Two bucks gets you from Main Terminal to Madison’s north side
Metro Transit Route 24 is a $2.00 local bus that serves Dane County Regional’s Main Terminal and nearby north side neighborhoods, not downtown. It runs as a neighborhood line, so think residential streets and multiple stops before you get anywhere close to a transfer point. A Madison local summed it up: Route 24 is fine if you live up there, but it’s not the one you want for State Street or Capitol Square.
Service patterns matter here: Route 24 generally runs daytime on weekdays with thinner headways during evenings and weekends, and riders report gaps that can hit 30–60 minutes if you mistime it. That kind of spread works for airport employees with fixed shifts, but it’s rough for an 18:30 departure out of MSN if you’re cutting it close. Budget travelers with a mid-morning flight tend to have a better time than late-night arrivals.
The route does not give a direct downtown connection; you usually hop off at a neighborhood node and transfer to another Metro line. Regulars on the north side often ride 24 just far enough to meet a higher-frequency trunk route, instead of staying on 24 for a long, looping ride. Expect the bus to feel slow and meandering compared with calling a Lyft from the Main Terminal curb.
Riders describe the bus as cheap and safe, but slow and not very frequent, especially outside rush hours. Some airport workers say they plan their shifts around the timetable and leave an extra 30 minutes or more so a missed 24 doesn’t wreck a 07:00 clock-in. If your flight lands at 22:00 on a Sunday, locals would tell you to check the schedule twice and have a backup ride plan.
How to ride Metro Transit Route 24 step by step
- 1. Check the timetable: Before you book it, pull up Route 24 on the City of Madison Metro site and look at the specific day of week and trip times around your flight; pay attention to those 30–60 minute off-peak gaps.
- 2. Confirm it actually serves your stop: Use the system map to see if your north side address lies directly on 24 or if you’ll be transferring to another numbered route at a neighborhood node.
- 3. Walk to the bus stop from Main Terminal: Follow airport ground transport signs to the Metro Transit stop serving Route 24 outside the Main Terminal; plan 5–10 minutes to get from baggage claim to the curb.
- 4. Pay the $2.00 fare onboard: Have $2.00 in cash ready or a valid pass when you board Route 24 so you’re not fumbling at the front door with a line behind you.
- 5. Ride to your transfer point or destination: Stay on until your north side stop or designated transfer hub, then move to the trunk route if you’re heading beyond the immediate 24 corridor.
- 6. Build a buffer in both directions: For departures from MSN’s Main Terminal, aim to get a bus that has you curbside 90 minutes before your flight to protect against those long headways and slow, local running.
One last tip: If your plans involve downtown Madison or late-night flying, price out a rideshare from the Main Terminal first and only default to Route 24 if the schedule lines up cleanly.