City and County Transportation
Charlottesville Area Transit (CAT)
The city of Charlottesville operates Charlottesville Area Transit (CAT), a bus system that provides links to major shopping areas, downtown, and neighborhoods. CAT’s most popular route, the free Trolley Route, links UVA to the downtown area. A UVA ID can be scanned in lieu of paying the fare on all CAT routes.
CONNECT: Regional Connections by JAUNT
CONNECT offers affordable and convenient public transit alternatives for commuters from Crozet, Route 29 North, Lovingston, and Buckingham, as well as between UVA facilities. CONNECT services include:
- Crozet CONNECT – Workday public transit bringing riders from east and west Crozet to UVA and Downtown Charlottesville.
- 29 North CONNECT – Workday public transit bringing riders from the Hollymead area to UVA and Downtown Charlottesville.
- Buckingham CONNECT – Workday public transit bringing riders from central Buckingham along Rt. 20 to UVA, 29 North, Downtown Charlottesville, and Pantops.
- Lovingston CONNECT – Workday public transit bringing riders from the Lovingston area along Rt. 29 to UVA, Downtown Charlottesville, and Belmont.
- Park CONNECT – Workday public transit connecting riders between UVA Research Park and Central Grounds.
UVA students, faculty, and staff ride free with presentation of a valid UVA ID.
JAUNT
JAUNT provides a variety of fixed-route and door-to-door commuter and ADA services to residents working in Charlottesville who live in the surrounding area. JAUNT serves the Charlottesville, Albemarle, Buckingham, Fluvanna, Louisa, and Nelson. Stops at UVA include Pinn Hall and Lee street. Call 434-296-3184 to reserve a ride.
Intercity Transportation
Afton Express from the Shenandoah Valley to Charlottesville
The Afton Express is a public transportation service designed to connect Staunton, Fishersville, and Waynesboro to UVA, Downtown Charlottesville, and Fifth Street Station with multiple trips per day. The schedule supports commuting for work and appointments. Afton Express buses feature comfortable seating with optional seat belts, Wi-Fi, USB charging, overhead storage, and bicycle racks. The buses are lift-equipped to assist passengers with mobility needs. Route maps, time tables, and fares, including information about discounts available through the purchase of fare cards, can be found here. Afton Express riders could be eligible to enroll in RideShare’s Guaranteed Ride Home program, which guarantees a free ride home in case of emergency.
Amtrak
Amtrak provides passenger train services Charlottesville’s Union Station, conveniently located less than one mile east of Central Grounds. Amtrak routes that directly serve Charlottesville include the Cardinal, the Crescent, and the Northeast Regional, each providing links to cities in the Northeast, South, and Midwest.
Abbott Homeride
Abbott Charters offers a weekend transit service linking UVA to Richmond and Hampton Roads called Abbott Homeride. The service picks up from the Student Activities Building by Scott Stadium on Fridays between 6:00 and 6:15 PM and returns to the same location on Sundays at 7:30 PM.
Greyhound
Greyhound provides affordable and comfortable bus service to cities in Virginia and the surrounding states.
Megabus
Megabus offers affordable and comfortable bus service from Charlottesville to Dulles International Airport, Union Station in Washington, DC, and New York City.
Virginia Breeze
The Virginia Breeze provides affordable and comfortable bus service to cities in Virginia and Washington DC, through the Megabus corporation, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.