Spokane, Washington is growing its population rapidly and is becoming one of the bigger cities in eastern Washington. With the constant population growth and commuters moving into the city, Spokane has begun to make a name for itself when it comes to public transportation.
Spokane, Washington does have public transportation services that travel around the entire city. The Spokane Transit Authority is very convenient, efficient, and safe for all who use it. This public transportation service travels to businesses, grocery stores, and even neighborhoods.
If you are looking to use public transit in Spokane, Washington, you’ll want to consider whether it is the best option for you. The following is some information on Spokane Transit Authority and what other options you may have.
Spokane Transit Authority
Spokane, Washington has been growing steadily in the past few years and is becoming quite a popular city. Due to the rising population and amount of commuters that inhabit the city, Spokane has made public transportation a priority. There is only one major transportation company in Spokane that takes care of all forms of public transportation in the area.
Spokane’s public transportation system is very convenient for many and has become a great service to many residents within the area. Before using Spokane’s public transportation system, make sure you do your research on whether or not it is the best form of transportation for you. The following is some information on the Spokane Transit Authority
and how it can provide the best service for you.
Spokane’s public transportation system has been a very reliable source of public transportation for many people in the area. This public bus system really makes a difference in how people get to and from various places in the city. This service is exceptionally good and has many routes across Spokane.
Here are the routes the Spokane Transit Authority bus travels to and from:
- Monroe-Regal
- Cheney
- Plaza Arena Shuttle
- Southside Medical Shuttle
- SFCC
- West Broadway
- NW Blvd
- Maple/Ash
- Division
- Lidgerwood
- Hillyard
- Nevada
- SCC
- Trent Montgomery
- Wellesley
- Freya
- Mission
- South Adams
- Lincoln/37th Ave
- Perry District
- Airport via Brownes Add
- Hwy 2 via Brownes Add
- Medical Lake
- Airways Heights/West Plains
- EWU
- Swoop Loop
- Cheney Loop
- Mirabeau/Liberty Lake
- Sprague
- East Central/Millwood
- Mid-Valley
- Pines/Sullivan
- South Valley
- Liberty Lake via Sprague
- North Express
- South Express
- Liberty Lake Express
- VTC Express
- Valley Express
- Fairgrounds Shuttle
- Bureau Fair Shuttle
- Geiger Shuttle
- EWU Express
- EWU North Express
- EWU VTC Express
- EWU South Hill Express
When I say this public transportation system goes all over Spokane, I am not kidding. That is one of the most amazing things about this system is that it truly is available to everyone, no matter where they are located. Planning a trip on this bus is very easy and their website makes it easy to understand.
I personally feel like one of the hardest parts of public transportation is trying to understand how their routes work and how to read their schedules. On the Spokane Transit Authority website, it teaches you exactly how to read their schedules so there is no confusion and you can catch their bus on time.
Due to this transportation system being so big, they do charge fares in order for you to ride. However, their prices are fairly reasonable, especially because of how many places the buses travel to and from, so you likely won’t have a hard time deciding whether or not one of the following passes is worth the cost. Here are the passes you can purchase and how much they cost:
| Pass Type | Pass Price |
| Youth 31 Day Pass (Ages 6-18) | $40.00 |
| Adult 31 Day Pass (19+) | $60.00 |
| Reduced Fare 31 Day Pass (Must be eligible) | $30.00 |
| Paratransit Pass (Current Month) | $60.00 |
| Shuttle Park Pass (Current Month) | $40.00 |
| Paratransit Pass (Future Month) | $60.00 |
| Shuttle Park Pass (Future Month) | $40.00 |
| 2 Hour Adult/Youth Pass (Sold in sets of 10) | $20.00 |
| 2 Hour Reduced Fare Pass (Must be eligible) | $10.00 |
| Day Pass (sold in sets of 5) | $20.00 |
| 7 Day Pass | $17.00 |
| Paratransit One Ride Pass (Sold in sets of 10; must be eligible) | $20.00 |
Spokane Transit Authority will accept Visa, MasterCard, or Discover cards for online purchases. Keep in mind that there is a $1.00 processing fee and physical passes can take 2 to 5 business days to deliver in the mail. So, plan accordingly and make sure you are prepared.
One of the greatest things about Spokane’s transportation system is the variety and how much they offer. Some of these passes may be a little confusing to you if you are not familiar with their public transportation system, so here is an overview of the kinds of transportation you can take and which pass goes to what one.
Bus Service
Spokane Transit Authority bus service is similar to bus services you can find anywhere else in the United States. This bus system travels all over Spokane including neighborhoods, grocery stores, and businesses. To ride the Spokane bus, you simply just need your usual bus pass and to be at a designated bus stop before it arrives. The time that the buses arrive at various stops varies, so make sure you check the schedule before using the buses in Spokane.
When riding the public buses in Spokane, make sure you take precautions to make sure you stay safe.
City Line
City Line is Spokane’s newest form of transportation. Not only does this bus hold a significant amount of passengers, but it is also 100% electric, making it very environmentally friendly. This form of transportation is considered Spokane’s “Bus Rapid Transit” because of its efficiency. This bus will take you to Spokane’s Historic Browne’s Addition, Spokane Community College, Downtown Spokane, and the University District (this includes Gonzaga University).
Paratransit
This is one of the forms of transportation that may confuse some people if they are not familiar with it. Paratransit is exactly what it says it is. This is a form of transportation that is made for people who have disabilities and need accessible ways to board a bus. This bus is wheelchair accessible and is made specifically to help those in need. This is why you must be eligible in order to receive a pass for the bus. This bus does not have a fixed route and caters to the need of its passengers, which is quite nice.
Vanpool
Vanpool is a very cool and very efficient form of public transportation. Vanpool is similar to carpooling except it is public and anyone can use it if they have a pass. This van is maintained by Spokane Transit Authority and will usually pick up at least 3 people that are going to the same place in order to save on emissions and help the environment. This form of transportation is mainly used for those who commute to work.
Park and Ride
If you are traveling somewhere and wish to bring your own car, but cannot find parking near the place you are traveling to, there are various park and rides across Spokane. This will still require you to have a bus pass, but does make it easy if driving the full distance is not possible or if you don’t want to drive while in rush hour traffic, especially if you work in a nearby city. This uses the typical Spokane bus system and schedule that can be found online.
Why Use Public Transit?
There are so many reasons to use public transportation. Not only is public transportation convenient for those who are not able to transport themselves, but it also saves on money, gas, and emissions that are being put into the environment.
For some, public transportation may not be their thing, but for others, this is the only way they are able to get to and from the grocery store or work. Public transportation is extremely important because it helps so many people in so many different ways, which is one of the many reasons why the city of Spokane has put such an emphasis on it in recent years.
Here are a few reasons to use public transportation, even if you have a car:
- Saves money and gas
- Protects the environment from extra emissions
- Accessible for those with disabilities
- Travels to almost every area you may need to go
- Useful in times when your car may be in the shop
- Great for tourists and visitors who do not have transportation
These are just a few reasons why public transportation is so helpful. I think one of the coolest things Spokane is doing is updating their buses to those new City Line buses that are fully electric and can hold twice as many passengers. I think it’s also very cool that all their forms of public transportation are run under the same company (Spokane Transit Authority) so if there are any issues, no matter what form of transit you are on, they can get handled easily and efficiently.
If you are looking for another way to commute in Spokane, I would highly recommend looking into using public transportation.
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