Monterey-Salinas Transit

Founded 1981
Headquarters One Ryan Ranch Road, Monterey, CA
Service area Monterey County and parts of Santa Cruz and Santa Clara Counties
Service type bus service, DRT, paratransit
Routes 58
Stops 1,322
Stations Monterey Transit Plaza
Salinas Transit Center
Sand City Station
Marina Transit Exchange
Watsonville Transit Center
Fleet 133
Operator Monterey-Salinas Transit District
Website mst.org

Monterey-Salinas Transit, (MST), provides bus service within Monterey County in California. Service is primarily to the greater Monterey and Salinas areas, but extends as far south as Paso Robles and Big Sur and as far north as Watsonville and San Jose. Most lines follow a hub-and-spoke system, originating at the Monterey Transit Plaza or the Salinas Transit Center, though some service also originates from the Sand City Station and the Marina Transit Exchange. MST serves many local shopping areas, places of employment, tourist sites, government buildings, and residential neighborhoods.

Salinas Transit Center - 2012

Fare Structure

Fares are by route length. For passenger convenience, day passes, 7-day passes and 31-day passes are available for purchase.

• 3 CHOMP-Monterey

• 7 Del Rey Oaks-Monterey

• 8 Ryan Ranch-Sand City via Seaside & Del Rey Oaks

• 13 Ryan Ranch-Monterey

•14 NPS-Monterey via La Mesa

• 17 Marina-CSUMB

• 26 CSUMB-East Campus Express

• 46 Natvidad-Salinas

• 47 Hartnell College-Alisal Campus

• 48 Airport Business Center-Salinas

• 69 Presdio-Del Monte Center (Friday nights & all-day weekends/holidays)

• 70 Presidio-La Mesa

• 91 Del Mesa Carmel-Sand City

• 92 Del Mesa Carmel-CHOMP

• 93 Del Mesa Carmel-Monterey via Carmel

• 94 Sand City-Carmel Rancho

• 95 Northridge-Williams Ranch

• MST On Call Marina

• MST On Call South County


• JAZZ A Sand City-Aquarium via Hilby/MPC Quad

• JAZZ B Sand City-Aquarium via Broadway

• JAZZ C Sand City-Aquarium via Fremont/Highway 1 (Monday-Friday peak hours)

• 1 Asilomar-Monterey

• 2 Carmel-Pacific Grove via Forest Hill

• 10 Monterey- Marina

• 11 Carmel-Sand City

• 12 Monterey-Dunes via NPS

• 16 Marina-The Dunes via CSUMB

• 18 Monterey-The Dunes via CSUMB

• 19 Del Monte Center-CSUMB East Campus (Fri,sat,Sun)

• 24 Carmel Valley Grapevine Express

• 25 CSUMB-Salinas

• 27 Watsonville-Marina (Note: For travel into Santa Cruz County, a free transfer can be obtained for Santa Cruz METRO service when boarding Line 27 to Watsonville.)

• 36 Laguna Seca-Carmel

• 37 Laguna Seca-Seaside

• 38 Laguna Seca-Monterey

• 39 Laguna Seca-Salinas

• 41 East Alisal-Northridge

• 43 South Salinas via Salinas Valley Memorial Hospital

• 44 Northridge-Salinas via Westridge

• 45 Northridge-Salinas via East Market-Creekbridge

• 49 Santa Rita-Salinas via North Main St & Northridge

• 71 Presidio-Marina Express

• 74 Presidio-Preston Park Express via Schoonover Park

• 75 Presidio-Marshall Park Express via Stillwell Park & Fitch Park

• 76 Presidio-Stilwell Park Express via Hayes Park

• 77 Presidio-Seaside


• 20 Salinas-Monterey via Marina (Note: For Line 20, primary fare required only when traveling between Monterey & Marina or Marina & Salinas)

• 21 Pebble Beach-Salinas Express

• 22 Big Sur

• 23 Salinas-King City

• 28 Watsonville-Salinas via Castroville (Note: For travel into Santa Cruz County, a free transfer can be obtained for Santa Cruz METRO service when boarding Line 28 to Watsonville.)

• 29 Watsonville-Salinas via Prunedale (Note: For travel into Santa Cruz County, a free transfer can be obtained for Santa Cruz METRO service when boarding Line 29 to Watsonville.)

• 56 Salinas-Monterey via Hwy 68 (limited service to Presidio)

• 78 Presidio-Santa Cruz Express (Note: For travel into Santa Cruz County, a free transfer can be obtained for Santa Cruz METRO service when boarding Line 78 to Santa Cruz.)


• 55 Monterey-San Jose Express

•81 Fort Hunter Liggett-San Jose Airport Express


• 82 Fort Hunter Liggett-Salinas Express

• 83 Fort Hunter Liggett-Paso Robles Express.


NOTE: Discounted fares (approximately half-price) are available to • individuals age 18 or under

• individuals age 65 or over

• individuals with disabilities

• Medicare cardholders

• Children 46" and under ride free.

Types of Passes

MST offers 1-Day, 7-Day and 31-Day Passes.

• There is a $2 ($1 discount) surcharge for passengers wishing to board a commuter route along with a 1-Day Super GoPass.


• This pass can also be used on Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) local bus and light rail service.


• This pass can also be used on Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) local bus and light rail service.


• There is a $1 ($0.50 discount) surcharge for passengers wishing to board a regional route along with a 31-Day Basic GoPass. • There is a $9.50 ($4.75 discount) surcharge for passengers wishing to board a commuter route along with a 31-Day Basic GoPass.


Any 7-Day Super GoPass, 31-Day Super GoPass, 31-Day Basic GoPass and GoCards can be purchased from any MST Customer Service office, any pass vendor in Monterey County county, or online at MST's website.

MST Service

MST currently operates 59 fixed-route lines, two demand-responsive transit services, free seasonal shuttles, and paratransit service. Supplemental service is offered on relevant lines during major events and is usually free for event ticketholders.

During the summer and select holidays, the MST Trolley (formerly the Waterfront Area Visitor Express, or WAVE), a free shuttle, serves Old Town Monterey, Cannery Row, and the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

MST's demand-responsive transit service, MST On Call, covers areas away from MST's standard routes. MST On Call Marina provides timed transfers at Marina Transit Exchange. MST On Call South County serves the cities of Gonzales, Greenfield and King and provides connections to the Line 23 serving the highway 101 corridor from King City to Salinas.

MST RIDES is a paratransit service available to persons who have a disability preventing them from using MST's regular fixed-route service. It operates under its own fare structure.

Technological Initiatives

Free onboard Wi-Fi service is offered on Lines 23 Salinas—King City, 55 Monterey—San Jose Express (Amtrak Thruway Motorcoach), and 78 Presidio—San Jose Express,Fort Hunter Lines (Lines 81-83) as well as at the Marina Transit Exchange and Sand City Station (aka Edgewater transit exchange). MST provides online trip planning on Google Transit and sends live service alerts via Twitter @mst_bus. All buses are tracked by GPS, allowing real-time arrival and departure times to be displayed at major hubs, and MST has introduced smart card fare payment and other technologies to attract new riders.

Transit Connections

Lines 27, 28, and 29 connect to Santa Cruz Metro, which serves Santa Cruz County, at Watsonville Transit Center.

Salinas's Amtrak and Greyhound stations are located near the Salinas Transit Center; lines 29 and 49 and the Salinas Trolley will also stop at the Amtrak station upon request.

Lines 55 and 78 connect to both Caltrain and VTA buses at the Gilroy and San Jose Diridon Caltrain Stations. Diridon Station is also a station for ACE, Amtrak, and VTA light rail. Further, line 55 & 81 includes a stop at the San Jose Greyhound station. Line 81 also stops at the San Jose airport. These connections link the Monterey Bay to Bay Area, state, and national transit networks. (Line 55 also serves as an Amtrak Thruway bus.)

Airport Connections

Monterey Regional Airport is served by both Lines 13, 15 and 21.

Marina Municipal Airport is served by MST On Call.

San Jose International Airport and San Francisco International Airport are served by transferring to VTA light rail and Caltrain, respectively, from Lines 55 or 79 at Diridon Station.

Bus Names

The MST buses have a variety of names that refer to patriotic, California, and local themes. These names include:

External links