Savannah’s dot shuttle links the northern Historic District around Johnson Square with the area around Forsyth Park. Its published routes and hours are background for planning, not a reason to rely on a ride during the service interruption. For a downtown outing, decide first whether you can walk between your sights or need another way to travel.
Service status and walking alternatives
- Published accessibility provision
- Wheelchair-accessible vehicles
- Payment preparation
- No payment method required
Walking is the default between nearby Historic District sights if the distance suits you. Johnson Square gives you a northern starting point, while Forsyth Park offers a destination further south, with its fountain and space for a park break. You can make the journey part of your sightseeing rather than treating it only as a transfer.
The walk from Johnson Square to Forsyth Park is about 0.9 miles and about 21 minutes. Allow extra time if you want to pause in the squares or stop for something to eat.
For a longer journey, heavy luggage or walking limitations, use a taxi rather than relying on the dot. Give the driver your destination, particularly if you need a specific park entrance or accommodation address. Savannah’s wider transport options help you consider the local network for trips beyond this central walk. The dot’s published accessibility provision does not replace arranging suitable transport during the interruption.
Published Downtown and Forsyth routes
| Published loop | Stop or street coverage | Visitor area served |
|---|---|---|
| Downtown | Johnson Square | Northern Historic District |
| Forsyth | Bull, Drayton and Whitaker streets | Forsyth Park |
The Downtown loop places Johnson Square within the northern Historic District’s bus coverage. The square is the downtown end of the central walk, rather than a separate out-of-town destination.
The Forsyth route extends the coverage towards Forsyth Park. Its street-level coverage helps you understand the area it serves, but choose your alternative transport destination by where you want to enter the park, not simply by the name of the loop. If you are walking, the park itself is the destination.
The dot is a public downtown bus, not a narrated sightseeing trolley or an airport transfer. Its purpose is to connect places within the downtown area. A sightseeing trolley is a different experience, and a journey from the airport needs a separate transport arrangement. The two loop names describe the published local coverage, so they are useful for understanding the network even when you are making the trip another way.
Published service hours
| Day category | Published service hours | Interval |
|---|---|---|
| Monday–Friday | 7am–7pm | Every 10 minutes |
| Weekends | 10am–6pm | Every 10 minutes |
| Operating holidays | 10am–6:30pm | Every 10 minutes |
The Downtown and Forsyth loops share the same published schedule, with service across 18 stops in the Historic District. These are the regular operating windows underlying the interrupted service. Use another way to travel for your outing rather than planning a connection around these hours.
Chatham Area Transit’s dot shuttle is a bus used for local downtown journeys. Distinguish the dot from other CAT services when choosing transport, since the dot’s published routes, schedule and fare rules apply to this service rather than every bus you may see in Savannah.
Han Zheng · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Edited
Published fares and ticket rules
| Journey product | Fare | Ticket or pass |
|---|---|---|
| Dot single journey | $0 | Not required |
Residents and visitors alike can ride without proof of entitlement. There is no ticket to validate. These are the published fare rules for the dot, not rules for paid CAT buses or sightseeing trolleys.
Preparing for a dot ride
Do
- Identify the service as the dot before applying its fare-free rules.
- Treat paid CAT buses and sightseeing trolleys as separate services.
Don’t
- Buy a ticket or pass solely for a dot journey.
- Prepare residency documents as proof of entitlement to ride the dot.
Sources & fact-checking
Checks against the sources below cover: fares and charges, as well as services.
