 joined on August 23, 2026.
Bus Tracker: real-time arrivals
CTA Bus Tracker shows estimated arrival times for every stop. You can use the website (ctabustracker.com) or the Ventra app.
To check by text, send “ctabus” plus the stop ID to 41411. For example, “ctabus 14624” returns times for Pulaski and Fullerton. Add “rt” and a route number, such as “rt3,” to see one route only.
Reply “S” for service alerts or “N” for more results. Carrier message rates may apply.
Owl and overnight service
Some CTA routes run all night, which the CTA labels “Owl” service. Route pages for 9 Ashland, 22 Clark, 66 Chicago and 79 79th list owl service.
The 66’s overnight trips run between State/Washington and Chicago/Austin rather than to Navy Pier. Night-only routes carry an “N” prefix, such as the N5 South Shore Night Bus, which runs roughly midnight to 5 a.m. between the 95th and 69th Red Line stations.
The Orange Line does not run overnight. The N62 Archer bus covers that corridor, including Midway Airport. The Blue Line to O’Hare runs 24 hours.
Many popular routes stop around midnight. The 146 makes its last trips around 10:40–11:40 p.m., and the 36 ends around 11:20 p.m.–12:40 a.m.
Frequently asked questions
How much is a CTA bus ride in 2026?
$2.25 with a Ventra card, the Ventra app or a contactless bank card, including up to two transfers within two hours. Cash on the bus is $2.50 with no transfer.
Can I pay cash on a CTA bus?
Yes. The cash fare is $2.50 for a full fare, and cash payments do not include transfers.
Which bus goes to Navy Pier?
The 66 Chicago ends at Navy Pier. The 66 runs east-west along Chicago Avenue.
Which bus goes to the Museum Campus?
The 146 Inner Lake Shore/Michigan Express ends at the Museum Campus/Adler Planetarium. The 6 Jackson Park Express also stops at the Museum Campus.
Do CTA buses run all night?
Some do. Routes such as 9 Ashland, 22 Clark, 66 Chicago and 79 79th have owl service, and “N” routes run only at night.
How do I see when the next bus is coming?
Use CTA Bus Tracker online or text “ctabus” plus the stop ID to 41411. The stop ID is printed at the bottom of the bus stop sign.
Related guides
- Getting around Chicago
- The L: CTA trains
- Metra commuter rail
- Divvy bikes and scooters
- Chicago airports
- Cost of living in Chicago
Sources
- CTA: Fares
- CBS Chicago: CTA, Metra and Pace approve 2026 budgets with no fare hikes (Nov. 13, 2025)
- CTA: Frequent Network
- CTA: Frequent Network adds four routes by end of 2026
- CTA: Bus Tracker by Text
- CTA: Route 146, 151, 22, 36, 66, 6, 9, 79, N5
- CTA: Trains to/from O’Hare and Midway
- CTA: Sports venues
Last updated: October 31, 2026