Savannah’s Historic District puts City Market, Chippewa Square and Forsyth Park within a connected area of squares and streets. You can explore central Savannah without a car, using DOT shuttles for downtown journeys, Savannah Belles Ferry for the river crossing and CAT buses beyond the centre. The riverfront needs extra care: the short descent from Bay Street involves steep slopes and uneven surfaces.
Walking and local transport
| Criterion | Walking | DOT | Belles Ferry | CAT buses | Taxi / app ride |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Useful for | Historic District squares | Downtown loops, heat | Hutchinson Island crossing | Beyond downtown | Luggage, late journeys |
| Cost basis | FreeBest | FreeBest | FreeBest | Local fares / passes | Meter / app price |
Walking is the default within the Historic District. City Market’s pedestrian shopping area leads towards Chippewa Square and onwards along Bull Street to Forsyth Park, with its landmark fountain.
| Walk | Distance | Time |
|---|---|---|
| City Market → Chippewa Square | about 0.5 miles | about 12 minutes |
| Chippewa Square → Forsyth Park | about 0.5 miles | about 12 minutes |
| City Hall, Bay Street → City Hall Landing | about 450 feet | about 2 minutes |
Ken Lund · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Edited
Near City Hall, Bay Street drops steeply to River Street via old stone stairs or a sloping cobbled ramp. Use the public lift by City Hall and the Hyatt to avoid steps. River Street’s uneven cobblestone and brick paving can be slippery when wet and bumpy for wheeled luggage or mobility aids. Allow extra care on the descent, even though the landing is close.
DOT downtown shuttles
- DOT fare
- Free
- Boarding
- No ticket or payment proof
- Vehicles
- Wheelchair-accessible
- DOT Extension fare
- Free
| Loop | Monday–Friday | Saturday–Sunday |
|---|---|---|
| Downtown | 7am–7pm | 10am–6:30pm |
| Forsyth Park | 7am–7pm | 10am–6:30pm |
DOT’s Downtown and Forsyth Park loops connect the central visitor area, including the park south of the main concentration of squares. The DOT Extension broadens that service family. The loops let you break up a day of walking without buying a sightseeing tour.
From City Hall towards Forsyth Park, the 7F bus connection takes about 10 minutes without a change, over about 1 mile. It links the Bay Street area with the park south of the squares.
DOT is public transport, not a narrated sightseeing trolley. Paid sightseeing trolleys sell a tour experience with commentary. Their tickets are separate from the downtown shuttle service, so a trolley tour is not needed to use DOT.
Savannah Belles Ferry
| Landing | Serves | Daily departures | Intervals |
|---|---|---|---|
| City Hall | Central downtown | 7am–12:20am | 20 min early morning; 30 min 8am–6pm; 20 min 6:40pm–12:20am |
| Waving Girl | Eastern riverfront | — | — |
| Trade Center | Hutchinson Island / convention centre | 7:10am–11:50pm | 10 min 7:10am–6:10pm; 20 min 6:50pm–11:50pm |
From the downtown riverfront, Savannah Belles Ferry crosses to Hutchinson Island. City Hall Landing serves the central riverfront, while Waving Girl Landing serves its eastern end. Trade Center Landing puts you on the island for the Savannah Convention Center. At City Hall, leave time for the descent before joining the boarding area.
- Name
- City Hall Landing
- Location
- River Walk at City Hall, E Upper Factors Walk, Savannah, GA 31401 Maps
- Site
- connectonthedot.com
- Essential fact
- The downtown Savannah Belles Ferry boarding point beside City Hall.
- Fare
- Free
- Boarding
- At a landing, no ticket or payment proof
The Waving Girl Landing–Trade Center Landing connection takes about 8 minutes without a change, over about 0.5 miles. It links the eastern downtown waterfront with the island rather than taking you along the downtown streets.
Jami430 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Edited
Leave flexibility around a ferry return. Inclement weather and river traffic can interrupt service without notice, and poor visibility or large vessels can delay it. Special events and conventions can also alter service. Avoid making the crossing your only way back when a delay would jeopardise a time-sensitive commitment.
CAT buses beyond downtown
| Route 3 from downtown | Departure window | Spacing |
|---|---|---|
| Monday–Friday | 5am–7pm | Hourly 5am–10am and 1pm–7pm |
| Saturday | 5am–7pm | Every 2 hours |
| Sunday | 10am–6pm | Every 2 hours |
Beyond the downtown loops, Chatham Area Transit (CAT) fixed-route buses serve wider Savannah. Route 3 West Chatham is a regular stopping bus, not a dedicated airport shuttle. The Joe Murray Rivers, Jr. Intermodal Transit Center is its downtown departure point, where you can connect with other CAT routes.
- Name
- Joe Murray Rivers Jr. Intermodal Transit Center
- Location
- W Oglethorpe Ave, Savannah, GA 31401 Maps
- Essential fact
- A CAT bus interchange in downtown Savannah.
| Boarding stop | Line | Direction | Serves |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intermodal bus platform, bay 3 | 3 West Chatham | Airport / West Chatham | Downtown |
| Airport, Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport | 3 West Chatham | Intermodal Transit Center | Airport terminal |
From the Airport stop to the Intermodal Transit Center, Route 3 takes about 38 minutes without a change, over about 10 miles. CAT provides evening service but not overnight transport, so arrange a taxi or app ride for journeys after your route finishes.
For other destinations beyond the shuttle area, Savannah bus routes gives you line-by-line coverage to choose the appropriate service and boarding stop.
CAT tickets and boarding
Count only your paid CAT journeys when choosing a pass. DOT and ferry trips do not add to your local-bus spending.
Single tickets and passes
| Product | Price | Validity / coverage |
|---|---|---|
| Adult single | $1.50 | One-way local journey, including Route 3 |
| Transfer | Free | 90 minutes, one way, different local route |
| Day pass, onboard | $3 | One calendar day, all fixed routes except Airport Express |
| Weekly pass | $14 | 7 consecutive days after activation |
| Weekly reload | $13.50 | $0.50 reload discount |
| 100X Airport Express single | $5 | Separate airport service |
The $3 day pass costs the same as two $1.50 single fares. Three separate paid journeys would cost $4.50, so the pass saves money if you make those trips within its validity. A free transfer may instead cover a connecting journey, so count fare payments rather than the number of buses boarded.
The weekly pass suits repeated paid bus travel, rather than a stay spent mainly on the free downtown services. Route 3 uses the ordinary local fare with no airport supplement. The separate Airport Express has its own single fare and is excluded from the day pass.
Paying and boarding
Onboard fare purchases are cash only. Have your payment ready before boarding. Keep your pass or transfer available for the next bus rather than packing it away in your luggage.
Paying on a CAT local bus
Do
- Prepare exact cash for onboard payment.
- Ask the operator for a day pass before depositing payment.
- Request a transfer before depositing your fare.
Don’t
- Expect the operator to give change.
- Deposit money before asking for your pass or transfer.
Taxis and ride-hailing
- Advance taxi pickup
- Contact a permitted taxi company directly
- Ride-hailing apps
- Uber and Lyft
- Ordinary taxi fare
- Taximeter, subject to City maximums
- Airport taxis
- On demand outside baggage claim
For a destination beyond the downtown shuttle area or a journey after the relevant bus service ends, arrange your pickup before setting off from your hotel or restaurant. With heavy luggage, agree a place where you can reach the vehicle without negotiating the riverfront stairs. An upper-street pickup can avoid hauling bags over River Street’s uneven paving. Give the driver the precise meeting point rather than only the riverside business name.
App rides use the price shown for the requested journey. Confirm the pickup location in the app, especially when you are beside the river but the vehicle is approaching from the upper streets.
Mark Morgan · CC BY 2.0 · Edited
Sources & fact-checking
Checks against the sources below cover: fares and charges, as well as services.
- Route 3 West Chatham schedule
- CAT system map brochure
- Frequently Asked Questions – Chatham Area Transit (CAT)
- CATTracker – Chatham Area Transit (CAT)
- Schedules – Chatham Area Transit (CAT)
- Fare Free Downtown Transit System | Savannah, GA – Official Website
- Savannah Mobility Management, Inc. — service
- dot Shuttle – Chatham Area Transit (CAT)
- Savannah Belles Ferry Schedule
- Ferry Schedule
- Chatham Area Transit (CAT) — fares and charges
- Autolinee Toscane — service
- Visiting Savannah – Chatham Area Transit (CAT)
- Fares & Passes – Chatham Area Transit (CAT)
- Azienda Metropolitana Trasporti e Sosta Catania (AMTS) — service
- City Airport Train — fares and charges
- Capital Area Transit System (CATS) — fares and charges
- Chatham Area Transit — service
- Hood River County Transportation District — fares and charges
- Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) — fares and charges
- Autolinee Toscane — fares and charges
- Visiting Savannah – Chatham Area Transit (CAT)
- Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport — service
- Visit Savannah — service
- An Ordinance amending Savannah’s taxicab ordinance
