HRT Announces Independence Day Schedules and Detours

June 30, 2026June 30, 2026 HRMessenger Staff City of Norfolk, Hampton Roads, HRT, Independence Day, July 4th, Norfolk va

NORFOLK, Va. – Hampton Roads Transit (HRT) will operate on a modified schedule on Friday, July 3 and Saturday, July 4 in celebration of Independence Day.

Schedules

On July 3, bus, light rail, Paratransit, OnDemand ridesharing and the Base Express will operate on their Saturday schedules. The Elizabeth River Ferry will operate on its regular schedule. The Customer Service Call Center, transit center information booths and administrative offices will be closed.

On Independence Day, July 4, bus, light rail, Paratransit, OnDemand ridesharing and Base Express will operate on their Saturday schedules. The ferry will operate on its regular schedule. The Customer Service Call Center will be open from 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

Detours for Events

Several bus routes will have scheduled detours for community events:

On July 4, Norfolk will host the Great American Picnic at Town Point Park. Starting at 4 p.m., bus Routes 6 and 45 will not service the MacArthur Light Rail Station bus stop on City Hall Avenue and the stop on Boush Street. All passengers should use the Route 8 bus stop at Bank and Plume located in front of the Fountain Park Garage.
On July 4, Virginia Beach will hold its Stars & Stripes Celebration at the Oceanfront starting at 7 p.m. Because of expected large crowds, bus routes 20, 33 and 960, along with VB Wave trolley routes 30, 31 and 35, may experience delays and impromptu detours.
On July 4, Newport News will host the 4th of July Stars in the Skyevent at Victory Landing Park from 6-9:30 p.m. Routes 101, 104, 105 and 112 will detour for road closures. Customers should expect delays due to increased traffic in the area.
Chesapeake will host the South Norfolk 4th of July Parade on July 4. Sections of Bainbridge Boulevard will be closed due to the parade. The Route 58 will detour from 9 a.m.-noon. Customers should catch buses at Liberty and Seaboard or Bainbridge and Freeman.

New Ways to Pay

HRT now offers three new ways to pay to get to Independence Day events:

GoMobile app: Customers can download the HRT GoMobile app in the Apple App Store or Google Play, then create an account with an email address or phone number. Next, create a virtual card and add money to it with a credit or debit card. When boarding the bus or ferry, hold your phone screen up below the yellow-and-blue scanner and wait for the beep. For light rail, scan your screen at one of the fare validators at each platform before boarding and be prepared to show your digital GoMobile card to an onboard attendee for scan verification.
GoMobile card: Cards can be purchased at new HRT Ticket Vending Machines (TVMs) and customer service locations. Once you buy a physical card, load it with value and tap to board bus and ferry. For light rail, tap the card on station fare validators. Each reloadable card costs $2 for the card plus your selected amount of stored value, up to $200. The card can be reloaded as often as needed at ticket machines, customer service locations, online at gohrt.com/mobile via the Customer Web Portal, through the GoMobile app if linked to an account.
Bank card or mobile wallet: No need to download the app, create an account or buy a card – just use a debit or credit card or mobile wallet as you would in a store. Simply tap the validator upon entry and the system will charge the appropriate amount. HRT accepts Visa, Mastercard, Discover and American Express. With this option, customers should use the same card or mobile wallet each time they ride to get the best possible fare. One card per person.
Cash: Cash will continue to be accepted when boarding buses or ferries or purchasing fares at newly installed Ticket Vending Machines at bus transit centers, light rail stations and ferry docks. TVMs do not provide change. Instead, customers will receive a receipt for the value of the change for use on a future purchase. Exact fare is required when paying at fareboxes on buses and ferries.

HRT fares are $2 one way and $4.50 for all day. Children 17 and under ride free with a fare-paying adult. Certified discounted fare holders, Paratransit-eligible riders, and those with a Student Freedom Pass have their own fare. Visit our fares page to learn more.

GoMobile’s money-saving feature is Tap & Save. There’s no need to buy a daily or monthly pass up front – the more you ride, the more you save.

With Tap & Save, never pay more than $4.50 per day ($2.25 for certified riders). The first and second time you scan, you’ll be charged the standard $2 each way ($1 for discounted fares). The third time you scan, you’ll only be charged 50 cents (25 cents for discounted fare). For every scan after that for the rest of the day, you won’t pay anything as long as you use the same GoMobile reloadable or virtual card and one card per rider.