Using OCTA buses

[Hobbes]

Is it exact change on OCTA buses? We are planning a trip to the Packing House and going to take the bus down there. Can we pay by card or will they give change?

BTW, we are in the UK and cannot access their website, hence me asking on here!

 

[DonMacGregor]

Is it exact change on OCTA buses? We are planning a trip to the Packing House and going to take the bus down there. Can we pay by card or will they give change?

BTW, we are in the UK and cannot access their website, hence me asking on here!

I'd just Uber over. It's maybe a 5 minute drive from the resort area, but relying on bus schedules could turn that into 30 minutes or more. But, to answer your question:



You can also pay using pre-paid passes or with their app.



Uber, for comparison.

 

[twodogs]

I would absolutely use Uber or Lyft. Price is super low and time is so valuable to me on vacation!

 

[bcla]

I’d suggest taking ART, but there is no fixed route (which don’t go on a set schedule) service per se to the Packing House. It would require learning how to use their mobile app to request a ride (similar to Uber or Lyft). They have limited stops, but ride requests can be chosen between nearly any stops they have. The stop they use is the same one for OCTA across the street from the Packing House. The app is somewhat quirky, but once I figured out the little tricks it became easy. One requests travel between two approximate points, it determines if it’s within reasonable walking distance to one of their stops, and suggests either a fixed route (mostly for Disneyland to hotels) or an “on demand” ride. And I/we have been on nearly full buses with mostly passengers heading back to their hotels as well as being the only passenger(s) on a 30-40 passenger bus heading from Knotts Berry Farm to the Packing House.

I believe a one day pass is still $6 per passenger. One way is $4. There might be a youth fare, but my child was over that age when we used ART.

https://rideart.org/

I’ve only taken OCTA once. I was planning on taking it last November but they went on strike the day I arrived at the Anaheim train station (via an Amtrak bus service), so I walked at about 4 AM. Some OCTA bus services are free with display of a valid Amtrak Pacific Surfliner ticket, although mine technically wasn’t that day. I took it once (less than a mile) with a sprained ankle from Orange. I had my Amtrak ticket (was for the Pacific Surfliner) in my hand and a bus driver said I didn’t have to pay even though that route wasn’t listed.

 

[Tinkaboo]

There are always plenty of Ubers that work the Harbor area, longest I’ve waited was maybe 5-6 minutes. Generally under $10. Quick and convenient