Short answer
Macau has no metro. It has an LRT, but the LRT runs on Taipa and Cotai and reaches only one station on the peninsula, at Barra. Once that is clear the rest makes sense: buses almost everywhere for a flat fare, free resort shuttle buses for the big hotels, and metered taxis for everything else. Distances are short, so no journey in Macau takes long.
Most of the peninsula's sightseeing needs no transport at all. The historic centre from A-Ma Temple to the Ruins of St Paul's is about 3km of connected streets, and Taipa Village is walkable once you are in it. The rides that matter are the ones between the three islands: the peninsula, Taipa and Cotai, and Coloane at the southern end.
Fares are low. A public bus is a flat MOP 6 in coins, or MOP 3 with a Macau Pass, and no change is given. The LRT is MOP 6 to MOP 12 by station count, half that with a stored-value card. Taxis start at roughly MOP 19-21 and add MOP 3 a bag in the boot.
Pick the right mode
| Mode | Where it works | Rough cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| On foot | The historic centre, Taipa Village, Coloane Village, Cotai walkways | Free | Sightseeing and short hops inside an area |
| Public bus | Everywhere, including Coloane and the border | MOP 6 coins, MOP 3 with a Macau Pass | Cheap point-to-point travel |
| LRT | Taipa, Cotai, Barra on the peninsula, the airport, both ferry terminals | MOP 6-12, half with a stored-value card | The Cotai corridor and Taipa Village |
| Taxi | Anywhere, door to door | Metered, roughly MOP 30-80 for most cross-town runs | Luggage, late nights, three or four people together |
| Free resort shuttle | Large hotels, the airport, ferry terminals, the Border Gate, the HZMB Port | Free | Between the big properties and the transport hubs |
| HZMB shuttle bus | Macau Port in Cotai to Hong Kong Port on Lantau | About HK$65 | Going to Hong Kong overland, 24 hours a day |
Walking: the actual primary transport
The old town is small enough that a bus between two attractions is usually slower than walking. The pavement is uneven in places and the hills around Monte Fort and Guia are real, but the distances are short.
| Walk | Approximate time |
|---|---|
| Senado Square to the Ruins of St Paul's | 10 minutes uphill |
| Ruins of St Paul's to Monte Fort and the Macau Museum | 5 minutes, with stairs or an escalator |
| Senado Square to A-Ma Temple at Barra | 20 to 25 minutes along the south-west streets |
| LRT Taipa station to Rua do Cunha in Taipa Village | About 8 minutes |
| Rua do Cunha to the Taipa Houses-Museum on Avenida da Praia | 8 to 10 minutes |
Two things help: the wave-pattern pavement squares mark the pedestrian route through the historic centre, and the Cotai resorts are joined by indoor walkways, so it is possible to cross from the Venetian to the Londoner without going outside.
Buses: cheap, frequent, coins only
Macau's buses reach parts of the territory the LRT never will, including Coloane and the northern districts. The fare is flat regardless of distance, which makes a long ride good value.
| Payment | Fare | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Cash into the fare box | MOP 6 | Coins only, no change given, so keep a stack of small coins |
| Macau Pass on a normal route | MOP 3 | Contactless card, sold at convenience stores and terminal counters |
| Macau Pass on an express route, the ones with an X in the number | MOP 4 | Higher fare, fewer stops |
Frequency is usually 5 to 20 minutes depending on route and hour, and services thin out after about 23:00. Useful lines include AP1 and MT4 to the Border Gate, 26 south to Coloane, 15, 21A, 25 and 26A for Coloane Village and Hac Sa Beach, and the MT series across the water. Route numbers get revised, so the stop pillar and the live-arrival apps beat any list, including this one.
MOP 20 note for a MOP 6 ride means losing the difference. A Macau Pass solves it, costs half the cash fare on ordinary routes, and works on the LRT too.
The LRT, and where it stops
Three lines run: the Taipa Line from Taipa ferry terminal through Cotai to Barra on the peninsula, the Seac Pai Van Line branching towards Coloane, and the Hengqin Line to the Hengqin border. Lotus and Union Hospital are the interchanges, and Barra is the only station on the peninsula.
| Ride length | Single ticket | Stored-value card |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 3 stations | MOP 6 | MOP 3 |
| Up to 6 stations | MOP 8 | MOP 4 |
| Up to 9 stations | MOP 10 | MOP 5 |
| Up to 12 stations | MOP 12 | MOP 6 |
Services run from about 06:30, with the last trains around 23:15 Monday to Thursday and around 23:59 from Friday to Sunday and on public holidays. Trains come every few minutes in the peaks and every 10 to 15 minutes outside them. Tickets come from station machines, or you tap in and out with a Macau Pass or an LRT card.
The fare bands count stations, with two quirks: the sea crossing between Barra and Ocean counts as two stations, and the stretch between Hengqin and Lotus does the same. Children under 12 and seniors from 65 pay half.
Taxis and ride-hailing
Taxis are metered, plentiful at the hubs and slower to find in the old-town lanes. The extra charges are where the meter differs from the price on the flag.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Flag fall, first 1.6km | Around MOP 19-21, depending on the tariff version |
| Each further 220 to 240 metres | MOP 1-2 |
| Waiting | MOP 2 per 55 to 60 seconds |
| Luggage in the boot | MOP 3 per bag |
| Radio taxi booked in advance | MOP 5 booking fee |
| Peninsula to Coloane | MOP 5, and MOP 2 from Taipa |
| Night running after 23:00 | A surcharge applies; some sources report 50% of the meter |
Typical in-city fares sit around MOP 25-40 for short peninsula hops and MOP 45-80 for cross-bridge runs, depending on traffic. Drivers take patacas, usually accept Hong Kong dollars at 1:1, and rarely take cards.
Ride-hailing exists in a restricted form. Uber's app in Macau dispatches licensed meter taxis rather than private cars, charged at the meter with electronic payment only. The local Macao Radio Taxi app books taxis for a MOP 5 fee, including larger and wheelchair-accessible vehicles. There is no private car service of the kind common in mainland China, since only licensed taxis may carry paying passengers.
Free resort shuttles
The casino resorts run their own bus networks, and they are the best-value transport in Macau. Anyone can board, no room key is asked for, and the routes cover the hubs most visitors arrive at.
| Route | Typical hours | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Border Gate to Galaxy Macau and back | 09:00 to 23:30 | Every 5 to 15 minutes |
| Border Gate to the Venetian and the Sands group | 09:00 to 01:00 | Every 5 to 15 minutes |
| Airport to Galaxy | 10:00 to 21:00 | Roughly every 30 minutes |
| Airport to the Venetian and the Sands group | 10:00 to 22:30 | Every 15 to 20 minutes |
They are for the big properties only, so a small hotel in the old town is not covered, and airport pickups generally stop in the evening. Read the property's own shuttle page, because these schedules are revised quietly and often.
Crossing between the peninsula and Taipa
The peninsula and Taipa are separated by a narrow channel, bridged in three places, and every option crosses it in under 15 minutes outside the peak. The LRT crosses on its own alignment to Barra, buses run across all day, and taxis take whichever bridge is moving. The queue that matters is 08:00 to 09:30 and 17:30 to 19:30 on weekdays.
Borders and reaching Zhuhai
| Crossing | Hours | Getting there |
|---|---|---|
| Gongbei, to Zhuhai | About 06:00 to 01:00 | Bus AP1 or MT4 from Taipa and the airport, or buses to the Border Gate from the peninsula |
| Hengqin, to Zhuhai | 24 hours | LRT Hengqin Line direct to the checkpoint |
| HZMB Macau Port, to Hong Kong | 24 hours | Free resort shuttles and public buses to the port, then the Golden Bus shuttle |
Macau is not mainland China for immigration, so every crossing is a real border with passport control on both sides. Most foreign passports enter Macau visa free, but leaving the mainland for Macau consumes a single-entry Chinese visa.
Practical notes
- Get a Macau Pass on arrival. It halves the bus fare, cuts the LRT fare and removes the exact-coins problem. Sold at convenience stores and terminal information counters.
- Patacas first, Hong Kong dollars second. The peg is roughly
1 HKD = 1.03 MOP, and Hong Kong dollars are accepted at 1:1 in most places, which costs about 3%. Renminbi at 1:1 is a worse deal.
Frequently asked questions
Does Macau have a metro?
No. Macau has an LRT, a light rail system rather than a metro, covering Taipa, Cotai, the airport, both ferry terminals and the Hengqin border, with one station on the peninsula at Barra.
How much is a bus fare in Macau?
A flat MOP 6 in coins, with no change given, or MOP 3 with a Macau Pass on a normal route and MOP 4 on express routes.
How much does the LRT cost?
MOP 6 for up to three stations rising to MOP 12 for up to twelve, with a stored-value card paying half: MOP 3 to MOP 6. Children under 12 and seniors from 65 pay half.
Is Uber available in Macau?
In a limited form. Uber's app dispatches licensed meter taxis at meter rates with electronic payment only, rather than private cars. The local alternative is the Macao Radio Taxi app, which books a taxi for a MOP 5 fee.
How do I get to Coloane and Hac Sa Beach?
By bus from the peninsula or Taipa on the routes serving Coloane Village and Hac Sa Beach, roughly 30 to 40 minutes from the peninsula. No LRT station serves either, though the Seac Pai Van Line reaches the Coloane direction.
What is the best way to cross from the peninsula to Taipa?
The LRT if both ends of the trip are near a station, since it keeps its time in traffic. Otherwise the buses that cross from the peninsula to Taipa, or a taxi at roughly MOP 40-80.
Related reading
Bus fares and payment methods follow the TCM and Transmac fare pages and Macau International Airport's published bus table. LRT fare bands, station counting rules and service hours follow the Macao Light Rapid Transit operator's fare table. Shuttle hours follow the published schedules of Galaxy Macau and Sands Resorts Macao. Taxi meter items follow the government tariff as reported by the Macao Radio Taxi fare page, with the flag fall and night surcharge varying between sources because the tariff has been revised more than once. Border hours follow Macao government and HZMB operator information. Fares, hours and routes are revised regularly, so confirm them on the operator's own channel before travelling.