Savannah public transport: tickets, passes and apps

Savannah is a walking city. The Historic District, River Street and the squares sit within about 2 km of each other, so many visitors never buy a transit ticket at all. If you are staying downtown and sightseeing on foot, your transport budget goes to ride-hailing, not passes.

Buy a single fare when you only need one or two rides — for example a bus to a museum or a one-way trip back to your hotel in the heat. Buy a day pass when you plan three or more rides in a single day, which is when the pass starts to beat paying per ride. A multi-day pass only makes sense if you are staying car-free for several days and riding daily; if you are mixing walking, tours and ride-hailing, it usually does not pay off.

The Savannah Belles ferry across the river is part of the same CAT system and is a cheap way to cross between River Street and Hutchinson Island. Check whether your pass covers it before you rely on it.

Fares below are 2026 estimates in US dollars. CAT reviews fares periodically, so treat the numbers as a guide and confirm the current price on the CAT website or at a ticket outlet before you buy.

Pay on board with cash in the farebox; exact change is the safe habit, since drivers do not carry large amounts of change. CAT also sells passes and fare media at its ticket outlets and transit centre, which is the simplest way to buy a day or multi-day pass.

Contactless bank cards and phones are the norm in New York, Chicago, Boston, Washington and San Francisco, but Savannah is not a confirmed tap-to-ride city. Do not assume you can tap your card or phone on a CAT bus — carry cash or buy a pass in advance, and check the CAT website for the current payment options.

Useful apps: a transit app with live bus tracking helps because CAT buses run less frequently than in big cities, and a ride-hailing app (Uber or Lyft) is the practical fallback for evenings and airport runs.

CAT runs a single fare zone across Savannah and Chatham County, so you do not pay more for a longer ride within the service area. That makes the fare structure simple: one price per boarding, plus passes for frequent riding.

Coverage is thin outside the Historic District and the main corridors. If your hotel is in a suburb or near the airport, check the route map before counting on a bus — a ride-hailing trip may be the only realistic option at night.

Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport (SAV) is about 20 km northwest of downtown, roughly 20–25 minutes by car depending on traffic. CAT bus 3 connects the airport area with downtown, but service is limited and not designed around late-night arrivals — check the timetable against your flight.

Ride-hailing from SAV to downtown typically costs about US$25–40 (2026 estimate) and is the default for most visitors, especially with luggage or after dark. Taxis are available at the terminal. If you are staying near the airport instead, see hotels near Savannah airport.

Ride-hailing is the practical default in Savannah for anything beyond a walk: a downtown trip is usually about US$10–20 (2026 estimate), and it removes the wait for a bus that may run every 30–60 minutes.

Buy your pass before you need it. Ticket outlets and the transit centre keep daytime hours, so a Sunday or holiday arrival can leave you paying cash per ride.

Check service on holidays. CAT runs reduced schedules on some public holidays, and the parent country note applies: federal holidays close offices and some services, so confirm before relying on a bus that day.

If you are planning your days, one day in Savannah and a weekend in Savannah are both walkable; a 3 days in Savannah trip rarely needs a transit pass.