BARTA bus in Berks County: routes, fares, and senior rides
BARTA fixed-route fares in Berks County: $1.80 base fare, free rides for seniors 65+, passes, and how to find your bus route in Reading.
A one-way ride on a BARTA fixed-route bus costs $1.80 in exact cash, and riders 65 and older ride free once they have a state senior ID card. BARTA runs the public buses across Reading and Berks County, and you can pay with cash, a pass, or the BARTA Go Mobile app.
BARTA has provided public bus service in Reading and Berks County since 1973, now under the name Berks Area Regional Transportation Authority. It operates under the South Central Transit Authority, the agency that also runs Red Rose Transit in Lancaster County. The county commissioners do not run it. It is a separate regional transit authority, one of the many bodies our guide to how Berks County government works sorts out.
What it costs to ride
These are the fares for the numbered fixed routes, the regular city and county buses. Pay when you board.
| Rider | One-way cash fare |
|---|---|
| Adult | $1.80 |
| Student, grades K-12 (with school ID) | $1.00 |
| Person with a disability or Medicare card | $0.90 |
| Senior 65 and older (with PA Transit ID) | Free |
| Child 5 and under | Free (up to 3 with a paying adult) |
Two rules catch new riders. Drivers do not make change, so bring the exact fare. And a transfer to a second bus to finish one trip is free and good for up to two hours, so ask the driver for one when you board the first bus.
The free senior fare is not automatic. A rider 65 or older who boards without a state Senior Citizen ID pays the full $1.80 adult fare, so get the card first. How to do that is below.
Passes save money if you ride often
If you take the bus more than a few times a week, a pass costs less than paying cash each way.
| Pass | Price |
|---|---|
| All-Day (unlimited rides, one day) | $3.70 |
| 10-Ride, adult | $13.50 |
| 10-Ride, student (K-12) | $9.00 |
| 10-Ride, reduced fare | $6.75 |
| 31-Day, adult | $45.00 |
| 31-Day, student (K-12) | $20.00 |
The 10-ride pass never expires. The reduced-fare version requires a Reduced Fare Transit ID at purchase. There is no weekly pass.
You can buy passes four ways: at the customer service window inside the BARTA Transportation Center, at the administrative office at 1700 N. 11th St. in Reading, online at portal.bartabus.com, or in the BARTA Go Mobile app on your phone.
Seniors 65 and older ride free
Anyone age 65 or older rides any BARTA bus route free, at any time, through the Senior Citizens Free Ride Program sponsored by the Pennsylvania Lottery. You need a PennDOT Senior Citizen ID card or a PA Transit ID to show the driver.
To get the ID card:
- Apply online through Find My Ride at apply.findmyride.penndot.pa.gov.
- Or download the application, and email it with proof of age to barta@bartabus.com.
- Or pick up an application at a BARTA office and mail it to BARTA, 1700 North 11th St., Reading, PA 19604.
Proof of age can be a driver's license, PennDOT non-driver ID, birth certificate, passport, naturalization papers, a PACE card, military discharge papers, or a Social Security age-verification statement, among other documents. If you already hold a PennDOT Senior Citizen ID, you can ride on that alone.
Free rides on the regular bus are different from the door-to-door Shared Ride service below, which charges seniors a small copay.
Half fare for riders with disabilities
People with a qualifying disability, including anyone under 65 with a Medicare card, pay half the cash fare, $0.90. Show a BARTA Half Fare ID card or your Medicare card when you board. To get the Half Fare ID, complete an application at a BARTA office. The reduced-fare 10-ride pass, at $6.75, uses the same ID.
How to find your bus and route
BARTA runs numbered routes that fan out from downtown Reading. To plan a trip:
- Use the Bus Finder and route schedules at bartabus.com/schedules.
- Download the BARTA Go Mobile app for real-time bus locations and mobile fare payment.
- Call BARTA bus information at 610-921-0601.
Most routes meet at the BARTA Transportation Center at 701 Franklin St. (8th and Cherry streets) in Reading, where you can transfer between buses, buy a pass at the service window, and wait indoors. The center is open Monday through Saturday 4 a.m. to midnight and Sunday 9:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.; the pass window is open weekdays 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Door-to-door Shared Ride for seniors and people with disabilities
Riders who cannot use the regular bus can use BARTA Special Services, a shared-ride van program you schedule in advance. Seniors 65 and older qualify, and instead of free rides they pay a copay that averages about 15 percent of the trip cost. The service reaches places and times the fixed routes do not. Call Special Services at 610-921-2361 to apply or book a ride. This shared-ride program is worth a guide of its own; for now, the phone line is the fastest way to start.
FAQ
How much is a BARTA bus fare?
A one-way adult ride is $1.80 in exact cash. Students in grades K-12 pay $1.00 with a school ID, riders with a disability or Medicare card pay $0.90, and seniors 65 and older ride free with a PA Transit ID.
Do seniors ride free on BARTA?
Yes. Anyone 65 or older rides any fixed route free at any time through the PA Lottery-funded Senior Citizens Free Ride Program. You need a PennDOT Senior Citizen ID or PA Transit ID, which you apply for online, by mail, or at a BARTA office.
Where is the BARTA bus station in Reading?
The BARTA Transportation Center is at 701 Franklin St., at 8th and Cherry streets in Reading. Routes connect there, and it has an indoor waiting area and a pass-sales window open on weekdays.
How do I know which bus to take?
Use the Bus Finder and schedules at bartabus.com, or the BARTA Go Mobile app for live bus tracking. You can also call 610-921-0601 and ask staff to route your trip.
Can I pay with a card or an app instead of cash?
Yes. The BARTA Go Mobile app lets you buy and show fares on your phone, and you can load a smart card at portal.bartabus.com. If you pay with cash on the bus, bring exact change, because drivers cannot make change.
Sources and contact
- BARTA cash fares and special discounts
- BARTA passes
- Senior Citizens Free Ride Program and Senior Shared Ride Program
- BARTA Transportation Center
- South Central Transit Authority
BARTA bus information: 610-921-0601. Special Services (Shared Ride): 610-921-2361. Email: barta@bartabus.com. Administrative office: 1700 N. 11th St., Reading, PA 19604.
Seniors who ride free may also qualify for money back on rent or property taxes; see our guide to the Berks County property tax and rent rebate.
Sources
The public records this story is reported from.