George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH)

IAH is located about 20 miles north of downtown Houston. The five terminals serve millions of travelers annually, offering domestic and international flights on more than 25 airlines. On this page you'll find:

  • How to ride METRO to IAH
  • Different payment methods you can use to ride
  • Answers to common questions
  • Rider tools, including our trip planner
Signage at the entrance of George Bush Intercontinental Airport.

Transit Services

Local bus route 102 Bush / IAH Express travels directly to the George Bush Intercontinental Airport. If you aren't directly along the 102 Bush / IAH Express route, you may need to use one of the other services listed below. Click or tap on any of the tabs for a brief overview of the service and how it can get you to the airport.


Riders boarding the 102 IAH Express Local Bus at George Bush Intercontinental Airport

The 102 Bush / IAH Express is the METRO bus route that stops at George Bush Intercontinental Airport, traveling between IAH and downtown Houston along I-45 and Beltway 8.

Transfer options to the 102 Bush / IAH Express are available in downtown Houston, including near the Downtown Transit Center, at St. Joseph and Main. You'll reach the airport in about one hour.

If you're transferring at the Greenspoint Transit Center, reaching the airport will take just 30 minutes.

The Ride METRO section below shows the route, with maps and nearest stops. Transfers to the route shown are available at many city street intersections.

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

METRO local bus and METRORail at an intersection.

The Red Line travels along Main Street through downtown Houston, the Museum District and Texas Medical Center. You can ride the Red Line to Preston Station, take a short three minute walk to Travis @ Congress and board the 102 IAH / Bush Express. You'll be onboard for approximately one hour.

The Green Line travels through downtown Houston, the Theater District, EaDo (East Downtown) and the Second Ward. You can ride the Green Line to Central Station, take a short four minute walk to Travis @ Capitol and board the 102 IAH / Bush Express. You'll be onboard for approximately one hour.

The Purple Line travels through downtown Houston, the Theater District and the Third Ward (southeast of downtown). You can ride the Purple Line to Central Station, take a short four minute walk to Travis @ Capitol and board the 102 IAH / Bush Express. You'll be onboard for approximately one hour.

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

Click or tap on the button below to learn more about how the three METRORail lines intersect in downtown Houston.

Learn More

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 George Bush Intercontinental Airport the same way you would for other trips.

Ride METRO

You'll find the local bus route and connecting METRORail routes that take you to George Bush Intercontinental Airport in the tabs below. You can click or tap on the local bus route and the METRORail lines to see a map of stops and transfer options.

Route NameServiceFrequency*Stop
102 Bush / IAH ExpressLocal BusEvery 30 min.Bush IAH Terminal C

*The frequency listed is approximate and may vary.

Route NameServiceFrequency*Station
Red LineMETRORailEvery 6-12 min.
Preston Station
Green LineMETRORailEvery 12-18 min.
Central Station
Purple LineMETRORailEvery 12-18 min.
Central Station

*All frequencies listed are approximate and may vary.

Fares

Below are fares to ride.


ServiceRegular Fare
Discounted Fare*
Local Bus
$1.25 to board60 cents to board
METRORail
$1.25 to board60 cents to board

*Discounted fares apply to students, seniors 65-69, or people with disabilities who aren't METROLift customers who already have a pre-approved discounted fare card.

The following individuals ride free on all services:

  • Children five years or younger ride free when accompanied by an adult
  • Seniors 70 years or older who have a discounted METRO Q® Fare Card
  • Qualified veterans who have a METRO Veterans Pass
  • METROLift customers (with up to one assistant)

Ways to Pay

With the exception of METRORail tickets and cash, all ways to pay shown below include free transfers between any METRO service of equal or lesser value for up to three hours in any direction.


METRO Fare Cards
METRO Fare Cards Learn more
METRO Q Mobile Ticket
METRO Q Mobile Ticket Learn more
METRORail vending machine ticket
METRORail Ticket Learn more
A dollar bill with a quarter sitting next to it
Cash (Bus Only) Learn more
METRO Money
METRO Money Learn more

Common Questions

Fares

You can obtain a METRO Q® Fare Card, METRO Day Pass or METRO Money Card at any of the following:

You have the option of loading money on your card when you first obtain it. Reload options vary by fare card and location.

Additional payment options to ride METRO can be obtained through other sources.

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

First, you’ll need an internet connection.

Download the METRO Q Mobile Ticketing App and set up an account. Then, mobile tickets may be purchased in one of two ways:

If you’ve purchased one or more mobile tickets that you haven’t used, they’ll be listed under Available in the Use section of the app. From there, you can activate a ticket.

Once activated, your ticket is valid for up to three hours.

If you pay your fare using a METRO Q® Fare Card, METRO Q Mobile Ticket, METRO Day Pass or METRO Money card, you’re entitled to free transfers between any of these METRO services for up to three hours in any direction:

  • Local bus
  • METRORail
  • METRORapid
  • METRO curb2curb

Only regular fare mobile tickets are available for purchase.

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.

METRORapid:

Frequency of service, a stop-by-stop schedule, a PDF schedule and a linear route map for the METRORapid Silver line is found on the METRORapid page.

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

  • Each individual bus route page
  • METRORail page
  • METRORapid 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.
  • Fannin South Transit Center - 1604 West Bellfort St.
  • Main Street Square - 1001 Travis St.
  • Northwest Transit Center - 7373 Old Katy Road

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)
  • ONE to Ride 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.

METRO accepts six payment options:

  • Cash (bus only)
  • METRO Q® Fare Card
  • METRO Q Mobile Ticket
  • METRO Day Pass
  • METRO Money
  • Vending machine tickets (METRORail and METRORapid only)

Our experienced riders tell us that the most convenient way to pay is by using the METRO Q Mobile Ticketing app, available by downloading the app for your smartphone.

When you first open the app, you’ll need to create a secure, password-protected account. That will allow you to purchase and activate mobile tickets. The tickets are valid for two years from the date of purchase.

When traveling by local bus or METRORail 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

    Rider Tools

    Below are some tools to make your METRO riding experience easier and more convenient so you can drive less and do more.

    Plan Your Trip

    Travel Preference

    System Map

    Explore METRO transit services near you

    Questions and Answers

    Valuable information to help you ride

    Savings Calculator

    Compare your cost of driving vs. what it would cost to ride METRO - and see how much money you'd save each month.

    link to the Apple app store to download the RideMETRO app

    RideMETRO App

    Plan and manage your trip on METRO Local bus, Park & Ride bus, METRORail or METRORapid using an interactive map.

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