Single-ride $1.25 METRO Bus 073 runs straight along Bellfort
METRO Bus 073 Bellfort is the city bus that serves William P. Hobby Airport’s Terminal 1, running east–west along Bellfort instead of heading toward downtown. It’s a niche play: good for airport workers, ultra-budget travelers, or anyone connecting to other neighborhood routes off Bellfort. You pay standard METRO local fare, which is currently $1.25 per ride with free transfers within 3 hours using a METRO Q Card or the METRO Q mobile app.
The stop sits on Bellfort Street just outside the Hobby terminal complex, so expect a short sidewalk walk of a few hundred feet from baggage claim to the bus sign rather than a curbside pickup. The route serves residential areas and local businesses, not tourist sights or the METRORail Red Line downtown. If you actually want Main Street, Midtown, or the Theater District, this is the wrong bus; aim for METRO 040 or an airport shuttle to connect toward rail instead.
073 Bellfort typically runs every 30–60 minutes depending on time of day, with more trips in weekday peaks and thinner service late evenings and on Sundays. First and last trips shift by day, and schedules change a few times a year, so check RideMETRO.org or the official METRO app on the same day you travel. If you miss a departure by 2–3 minutes, you can be standing on Bellfort for close to an hour, which matters if you just finished a 3-hour flight and want a shower.
You board at the front door, pay your $1.25 with cash (exact change only, bills and coins) or tap a Q Card or contactless payment that’s linked in the app. Buses on this line use the standard METRO local fleet with front bike racks that hold 2 bicycles. There’s no dedicated luggage rack, so plan on keeping your suitcase at your feet or in front of you; oversized checked bags from a 3-week trip to Mexico will be annoying here.
The east–west run means 073 is best if you’re headed to an address directly on Bellfort or transferring to another bus like 087 Sunnyside or 088 Hobby/El Dorado along the way. Using it as a cheap half-step toward somewhere like Uptown or the Energy Corridor usually adds at least 30–45 minutes versus using a direct ridehail from Hobby. Think of it as a $1.25 link in a local trip, not your main line into central Houston.
Tip: If your flight lands at Hobby after 10:00 p.m., check the specific trip times for 073 Bellfort before relying on it; late-evening headways can stretch, and a $20 rideshare often beats standing 45 minutes on Bellfort with a roller bag.