Ride WeGo for Free or Half Price: Nashville’s Journey Pass and Discount ID, Explained
Nashville has two ways to cut what you pay on WeGo. Journey Pass makes rides free for three years if you get SNAP, TennCare, WIC, LIHEAP, TANF or a housing voucher. The Discount ID cuts fares in half for youth, seniors 65 and older, Medicare card holders and people with a disability. Both take one trip downtown with the right paper in hand.
AT A GLANCE
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Which one fits you
Start at the top of this table. If the first row fits, you don't need anything below it.
If you... | Get this | What you pay on local buses | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
Live in Davidson County and have a current SNAP, TennCare, WIC, LIHEAP, TANF, HCVP, MAC, MDHA or Metro Social Services document | Journey Pass | Nothing, for three years | Registration event at WeGo Central or another listed site |
Get services from a Metro partner agency but don't have one of those documents | Journey Pass, through the agency | Nothing | Ask the agency where you get services |
Are 65 or older | Discount ID (permanent, no renewal) | $1 per 2 hours, $33 max a month | WeGo Central, or by email |
Are 6 to 19 | Discount ID | Same as above | WeGo Central, or by email |
Have Medicare | Discount ID | Same as above | WeGo Central, or by email |
Have a disability | Discount ID | Same as above | WeGo Central, or by email |
Can't ride a bus on your own because of a disability | WeGo Access certification | $3.70 a trip, or free with Journey Pass | Access eligibility office, 615-880-3596 |
If you qualify for both Journey Pass and a Discount ID, choose Journey Pass. Free is better than half price, and Journey Pass also covers WeGo Access, WeGo Star and regional buses.
Journey Pass: free rides on a limited income
Journey Pass is paid for by Choose How You Move, the transportation improvement program passed in 2024. WeGo puts your free rides on a new QuickTicket card registered in your name, and the pass is good for three years. As of October 19, 2026, WeGo counted 15,260 registrations and 3.34 million rides.
What it covers: WeGo local and regional buses, WeGo Access, the base fare on WeGo Link, and WeGo Star. What it doesn't cover: WeGo Access On-Demand and Vanpool.
What to bring
You need two things: a valid photo ID, plus one current document from this list.
Program | Document WeGo accepts |
|---|---|
SNAP | Approval, verification or certification letter; or the One DHS SNAP Benefits portal on your phone, or a screenshot of the TDHS website showing your approval |
TennCare Medicaid | Eligibility letter |
WIC | Eligibility documentation |
LIHEAP | Award or eligibility letter |
TANF | Award letter |
Housing Choice Voucher Program | Official voucher document, or approval/recertification letter |
MDHA | New Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) document, or Contract Request for Tenancy Approval (RTA) approval letter |
Metro Action Commission | Approval letter |
Metro Social Services | Journey Pass Program Referral Letter |
SNAP is the easiest one to prove. If you can log in to your benefits account on your phone and show your approval, that counts.
Upcoming registration events
Date | Place | Hours |
|---|---|---|
Mon., Oct. 26 | Elizabeth Duff Transit Center at WeGo Central | 7 a.m.–7 p.m. |
Wed., Oct. 28 | Elizabeth Duff Transit Center at WeGo Central | 7 a.m.–7 p.m. |
Mon., Nov. 2 | Elizabeth Duff Transit Center at WeGo Central | 7 a.m.–7 p.m. |
Wed., Nov. 4 | Elizabeth Duff Transit Center at WeGo Central | 7 a.m.–7 p.m. |
Sat., Nov. 7 | Frist Art Museum | 11 a.m.–3 p.m. |
Mon., Nov. 9 | Elizabeth Duff Transit Center at WeGo Central | 7 a.m.–7 p.m. |
Wed., Nov. 11 | Elizabeth Duff Transit Center at WeGo Central | 7 a.m.–7 p.m. |
Mon., Nov. 23 | Elizabeth Duff Transit Center at WeGo Central | 7 a.m.–7 p.m. |
Mon., Nov. 30 | Elizabeth Duff Transit Center at WeGo Central | 7 a.m.–7 p.m. |
WeGo adds dates as it goes, so check the Journey Pass page before you head out.
No accepted document? The city lists five Metro partners that run Journey Pass for the people they serve: the Metropolitan Action Commission, MDHA, Metro Social Services, the Metro Public Health Department and the Office of Homeless Services. If you already get services from one of them, ask your contact there how to request a pass. If you don't, WeGo says it will post new partners and later phases on its Journey Pass page.
Lost card? Bring a valid photo ID to the Elizabeth Duff Transit Center at WeGo Central (Monday to Friday 6 a.m.–6:30 p.m., Saturday 8 a.m.–5 p.m., Sunday 10:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m.). Keep in mind that WeGo can revoke a pass if you don't follow its Customer Code of Conduct.
"Sometimes I don't have the money to ride the bus whenever I want. Now I can go where I need to go and I can actually get a few more groceries at the store." (Jada Norfleet, a Journey Pass rider quoted by WeGo)
The Discount ID: half fares for four groups
WeGo's discount program is for youth, seniors 65 and older, Medicare recipients and people with disabilities. The discount only kicks in after you have a Discount ID. You can't get half price on your first ride just by showing an ID.
Fare (QuickTicket or contactless) | Regular | With a Discount ID |
|---|---|---|
2 hours of unlimited local rides | $2.00 | $1.00 |
Full day | $4.00 | $2.00 |
Full calendar month | $65.00 | $33.00 |
Local cash, 1 ride (exact change, no transfers) | $2.00 | $1.00 |
Regional bus or WeGo Star, 1 ride | $4.25 (bus); $2.00–$5.25 (Star, by station) | $2.00 |
With QuickTicket's Best Value pricing, you never pay more than the daily or monthly cap. A rider who hits the cap every month pays $780 a year at regular price, $396 with a Discount ID, and $0 with Journey Pass. (That's our math from WeGo's posted prices.)
What to send with the application
Seniors and youth: one proof of age, such as a state ID or driver's license, birth certificate or passport, permanent resident card, a medical benefit card with your date of birth, or a military ID or dependent card.
Medicare: a copy of your Medicare card and a copy of a valid government or state ID.
Disability: one document. That can be a DMV placard plus current vehicle registration, a VA hospitalization card, a VA letter about your disability, an SSI award letter, a Social Security letter about your disability, a copy of a recent SSI check, a disability statement from an authorized social service agency, or the Professional Certification page of the application filled out by a licensed professional. If you qualify because of a medical disability, the form says you must send a signed letter from a licensed health care provider, on letterhead, that shows an expiration or renewal date, within 60 days.
Seniors only do this once. WeGo says the senior card is permanent and doesn't need to be renewed.
How to apply
Download the Discount Card Application from WeGo's fare page and fill out Sections 1, 2 and 3. If you're applying because of a disability, also have Section 4 completed.
By email: send the application, a copy of your ID and any letterhead letter to wego.ticketoffice@nashville.gov. Put "Discount Card Application" and your first and last name in the subject line. WeGo asks you to allow 48 hours.
In person: bring everything to the WeGo Central Ticketing Office at 400 Dr. Martin L. King Jr. Blvd., Nashville, TN 37219. WeGo does not accept applications by mail.
Pay the $3.00 processing fee.
Pick up your card at WeGo Central during ticket office hours: Monday to Friday 6 a.m.–6:30 p.m., Saturday 8 a.m.–5 p.m., Sunday 10:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m. The office is closed on holidays.
Take care of the card once you have it. A lost, stolen or damaged card costs $3.00 to replace, and the fee isn't refundable. WeGo can also take away a card if the photo is faded or hard to read.
WeGo Access and Access on Demand
WeGo Access is door-to-door paratransit within Davidson County for people with disabilities who can't use the regular bus. You need to be certified first. Rides cost $3.70, run from 4:45 a.m. to 1 a.m. every day, and must be booked one to seven days ahead (by 4:30 p.m. the day before). To book, call 615-880-3970. For eligibility questions, call 615-880-3596.
Certified Access riders can also use Access on Demand. You can book a taxi-style ride with Mobility Solutions, zTrip, American Music City Taxi or Uber as little as 15 to 30 minutes ahead. You pay the first $5, WeGo pays up to the next $30, and you pay anything over a $35 total. Journey Pass covers regular Access trips but not Access on Demand.
Before you call
☐ A valid photo ID (both programs)
☐ One current benefit letter or SNAP approval screen (Journey Pass)
☐ Proof of age, a Medicare card, or one disability document (Discount ID)
☐ A filled-out Discount Card Application, Sections 1–3 (plus Section 4 for a disability)
☐ $3.00 for the Discount ID processing fee
☐ Your name, date of birth and a phone number or email to register the Journey Pass card
WHAT TO DO THIS WEEK
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Last checked: October 23, 2026. Prices, documents, event dates and hours come from WeGo's fare, Journey Pass and Access pages, its Discount Card Application, and Nashville.gov.
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