How to Ride Yarts
Yosemite Area Regional Transportation System (YARTS) is a regularly scheduled, fixed route, public transit system that operates year-round in the Yosemite region.
Walk-on service is available on a first-come, first-served basis. To make your travel more convenient, YARTS offers reservations. Modifications may be delayed, please confirm your itinerary prior to booking your trip.
YARTS provides service to Yosemite National Park and gateway communities in comfortable, air-conditioned buses. Ride YARTS to avoid traffic and safely enjoy the scenery instead of watching the road. See the About YARTS page for more general information about the YARTS bus service.
Below you can find links to pages that address specific policies regarding the service.
policies
YARTS drivers will stop at all designated stops. YARTS travels on narrow roads and does not provide pick up anywhere other than designated stops. “REQ” stops must be scheduled in advance by making a reservation online at least 12 hours prior to the scheduled departure, or by calling 18779892787 and speaking with dispatch at least 24 hours prior to the scheduled departure.
If additional assistance is needed while boarding, please contact YARTS 48 hours prior to your boarding.
Drop off your car and travel free while getting around Yosemite. On the Hwy 140 route, extended free parking is available in various locations in Merced, such as Merced Transpo and the downtown district garage, which are within walking distance of the bus stops.
In Mariposa and Midpines, free Park & Ride facilities are available for day, overnight and multi-day uses.
Please click the links below to find out more about your parking options.
Bags are allowed on YARTS buses, including backpacks of any size. Larger bags may need to be stored in compartments under passenger seating.
Children under 2 years of age shall ride in a rear-facing car seat unless the child weighs 40 or more pounds or is 40 or more inches tall. The child shall be secured in a manner that complies with the height and weight limits specified by the manufacturer of the car seat (California Vehicle Code Section 27360).
Children under the age of 8 must be secured in a car seat or booster seat.
Children who are 8 years of age or have reached 4’9” in height may be secured by a booster seat, but at a minimum, must be secured by a safety belt (California Vehicle Code Section 27363).
Passengers who are 16 years of age and over are subject to California’s Mandatory Seat Belt law.
Children under the age of 13 must travel with an adult.
- Transportation of bicycles can not be guaranteed due to limited space.
- Bikes are allowed in the storage compartments under the bus, as space allows, on a first-come, first-served basis, but must be disassembled to be transported.
- Bikes are not allowed in the passenger compartment of the vehicle.
- Bikes can also be rented inside Yosemite National Park.
No pets are allowed to ride except for service animals which are allowed on all YARTS buses.
For information on Yosemite National Park’s pet policy, visit their pets page.
Yosemite Area Regional Transportation System (YARTS) does not require that a companion or attendant accompany a passenger with a disability. However, if a passenger anticipates that they may need personal care assistance during the trip, such as assistance with feeding, dressing, medicating or toileting, the passenger must travel with an attendant who can provide such assistance.
YARTS operators are not required or permitted to provide personal care assistance to passengers. Passengers should take this into account when making travel plans. If it becomes apparent during a trip that an unaccompanied passenger requires such assistance, the passenger may have to deboard prior to their final destination.
Companion Discount:
YARTS offers a 50% discount on base fares for adults with a disability, with valid ID. YARTS also offers a 50% discount for persons traveling as a personal care attendant for a passenger with a disability, provided both parties are traveling on the same date/run/bus. Those designated as a companion must be capable of providing the necessary assistance to the passenger with a disability they are attending to.
Discount Limitations:
- May not be combined with other promotions.
- Additional restrictions may apply.
Children ages 12 and under may not travel unaccompanied. They must travel with another person who is at least 18 years of age. (*see exception below)
Children 13, 14, and 15 years of age may travel unaccompanied in accordance with the YARTS Unaccompanied Minor Policy.
- The number of unaccompanied minors that can travel per bus is limited to two.
- Reservations must be made at least 12 hours in advance of travel.
- For each unaccompanied minor traveling alone, the adult (parent or guardian – proof must be provided) must be at the bus stop with the minor at least 5 minutes before scheduled departure and must wait until the bus departs to leave the bus stop.
- The child must speak with the bus driver to determine if the child is capable of traveling alone.
- The child must sit in a designated seating area as determined by the driver.
- An adult must be at the bus stop to pick up the minor prior to the scheduled arrival.
- Children ages 13-17 qualify for reduced fares.
Children 16 and over may travel without restriction.
*Exception: A minor who is 16 or 17, who is a parent to children of any age, may bring those children without restriction. The 16- or 17-year-old must provide proof that they are the parent of the child(ren).
If a group of children are traveling, and some are 16-17, some are 13-15, and some are 12 and under:
- The 16–17-year-olds may travel without restriction.
- The 13–15-year-olds must travel as unaccompanied minors because no one is 18 or over. The Unaccompanied Minor Policy applies.
- The children under 13 may not travel because no one in the party is 18 or over. The Unaccompanied Minor Policy applies.
Reservations for unaccompanied minors must be made in advance by emailing tickets@yarts.com; reservations cannot be made on www.YARTS.com.
YARTS fares are subject to a non-refundable fee of $2.50 per ticket for all online ticket purchases.
YARTS fares are subject to a non-refundable fee of $1.00 per ticket for all other ticket purchases.
Requests for refunds should be sent to: tickets@yarts.com. Refunds cannot be completed online.
Tickets will not be refunded if the request is received after the date listed on the reservation except in the event of a natural disaster or service disruption. These exceptions will be made only if the request is received within seven days of the event occurring. A full refund will be issued and you will be notified via email if YARTS must cancel a trip for any reason.
If the original purchase was made using cash, eligible refunds will be issued via check and may take up to one month to process.
For tickets that are not eligible for a refund, a one-time change may be made to an alternative travel date. Changes may be made on date/time only and cannot be made to origin or destination. The request for change must be made no later than the date of travel.
Refunds, cancellations, or changes will be addressed during standard business hours, which are Monday through Friday, from 8 AM to 5 PM Pacific Time. Please note that the YARTS Administration office is closed on weekends and all major holidays. Requests for refunds or cancellations will be processed within 3 business days.
Reservation modifications can be completed using the online self-service option, or by contacting tickets@yarts.com at least 24 hours prior to the scheduled departure. Reservations can be modified by establishing an online account. To initiate this process, navigate to the reservations screen and select ‘Sign In’. Adjustments may be made to passenger names, departure dates, and departure times. *Please note that changes must be completed at least 24 hours prior to the scheduled trip.
For purchases that cannot be modified through a self-service option online or with the assistance of customer service, the customer may rebook with the correct trip details and then request a full refund of the original purchase, as long as the request is received at least 24 hours prior to the scheduled departure of the original purchase.
In the event that a passenger needs to utilize an earlier departure on the same day of the scheduled trip, on a weekend or outside of business hours, the existing reservation may be used for walk-on service on
an alternative run/bus. *Please note that walk-on service is not guaranteed and is subject to available space. A refund will not be provided if walk-on service is denied.
“NO SHOW” POLICY
Reservations/tickets that remain unused and are not canceled or rescheduled prior to departure are forfeit.
COMMUTER PASSES
| 31-DAY PASS REFUND POLICY | |
| BEFORE VALID MONTH AND ZERO RIDES TAKEN | |
| 0 to 24 hours after purchase | No fee – full refund to original form of payment. |
| 25 hours after purchase and up to the day before pass start date | 25% of fare is forfeited, 75% returned to original form of payment. |
| DAY 1-10 OF VALID MONTH AND ZERO RIDES TAKEN | |
| 50% of total fare is forfeited, 50% returned to original form of payment. (exception can be made if purchased was made within 24 hours of pass start date) | |
| ON OR AFTER DAY 11 OF VALID MONTH | |
| CANCELLATIONS | NOT PERMITTED |
| CHANGES | NOT PERMITTED |
| 10 ROUND-TRIP TICKET REFUND POLICY | |
| CANCELLATIONS | NOT PERMITTED |
| CHANGES | NOT PERMITTED |
Accessibility
All YARTS buses are wheelchair accessible and equipped with wheelchair lifts. To ensure your accessible seat is available on the bus, please contact YARTS 48 hours prior to your boarding, or indicate while making your reservation that accessible seating is required. Doing so will ensure your trip is accommodated.
If additional assistance is needed while boarding, please contact YARTS 48 hours prior to your boarding.
Service animals are allowed on all YARTS buses but Yosemite National Park has its own rules. See our Pets and Service Animals section for more.
