The Ride Home After Midnight: VIA Link After Midnight Is Now Rolling
VIA's new overnight pilot runs weekdays from midnight to 4 a.m., carrying riders between downtown and bus stops inside Loop 410 for the standard $1.30 fare.
San Antonio's overnight workers have a new way home. VIA Metropolitan Transit launched VIA Link After Midnight on Monday, October 19, a pilot program offering on-demand rides on weekdays from midnight to 4 a.m. between downtown and existing bus stops inside Loop 410.
The service works stop to stop, not door to door. Riders book through the VIA Link app or website, or by calling 210-655-LINK (5465), and VIA says expected wait times are under 20 minutes. The fare is VIA's standard $1.30, discounted fares are available for riders who qualify, and VIA passes are accepted. If no VIA Link vehicle is available when a ride is requested, the program can dispatch an Uber or Lyft vehicle instead, with a $15 credit covering the eligible portion of that trip and the rider paying any difference.
VIA describes the pilot as a six-month test aimed at the people whose shifts end when regular bus service has wound down — hospital and hotel staff, restaurant and bar teams, and other overnight workers inside the Loop 410 core. The program is partially funded through the Uber Transit Innovation Fund, and riders can track their vehicle and manage or cancel trips in the app.
For San Antonio, the hours are the point: the pilot fills the window after VIA's downtown late-night lineups, which depart at 10:30 p.m., 11:30 p.m. and 12:30 a.m., and before morning service builds back up. Riders with questions can also call VIA at 210-362-2020.
