Single $2.00 ride into Richmond with GRTC Route 7
On a tight budget, GRTC Route 7 cuts your airport transfer cost to about $2.00 instead of a $25–$35 rideshare from Richmond International Airport (RIC) in Terminal 1. The route doesn’t pull up to the terminal doors; you walk roughly 0.4–0.5 miles to the Nine Mile Road stop at Airport Drive, then ride into the city on the regular urban bus line.
GRTC Route 7 runs along Nine Mile Road and into central Richmond, linking the East End to downtown and other connecting routes. From the Airport Drive stop, the ride into the city can run 30–45 minutes depending on traffic and time of day. Factor in the 8–12 minute walk from the RIC terminal exit to the bus stop and you’re still under an hour to downtown for a tiny fraction of taxi pricing.
Fares on GRTC Route 7 sit at standard city-bus levels: $2.00 for a single ride and around $6.00 for a day pass if you plan to connect to another route once you reach Broad Street or downtown. Pay with exact cash on board or use the GRTC mobile payment options; drivers do not make change. Keep a couple of $1 bills handy when you leave baggage claim at RIC to avoid fumbling at the curb.
This isn’t a door-to-door airport shuttle, so think of Route 7 as the long-haul leg in a combo trip. Many flyers ride Route 7 from the Airport Drive stop into spots like downtown Richmond or Church Hill, then grab a short $8–$12 rideshare or walk the last 0.5–0.8 miles. You trade a bit of time and effort for saving $15–$25 per trip compared with a nonstop car from the terminal.
Evening and weekend frequencies can stretch out, with gaps over 30 minutes on some parts of the Route 7 schedule. That’s fine if your flight lands at noon, less fun with a 22:30 arrival at RIC. Check GRTC’s timetable before you board your flight so you know if you’re aiming for the 17:15 or 17:45 departure from the Nine Mile Road stop near Airport Drive.
Practical tip: Before you land at Richmond International, plug “Nine Mile & Airport Dr” into your maps app, screenshot walking directions from Terminal 1, and save the latest GRTC Route 7 schedule so you can walk straight out of baggage claim and keep your total transfer under an hour.