How to Get Around Pittsburgh with Your Free Bus Fare
Alum and writer Brian Broome ’17 waits for the bus. (Annie O’Neill)
Chatham University students get free access to Pittsburgh Regional Transit’s (PRT) buses, light rail, and historic inclines. This gives all students free public transit throughout Pittsburgh and Allegheny County. Thanks to Chatham’s location in Shadyside, getting around town is often simple.
Changes have recently been made to this system with updates to the PRT’s mobile ticketing app. This page serves as a guide to using PRT’s services safely and efficiently.
Download the Ready2Ride App
Ready2Ride is the PRT’s app for paying fare, tracking vehicles, and more. It’s available on the Apple and Google Play app stores.
To add your Chatham U pass, log in to the account using your Chatham student email. You must use your student email to obtain your fare-free student pass.
After logging into the app, check your email; there should be a message from the PRT asking you to verify your account. Verify the account using the link in the message.
Once verified, it may take up to 24 hours for your student pass to appear under the Ticket Wallet section of the app.
Activate your pass
Click on the “Chatham U-Pass” on the main menu of the Ready2Ride app.
Once the screen confirming the pass appears, tap the “Activate Ticket” button at the bottom of the screen.
Review the ticket information screen and tap on the “Activate Ticket” button again.
You will receive a barcode, which can be scanned on the validator on PRT vehicles.
Using your digital ticket
Activate your ticket in the PRT Ready2Ride app before boarding.
Once your ticket is activated, a bar code will appear onscreen. When you enter the bus, point this barcode towards the scanner near the front of the vehicle.
The scanner will beep audibly when you are finished.
A PRT bus drives down Fifth Avenue near Chatham. (Rhianna Davis)
Where to catch the bus
Woodland Road and Wilkins Avenue
On the southern side of Shadyside Campus, riders can catch the 67, 69, and 74 at Woodland Road and Wilkins Avenue.
Fifth and College avenues
The 28X, 64, 71B, and 71D are accessible near Fifth Avenue and College Avenue on the northern end of Shadyside Campus.
Other options
There are several other bus stops in walking distance from Shadyside Campus and Chatham Eastside.
About a 15-minute walk from Shadyside Campus is the Martin Luther King Jr. East Busway, a bus rapid transit corridor offering access to Downtown, Oakland, and some eastern suburbs.
Other helpful apps
Transit, a mobile application available on the Apple and Google Play app stores, is currently one of the best ways to plan trips with PRT. It gives users real-time arrival times based on information provided by PRT and crowdsourced by app users. Other services, like Google Maps, can also provide information about PRT schedules, but Transit often has clearer instructions and more reliable information.
Plan your trip
Planning your trip before you embark will make it safer, smoother, and less stressful.
Know when and where the bus is supposed to arrive.
Know when and where you are supposed to get off the bus.
Know how you will return from your destination.
Ensure you are on the correct side of the street when waiting for the bus. Generally, the flow of traffic on your side of the street should be heading in the direction you plan to travel.
Have a backup plan in case the bus is late.
Find information about schedules at the PRT website and on the Transit app.
Be aware of any changes in service by following PRT’s main Twitter account and their alerts page.
Note that many lines operate on reduced schedules on holidays and weekends.
Light rail
The PRT is also in charge of Pittsburgh’s light rail system, known as “The T.” The light rail is more limited than the bus, traveling only from Pittsburgh’s North Shore, where Heinz Field and PNC Park are located, to suburbs in the South Hills, including the South Hills Village shopping mall.
The incline
The Duquesne Incline is a popular tourist attraction, and some people still rely on it as a form of public transit. (Mick Stinelli)
The inclines are funiculars that travel up and down Mount Washington from Station Square and the South Shore every fifteen minutes.
The Monongahela Incline is operated by the PRT. It’s one of Pittsburgh’s most popular historic attractions. It was opened in 1870, making it the oldest continuously operating funicular in the U.S. As they ascend, riders will see unparalleled views of the city skyline.
“The Mon Incline,” as it is commonly called, accepts Ready2Ride passes just as buses do.
Be safe, be kind
Riding public transit in Pittsburgh is largely a safe experience, but passengers should always remain aware of their surroundings and etiquette.
PRT has its own police department called the Port Authority Police. In case of an emergency, dial 412-255-1385 or 911 to reach them.
Make sure the bus driver can see you waiting at the designated bus stop. Never chase the bus.
Move to the back of the bus upon boarding if you can. The seats nearest to the front are for passengers who are elderly, disabled, or have other mobility needs.
Don’t play audio from your personal device out loud. Use headphones or ear buds.
If you have questions or concerns while riding, don’t be afraid to ask the PRT operators for help or call 412-442-2000 for customer service.