Ride METRO to Toyota Center | NBA | Houston Rockets

Transit Services

If you're commuting from areas in and around downtown Houston, you can access Toyota Center using METRORail. Otherwise, you may need to use one or more of the other services listed below. Select any of the tabs for a brief overview of the service and how it can get you to your destination.

The Red Line travels along Main Street connecting downtown Houston and the Texas Medical Center. Toyota Center is less than a half-mile walk from Bell Station.

The Green Line travels through downtown Houston, the Theater District, EaDo (East Downtown) and the Second Ward. Toyota Center is about a half-mile walk from Convention District Station.

The Purple Line travels through downtown Houston, the Theater District and the Third Ward (southeast of downtown). Toyota Center is about a half-mile walk from Convention District Station.

All METRORail vehicles are ADA accessible and come equipped with video surveillance security cameras.

Learn More

METRO 82 Westheimer bus riding along a surface street,

Several METRO bus routes stop within walking distance of Toyota Center:

6 Jensen / Greens
11 Almeda / Lyons
40 Telephone / Heights
41 Kirby / Polk
51 Hardy-Kelley
52 Hardy-Ley
137 Northshore Express

A detailed listing of routes and maps of where they stop is shown in the Ride METRO section below. Transfers to the routes shown are available at many city street intersections. Transfers are also available at select METRO transit centers which are sheltered waiting areas typically found at the beginning and/or end of a bus route.

All METRO buses are ADA accessible, offer free Wi-Fi and come equipped with video surveillance security cameras.

METRO curb2curb vehicle at the Acres Home Transit Center.

METRO curb2curb is an on-demand, shared-ride service that provides customized curb-to-curb transportation within specific zones in four communities in Houston. ou can easily schedule trips using the METRO On Demand app or by calling 713-739-RIDE (7433). The vehicle will then pick you up at the location of your choice and drop you off near a METRO bus route that stops at or near Toyota Center.

The curb2curb service that offers a transfer option to Toyota Center is the 344 Acres Homes - curb2curb. You can board in Northwest Houston and ride to the North Shepherd Park & Ride. From there you'll transfer to the 40 Telephone / Heights bus route.

All vehicles are ADA accessible, offer free Wi-Fi and come equipped with video surveillance security cameras.

A Community Connector shuttle traveling near the Downtown Transit Center in downtown Houston.

Microtransit is a free, on-demand, rideshare service that bridges the gap between the "first and last mile" of your journey. Microtransit vehicles operate in a defined zone within downtown Houston. The downtown Community Connector service operates Mon-Fri from 7 a.m.-7 p.m.

Download the Ride Circuit app to book a ride to Toyota Center.

Ride Circuit App

METRO paratransit representative assisting customer using METROLift vehicle's electric lift.

METROLift provides curb-to-curb transportation for people with disabilities who meet certain eligibility requirements. Service is provided with ADA-accessible vans and minivans that accommodate persons using wheelchairs, scooters and walkers. Boarding chairs are available to assist any patron unable to access the van using the stairs. All vehicles offer free Wi-Fi.

If you're a current METROLift customer, you can schedule, verify and pay for your trip to Toyota Center the same way you would for other trips.

Ride METRO

You'll find METRORail lines and local bus routes to Toyota Center in the tabs below. Select any route to see a map of stops and transfer options.

Rail Line	Service	Frequency*	Nearest Station
Red Line	METRORail	Every 6-12 min.	Bell Station
Green Line	METRORail	Every 12-18 min.	Convention District Station
Purple Line	METRORail	Every 12-18 min.	Convention District Station

*All frequencies listed are approximate and may vary.

Route Name	Service	Frequency*	Nearest Stop
6 Jensen / Greens	Local Bus	Every 30 min.	San Jacinto Street @ Bell Street (northbound) Fannin Street @ Bell Street (southbound)
11 Almeda / Lyons	Local Bus	Every 30 min.	San Jacinto Street @ Clay Street (northbound) Fannin Street @ Clay Street (southbound)
40 Telephone / Heights	Local Bus	Every 30 min.	Polk Street @ Avenida De Las Americas (northbound) Polk Street @ Hamilton Street (southbound)
41 Kirby / Polk	Local Bus	Every 30 min.	Polk Street @ Hamilton Street (eastbound) Polk Street @ Avenida De Las Americas (westbound)
51 Hardy-Kelley	Local Bus	Every 30 min.	San Jacinto Street @ Clay Street (northbound) Fannin Street @ Clay Street (southbound)
52 Hardy-Ley	Local Bus	Every 30 min.	San Jacinto Street @ Clay Street (northbound) Fannin Street @ Clay Street (southbound)
137 Northshore Express	Local Bus	Every 15-30 min.	San Jacinto Street @ Clay Street (eastbound) Fannin Street @ Clay Street (westbound)

*All frequencies listed are approximate and may vary.

Fares

Below are fares to ride.

Service	Regular Fare	Discounted Fare*
METRORail	$1.25 to board	60 cents to board
Local Bus	$1.25 to board	60 cents to board
METRO curb2curb	$1.25 to board	60 cents to board

*Learn who qualifies for a discounted or free fare.

Ways to Pay

There are multiple options for paying your fare.

In addition to the payment methods shown below, you can pay with cash on local bus and Park & Ride bus. When using cash, deposit it into the fare box at the front of the vehicle. No change is given and free transfers are not included.

RideMETRO Fare Card

This card functions as a debit card for riding METRO. You can load and store money on it, money will then be deducted each time you pay your fare.

If you have a day pass on your RideMETRO Fare Card, the validator will use the day pass first before using any money stored on the card.

How To Pay

Tap your RideMETRO Fare Card on the validator that can be found:

Inside the local bus or Park & Ride bus when you board
On all METRORail and Silver Line platforms
Inside the METRO curb2curb vehicles when you board

Each customer must pay individually. The same payment method cannot be shared.

Make sure the validator screen shows a green checkmark when you tap. Your transfer expiration time will also appear on the screen.

Transfers

When paying with credit, debit or prepaid card stored in Apple or Google Wallet, you'll receive free transfers between any of these METRO services for up to three hours:

Local bus
METRORail
METRO curb2curb

For transfers to Park & Ride bus service, you'll only pay the fare difference for up to three hours. You can't use a Day Pass on your RideMETRO Fare Card to ride Park & Ride bus service.

You must tap your card each time you enter any vehicle or platform.

1 for 10

Paying your fare with a RideMETRO Fare Card entitles you to our 1-for-10 offer – you’ll receive one free ride after every ten paid rides.

RideMETRO App

Use the app to create a free virtual RideMETRO Fare Card. It functions as a debit card for riding METRO. You can load and store money on it, money will then be deducted each time you pay your fare.

If you have a Day Pass on your virtual RideMETRO Fare Card, the validator will use the Day Pass first before using any money stored on your card.

How To Pay

Scan the QR code in your RideMETRO app on the validator that can be found:

Inside the local bus or Park & Ride bus when you board
On all METRORail and Silver Line platforms
Inside the curb2curb vehicle when you board

Each customer must pay individually. The same payment method cannot be shared.

Make sure the validator screen shows a green checkmark after scanning. You'll also see your transfer expiration time and card balance.

Transfers

After the fare amount is deducted from your card, you’ll receive free transfers between any of these METRO services for up to three hours:

Local bus
METRORail
METRO curb2curb

For transfers to Park & Ride bus service, you only pay the fare difference for up to three hours.

You must scan your QR code each time you enter any vehicle or platform.

1 for 10

Paying your fare with a virtual RideMETRO Fare Card entitles you to our 1-for-10 offer – you’ll receive one free ride after every ten paid rides.

RideMETRO Ticket

3-Hour Pass and Day Pass tickets can be purchased from a Ticket Vending Machine (TVM), located on METRORail platforms, using:

Cash (no pennies; no bills higher than $20)
Credit, debit, or prepaid cards (Mastercard, Visa, American Express or Discover)
Apple Pay or Google Pay

Passes are valid on local bus, METRORail and METRO curb2curb only.

How To Pay

Scan your ticket under the validator that can be found:

Inside the local bus bus when you board
On all METRORail and Silver Line platforms
Inside curb2curb vehicles when you board

Each customer must pay individually. The same payment method cannot be shared.

Make sure the validator screen shows a green checkmark when you scan. Your transfer expiration time is printed on the ticket.

Transfers

After your ticket has been scanned, you'll receive free transfers between any of these METRO services for up to three hours:

Local bus
METRORail
METRO curb2curb

Credit / Debit Card

You can pay your fare with a credit, debit, or prepaid card. METRO accepts American Express, Discover, Mastercard and Visa.

How To Pay

Tap your card on the validator that can be found:

Inside the local bus or Park & Ride bus when you board
On all METRORail and Silver Line platforms
Inside the METRO curb2curb vehicles when you board

Each customer must pay individually. The same payment method cannot be shared.

Make sure the validator screen shows a green checkmark when you tap. Your transfer expiration time will also appear on the screen.

Transfers

When paying with credit, debit or prepaid card, you'll receive free transfers between any of these METRO services for up to three hours:

Local bus
METRORail
METRO curb2curb

For transfers to Park & Ride bus service, you'll only pay the fare difference for up to three hours.

NOTE: You must use the same card you used at the start of your trip on the validators when you transfer. A physical card and a virtual version of the same card stored in Apple or Google Wallet count as different payment methods.

1 for 10

Paying your fare with a credit, debit or prepaid card entitles you to our 1-for-10 offer – you’ll receive one free ride after every ten paid rides.

NOTE: To receive your free ride, you must use the same card for all ten trips. For example, if you tap a physical debit card to pay, you must continue to use that same physical card to pay for the next nine rides. Your 11th ride will then be free. A physical card and a virtual version of the same card stored in Apple or Google Wallet count as different payment methods.

Credit / debit card displayed in a mobile phone

Mobile Wallet

You can pay your fare with a credit, debit, or prepaid card using Apple Pay or Google Pay. METRO accepts American Express, Discover, Mastercard and Visa.

How To Pay

Tap your smartphone on the validator that can be found:

Inside the local bus or Park & Ride bus when you board
On all METRORail and Silver Line platforms
Inside the METRO curb2curb vehicles when you board

Each customer must pay individually. The same payment method cannot be shared.

Make sure the validator screen shows a green checkmark when you tap. Your transfer expiration time will also appear on the screen.

Transfers

When paying with credit, debit or prepaid card stored in Apple or Google Wallet, you'll receive free transfers between any of these METRO services for up to three hours:

Local bus
METRORail
METRO curb2curb

For transfers to Park & Ride bus service, you'll only pay the fare difference for up to three hours.

NOTE: You must use the same card you used at the start of your trip on the validators when you transfer. A physical card and a virtual version of the same card stored in Apple or Google Wallet count as different payment methods.

1 for 10

Paying your fare with a credit or debit card entitles you to our 1-for-10 offer – you’ll receive one free ride after every ten paid rides.

NOTE: To receive your free ride, you must use the same card in your mobile wallet for all ten trips. For example, if you tap using a debit card in Apple Wallet, you must continue using that same debit card in Apple Wallet to pay for the next nine rides. Your 11th ride will then be free. A physical RideMETRO Fare Card and a virtual version of that same RideMETRO Fare Card stored in your Apple or Google Wallet count as different payment methods.

Common Questions

Fares

You can obtain a RideMETRO Fare Card for $2 and load money on it at any of the following:

METRO RideStore locations
METRO Online RideStore
Participating retailers
Ticket Vending Machines (TVMs)

3-Hour and Day Pass tickets can only be purchased from TVMs located on METRORail platforms.

More details can be found on the All About Fares page.

You'll need to:

Download the RideMETRO app
Create an account by clicking the "Fares" tab at the bottom of the app
Set up a virtual RideMETRO Fare Card and add at least $3
Select the QR code icon that will appear in the upper right-hand corner
Scan the QR code six inches under the fare validator

Yes, you'll receive free transfers between any METRO service of equal or lesser value for up to three hours if you pay using your:

Physical RideMETRO Fare Card
Virtual RideMETRO Fare Card (in the RideMETRO app)
Credit, debit or prepaid card (Mastercard, Visa, American Express, Discover)*
Apple Pay or Google Pay*
3-Hour Pass ticket
Day Pass ticket (not valid for transfers to Park & Ride)

For transfers to a service with a higher cost, you only pay the fare difference for up to three hours.

*When transferring, make sure to tap or scan the same payment method you used at the start of your trip. For example, if you tapped a physical debit card to begin your trip, you must use that same physical card when transferring within three hours. A physical credit or debit card is not the same as a virtual version of the same card stored in Apple or Google Wallet – they're treated as two different payment methods.

Trip Planning

Local bus and METRO curb2curb:

A route selector is accessible directly on the website home page, linking you directly to a page for the route of your choice.

At the top of each individual route page, you’ll find:

Frequency of service on weekdays and weekends
Stop-by-stop schedule
Link to view PDF schedule which you can then download and/or print

METRORail:

Frequency of service, a stop-by-stop schedule, a PDF schedule and a linear route map for each METRORail line are found on the METRORail page.

On the METRO website, there’s a route map on:

Each individual bus route page
METRORail page
Each individual METRO curb2curb route page

You can also use the website's Interactive System Map (best viewed on a desktop or laptop computer). In the map, you can check a box next to any METRO bus route or rail line and the map will draw a line showing where it runs.

If you’d prefer a physical map, we include a map image in the printed brochure for each individual bus route or rail line. Brochures are available for free at all METRO RideStore locations:

Downtown Transit Center - 1900 Main St.
Eastwood Transit Center - 4400 Gulf Freeway
Fannin South Transit Center - 1604 West Bellfort St.
Fifth Ward / Denver Harbor Transit Center - 1500 Lockwood Drive
Kashmere Transit Center - 5910 Hirsch Road
Magnolia Park Transit Center - 6948 Harrisburg Blvd.
Main Street Square - 1001 Travis St.
Mission Bend Transit Center - 13855 Alief Clodine Road
Northline Transit Center - 7705 Fulton St.
Northwest Transit Center - 7373 Old Katy Road
Southeast Transit Center - 6000 Scottcrest Drive
Texas Medical Center Transit Center - 6934 Fannin St.
Wheeler Station Transit Center - 4590 Main St.

Trip planning tools are available on:

Various pages of the website, including in the Rider Tools section below
RideMETRO app for your smartphone
Google or Apple maps

Prior to Arrival

METRO local buses make stops at the following locations

Along city streets, at intersections where you see a METRO bus stop sign and/or bus shelter
At select Park & Ride lots around the region
At more than 20 transit centers around the region

All METRO buses have large, bright destination signs on the front of the bus above the windshield and along the passenger’s side, near the front door. These digital displays include the route number and destination.

We encourage you to do your part to keep yourself and those around you safe throughout your entire trip on a METRO bus. Learn more about rider safety.

METRORail trains make stops at rail station platforms along city streets in and around downtown Houston. You can also board a METRORail train at the following transit centers:

Burnett (Red Line)
Downtown (Red Line)
Fannin South (Red Line)
Magnolia Park (Green Line)
Northline (Red Line)
Palm Center (Purple Line)
Texas Medical Center (Red Line)

All METRORail trains have large, bright destination signs on the front of the train above the windshield and along the side of the train as it pulls into the station.

Red Line trains would say one of the following:

Northline TC
Fannin South

Green Line trains would say one of the following:

Magnolia Park
Theater District

Purple Line trains would say one of the following:

Palm Center TC
Theater District

We encourage you to be safe, be seen around trains and stay alert throughout your entire trip on METRORail. Learn more about rider safety.

Estimated arrival times can be found on:

METRO website home page (“Track Bus or Train” tab)
RideMETRO app for your smartphone
Google or Apple maps
Digital signs installed at select METRO bus stop locations and transit centers
Automated phone line by dialing 713-635-4000

If you know your stop number (it's posted on the bus stop sign at every bus stop location), you can text that stop number to 697433. We'll text you back the estimated arrival time of the next bus for all routes that stop at your location.

Travel Tips

To help make the journey pleasant and safe for everybody, METRO has developed a Code of Conduct for riders.

For example, smoking is prohibited in covered or enclosed facilities, including transit centers, bus stop shelters and platforms. And consumption of alcoholic beverages is prohibited on METRO property.

Please review the full METRO Code of Conduct.

The easiest way to pay depends on how frequently you ride, the services you use and other factors. To make it easy for everyone, METRO accepts the following payment options:

Physical RideMETRO Fare Card
Virtual RideMETRO Fare Card (in the RideMETRO app)
Credit, debit or prepaid card (Mastercard, Visa, American Express and Discover)
Apple Pay or Google Pay
Day Pass ticket
3-Hour Pass ticket
Cash (bus only)

When using bus or rail services we recommend the following:

Plan your route ahead of time
Download the RideMETRO app to view your route, track your bus or train, see schedules and more
Be aware of the last bus and train times and allow yourself enough time to get to your station/stop