$2.00 gets you Metro Transit Route 28, but read the timetable first
Route 28 is a local Madison Metro bus linking Dane County Regional Airport’s Main terminal area to the North Transfer Point and nearby job centers, with a base adult fare of $2.00. The route is built around commuter peaks, so think airport and north‑side workers more than visitors rolling in at random times. Stops by the terminal use the public bus stop area outside arrivals, not the rideshare zone, and you’ll see “28” on the front headsign when it’s actually running.
Service on 28 is heavily rush‑hour focused, with peak trips bunched in the morning and late afternoon and big gaps or no trips in the middle of the day and at night. Local riders on Reddit point out that if you miss a peak‑period bus, the wait for the next one can stretch to 30–60 minutes or longer depending on the schedule change cycle. That’s fine if you’re coming off a 9–5 shift, but rough if your flight touches down at 13:30 or after 21:00.
The route connects the airport area to the North Transfer Point, which sits off Packers Avenue and serves as a hub for several other Metro lines into downtown and the UW campus. Some north‑side commuters chain 28 with another route, like 2 or 4, to build an airport trip, but they also warn that a missed 28 can break the entire plan. If you’re trying to line up with a specific flight, you want the timetable and real‑time bus tracker open before you leave the Main terminal.
Workers at and near MSN say they often ride Route 28 in one direction and then switch to a different line or a carpool on the return, depending on early or late shifts. Complaint threads mention that 28 doesn’t always match 05:00 bag‑room starts or 23:30 cleaning shifts, which pushes people into Uber or driving despite that $2.00 fare sitting there on paper. If you’re on airport staff, your supervisor or coworkers probably already know which specific trips line up with your roster.
Watch out for: expecting Route 28 to work like an all‑day airport bus; it usually doesn’t. If your flight time is even slightly off the morning or afternoon peak, build a backup plan with a rideshare estimate in the $20–$30 range to central Madison. Best move: check the exact Route 28 schedule for your travel date, then pick a flight or shift time that matches a specific trip rather than trying to “wing it” from the Main terminal curb.
- Practical tip: before you buy a ticket, pull up the Route 28 timetable and confirm there’s a bus within 30 minutes of your landing or clock‑out time; if there isn’t, treat this as a commuter perk, not your primary airport transport.