CARTS adds metro-bound Bastrop County routes with park-and-ride service to downtown Austin

April 10, 2026

The Capital Area Rural Transportation System expanded service this month with new metro-bound routes that connect Bastrop County to downtown Austin. The update includes park-and-ride options intended to give commuters an alternative to driving the entire distance.

CARTS rolled the routes out to serve residents in Bastrop and nearby neighborhoods such as Cedar Creek, where many people commute to Austin for work. County residents now have direct transit access to central Austin without navigating downtown traffic or hunting for parking.

Park-and-ride locations in the county provide places for drivers to leave their cars and board buses that run into the city. Those facilities are aimed at reducing the number of single-occupancy vehicles on regional roadways during peak travel times.

Transportation planners framed the changes as a way to improve mobility for people who rely on transit or who want an alternative to driving. Moving more commuters onto buses is expected to relieve congestion on key corridors between Bastrop County and Austin.

The expansion also ties into broader efforts to cut emissions from the transportation sector, a major local source of air pollution. By offering reliable transit options that link suburban and rural areas with downtown employment centers, CARTS hopes to reduce vehicle miles traveled.

CARTS will monitor ridership and service performance as the routes settle in, and the agency may adjust schedules and stops based on demand. Riders can find route maps, schedules, and park-and-ride locations through CARTS customer information channels.

Local officials and transit planners have said they view expanded county-to-city service as a component of regional mobility planning, connecting growing residential areas with Austin’s job and activity centers. For Bastrop County commuters, the new routes provide a practical alternative to driving every day.