$2 gets you from Main Terminal to south Reno, if you walk
RTC Route 19 runs every 30–60 minutes and links downtown Reno, Meadowood Mall, and south Reno, but it never pulls into the Main Terminal loop. You pay $2 cash fare on board, exact change only, so keep small bills handy before you leave baggage claim.
From the Main Terminal, plan on a 5–10 minute walk out to Terminal Way to catch Route 19 at a surface street stop. The bus is a standard local route used heavily by airport and mall workers, and regulars say the south-side lines like 9 and 19 are “fine for commuters” but can feel slow if you expect big-city transit.
Scheduled travel time on Route 19 can run 20–40 minutes between the downtown segment and the Meadowood Mall or south Reno segments, depending on traffic and time of day. If you’re staying near Meadowood Mall or along South Virginia Street, this route lines up better than the downtown-focused options and can save you a decent chunk over rideshare.
Evenings and weekends, Route 19 thins out to about every 30–60 minutes, so a missed departure can easily double your total airport-to-hotel time compared with a 15-minute drive. Locals on Reddit call south Reno coverage “sparse,” and anyone at far-south hotels should assume at least one transfer or a long ride plus walks on each end.
How to use RTC Route 19 from RNO in 5 steps
- 1. In the Main Terminal, check the latest Route 19 schedule on the RTC Washoe website or a maps app and note the next departure time.
- 2. Exit the terminal, follow signs toward Terminal Way, and walk 5–10 minutes to the nearest Route 19 stop shown on the schedule map.
- 3. Have $2 in exact change ready; there’s no change given on the bus and no ticket machines along the walk.
- 4. Board Route 19 toward Meadowood Mall or South Reno, confirm with the driver that it serves your cross street or transfer point, and pay as you enter.
- 5. Pull the stop cord a block before your stop, then walk the last few minutes to your hotel, job site, or mall entrance.
Build the buffer: for late flights or Sunday travel, pad your plan by one full 30–60 minute headway in case you just miss a Route 19 bus.