COAST Fares & Passes

COAST Bus Fares:

• COAST "Regional" Routes 1, 2, 6, and 7: $1.50.
• COAST "Local" Routes 33-35: $0.50 (50 cents), FastTrans Routes 33-35
  Passengers staying on between Routes 1 and 33 must pay the additional fare (total cost $2.00: $1.50 for Route 1, 50 cents for Route 33).
• COAST Portsmouth Trolleys (Routes 40-41): $0.50 (50 cents), one round-trip between routes.
• Transfers are not offered at this time. Passengers must pay fare for each bus when boarding.
• The North Bus service: $5.00 round trip.

Fare Policies

All COAST Routes:

• All fares are regardless of distance traveled or the vehicle on the route. For example, if a trolley bus happens to be used for route 2, the fare is still $1.50.
• Children under 5 years of age ride FREE.
• Children under 12 years of age may not ride unaccompanied.
• Passengers paying cash must have exact change.
• Passengers must pay the fare each time they board the bus. Paying ahead for transfers or return trips is not allowed.
• Fare evasion is illegal and punishable by law.

PASSES AND IDs (what is and isn't accepted):

• COAST 15-ride punch tickets (available on any COAST bus for $20 cash) are accepted on all COAST routes except the Clipper Connection. It is recommended that they be used primarily on Routes 1, 2, 6 and 7. The 15-ride punch ticket offers a 10% discount when used on the $1.50 routes. 
• COAST Monthly passes ($52). Monthly passes are good for unlimited rides on all COAST routes except the Clipper Connection. Monthly passes are valid for one calendar month. Expired passes are accepted for the first five days of the following month. Click here to download the monthly pass form.
• Clipper Connection monthly passes ($120). These allow unlimited use on ALL COAST routes, and also allow the use of Guaranteed Ride Home for Clipper Connection service (see information on Guaranteed Ride Home on the Clipper Connection page).
• Any passenger displaying a UNH ID, Wildcat Transit monthly pass, or UNH Continuing Education ID card rides at no charge on routes 1-41, but NOT Clipper Connection routes (100-103).
  • The "University of New Hampshire Libraries" card (white with blue lettering, no ID on the front) is NOT ACCEPTED as a pass on any COAST route.
  • Wildcat Transit accepts COAST monthly passes and perforated drop tickets on their buses.
  • Wildcat Transit does NOT accept COAST 15-ride punch tickets or half-fare cards. They do not honor GBCC IDs.
• Any passenger displaying a Great Bay Community College ID rides at no charge on routes 1-41, but NOT Clipper Connection routes (100-103).
• NO OTHER student IDs are accepted on COAST routes at this time (including, but not limited to, Hesser College, Granite State college, UNH Manchester).
• All passes and student IDs (UNH and GBCC) must be current and valid. Operators will check for current dates and designs and will require passengers to pay cash if the pass is not valid.

Dover FastTrans Routes 33, 34-35: On-Call stops on these routes only are an additional 50 cents above the normal fare.

Fare Guidelines

• COAST is a pay-as-you-board system - just bring exact change with you to the bus stop. When you get on the bus, you drop the money into the silver farebox next to the driver. Please note that COAST cannot be held responsible for accidental overpayments. Please make sure that $1 bill is really a $1 and not a $10! Once you put the money in the fare box, it cannot be returned to you.
• If you have a ticket or pass, you must present it as you board the bus. Do not assume the driver will remember you from a previous trip. You can buy tickets and passes from the COAST office. The 15-ride tickets are also available from COAST bus drivers for $20 cash.
• COAST drop tickets (small yellow perforated tickets) are distributed to community agencies for their clients' use. A single drop ticket is good for one trip on any COAST route (except the Clipper Connection) or Wildcat route.

Half-Fare Policy

Elderly passengers (65 years and older), disabled passengers, Medicare cardholders, and COAST ADA Paratransit clients can pay half the regular fare on COAST fixed routes.  To qualify, please show the bus driver one of the following upon boarding:

1. Photo ID showing proof of age (for elderly only);
2. COAST Half-Fare Card and Photo ID;
3. Medicare Card and Photo ID;
4. COAST ADA Paratransit Card and Photo ID.

The half fare policy applies to COAST's fixed route service during all hours of operation, but is not applicable to COAST's ADA service. There is no half-fare discount on COAST passes and tickets, so we recommend that passengers eligible for half-fare pay the fare in cash. Please note that unlike red, white and blue Medicare cards, green Medicaid cards are not accepted for half-fare.

Please download and print a Half-Fare application. You can complete the application and return it to COAST:

COAST
42 Sumner Drive
Dover, NH 03820