Route 55 is the $2.25 bus linking MKE to S. Layton motels
Milwaukee County Transit System Route 55 runs between General Mitchell International Airport’s Main terminal and southern suburbs along S. Howell and S. Layton, so it’s the cheap link to budget motels away from the on-airport strip. A regular adult cash fare is about the same as other MCTS routes (around $2–3), which undercuts rideshare by 80–90% on most airport trips under 10 miles.
The bus stop sits in front of the Main terminal at MKE, signed for Milwaukee County Transit, so you’re boarding curbside without needing a shuttle. Route 55 heads north and south along Howell/Layton, tying the airport to residential pockets and lower-cost chains that line those corridors within a 10–20 minute ride.
Service typically runs seven days a week, with daytime frequencies on the order of 20–30 minutes and longer gaps later at night, so late arrivals after 22:00 should check the current MCTS timetable. The ride from the airport to the denser motel zones along S. Layton usually lands in the 10–25 minute range, depending on lights and boarding stops.
Standard MCTS payment methods apply on Route 55, including cash on board and the smartcard/app system that the county has rolled out across its lines, so you’re not dealing with a special airport surcharge. Drivers expect boarding at the front door; have your fare ready to avoid holding up a 15:00 departure when airport staff are also commuting.
Route 55 is useful for airport workers and long-stay visitors who pick cheaper weekly rates along S. Howell or S. Layton, where rooms often price $20–40 per night below the on-airport hotels. The bus drops you within a short walk of many of those places, which matters if you’re hauling bags and don’t want a 1.5-mile hike.
Plan one thing: pull up the live Route 55 schedule before you land and aim to clear baggage claim about 10 minutes before your chosen departure, so you’re not stuck curbside for a full 30-minute headway if you just miss a bus.