For about MOP 6, MT1 gets you from MTB to the old peninsula
Bus Route MT1 runs from Macau International Airport’s MTB terminal through Taipa and over to the older Macau Peninsula, and it is the cheapest fixed-route option out of the airport. Typical ride time is 25–40 minutes, depending on traffic and how far along the route your stop sits. A traveller on Tripadvisor points out that MT1 “goes from [the] airport via Taipa to the Macau peninsula” and is the go-to when you do not want to pay taxi rates from MFM.
Public bus fares sit around MOP 6 for this route, paid either in coins or with a stored-value Macau Pass. Drivers on MT1 do not give change, which catches new arrivals who hand over a MOP 10 or MOP 20 note. Regulars tap a Macau Pass at the reader and walk straight in, which speeds boarding at the airport stop when a full bus shows up every 10–15 minutes in daytime.
MT1 is described in forums as “kind of a loop route” paired with MT2, covering both Taipa and the peninsula with many intermediate stops. That loop means your ride can feel slow compared to a taxi, even though the straight-line distance from MTB to central Senado Square is only a few kilometres. A Macau transit user notes that MT1 “stops a lot,” which is great if your hotel sits along the line but annoying if you are heading straight to the historic core.
Signage on MT1 is mainly in Chinese and Portuguese, and announcements can be hard to follow if you are tired from a late flight. Several visitors mention overshooting their hotels because they could not catch the stop name. Regulars fix this by checking the official bus map or app before flying, then counting the exact number of stops from the airport to their target stop instead of waiting to hear the English announcement.
Buses run frequently in the daytime, around every 10–15 minutes, but stretch out to longer gaps later in the evening toward the end of service. At commuting peaks, Tripadvisor users report MT1 coming in already packed with local riders from earlier segments, which makes boarding with a 23 kg suitcase tricky. Those same riders say MT1 is fine for a backpack or one small roller, but not great if you are juggling two big checked bags.
What regulars do: they only pick MT1 when their hotel is clearly along its path, then they write the Chinese name of the stop on a piece of paper or screenshot. Others skip MT1 entirely and grab a free casino shuttle or taxi if their place is nowhere near the loop. Tip: before you leave MTB arrivals, break a note into coins at a shop and screenshot the MT1 route map with your stop circled.