CapMetro’s board has signed off on Transit Plan 2035, a decade-long roadmap that redraws Austin’s bus network, sequences rail upgrades, and promises more frequent, more reliable service starting in 2026. Early work centers on finishing the Rapid 800 and 837 lines and making targeted MetroRail improvements, with riders set to notice changes beginning in 2026. The vote was not unanimous, as one board member warned that scrapping some routes could leave parts of Southwest Austin with less direct service.
According to CapMetro, the plan follows 18 months of analysis and public outreach that generated more than 10,000 comments. The agency outlines a phased approach: 0 to 5 years focused on targeted bus upgrades and completion of Rapid 800 and 837, 5 or more years for light rail integration and new Pickup zones, and a 10 plus year horizon for regional express connections. “Transit Plan 2035 is truly a community-built plan,” the agency said, noting that the full plan, interactive maps, and FAQs are posted on its Transit Plan 2035 hub.
What riders will see
As reported by the Austin American-Statesman, the board’s final vote came with one dissent, as Councilmember Paige Ellis opposed the plan over potential service losses in Southwest Austin. In the near term, planners want to increase frequency on major corridors, with a goal of 10 minute service on Rapid routes 800 and 837 where ridership justifies it, and to both extend and beef up Route 350 service to Austin-Bergstrom International Airport.
Tradeoffs and park-and-rides
To pay for more frequent service on key corridors, the plan calls for cutting or consolidating some lower-ridership “flyer” routes and certain neighborhood connectors. It also adds new park-and-ride lots at the Travis County Expo Center and at Goodnight Ranch, along with pilot on-demand Pickup zones in areas where fixed routes may disappear. As KUT noted, those tradeoffs fueled much of the public pushback during the review period.
Timeline and next steps
CapMetro plans to begin rolling out the Final Network in 2026 through its regular service-change cycles. The agency’s January 2026 service-change package, posted by CapMetro, outlines the first wave of tweaks, including route realignments, Pickup zone shifts, and smaller schedule adjustments. CapMetro says these updates typically occur three times a year. The agency expects to revisit Transit Plan 2035 every five years so long-term recommendations can be adjusted as ridership patterns and funding levels change…