ROUTE 3 · DAILY SERVICE

Route 3 AMA: Sagrado Corazón – Old San Juan (Covadonga)

Route 3 links Sagrado Corazón Station on the Urban Train with the San Juan Covadonga Terminal, at the gates of Old San Juan. It is the most practical way to reach the old town by public transport: it runs every day until 11:00 p.m. and is one of only three AMA routes with Sunday service.

Route
Sagrado ⇄ San Juanvia Ponce de León
Type
Trunkexclusive lane
Frequency
10-30 mindepending on time
Days
AllSundays included
💚 Right now the service is free. Fare collection on AMA buses and the Urban Train has been suspended since March 2024. You do not need to pay or carry a card to ride Route 3.

Route and stops

Route 3 runs largely along the train’s exclusive lane and Avenida Ponce de León, the axis crossing Santurce. This is ATI’s official route in the Sagrado Corazón → San Juan direction:

  • Sagrado Corazón Station — Urban Train connection
  • Ave. Ponce de León
  • Train exclusive lane
  • San Juan Covadonga Terminal

In the opposite direction, from San Juan to Sagrado Corazón, the journey runs in reverse: Covadonga Terminal, train exclusive lane, Ave. Ponce de León and Sagrado Corazón station.

Route based on ATI’s official itinerary. Check the official route map or the Transit app for real-time detail.

Schedule and frequency

Route 3 has the widest operating hours of the whole AMA network: it runs until 11:00 p.m. seven days a week. These are ATI’s official times:

Direction Days First trip Last trip
San Juan → Sagrado Corazón Monday to Friday 5:00 a.m. 11:00 p.m.
San Juan → Sagrado Corazón Sat, Sun and holidays 6:00 a.m. 11:00 p.m.
Sagrado Corazón → San Juan Monday to Friday 5:00 a.m. 10:55 p.m.
Sagrado Corazón → San Juan Sat, Sun and holidays 5:55 a.m. 10:55 p.m.

Weekday frequency, by time band:

Time band Frequency
5:00 – 6:00 a.m. every 15-20 min
6:00 – 9:00 a.m. (peak) every 10 min
9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. every 20 min
3:00 – 6:00 p.m. (peak) every 10 min
6:00 – 11:00 p.m. every 30 min

Saturdays, Sundays and holidays: every 20 minutes from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., and every 30 minutes from 6:00 to 11:00 p.m.

AMA schedules can change and are not always kept exactly. Check the real arrival time in the official Transit app before leaving.

Fare

Right now travel is free because fare collection is suspended. When ATI restores fares, the price of Route 3 will be:

General fare
$0.75
Student
$0.60
Half fare
$0.35

Payment will be made when boarding, with exact change or with the travel card sold at Urban Train stations. The card allows free transfers between train and bus within a 2-hour window.

Urban Train connection

Route 3 starts at Sagrado Corazón, the Urban Train’s terminal station on the San Juan side. That makes it the natural continuation of the train towards the old town, which the Urban Train does not reach:

  • 🚆Connection at Sagrado CorazónGet off the train and take Route 3 to Old San Juan
  • 🎫Free transferTrain ⇄ bus within 2 hours with the travel card

Sagrado Corazón is the station with the most bus connections in the network: besides Route 3, routes 1, 2, 9, 10, 15, 21, 22, 35, 36 and 45 stop there.

Route 3 and Old San Juan

The Urban Train does not reach Old San Juan. Route 3 covers exactly that missing stretch, dropping you at the San Juan Covadonga Terminal, from where the historic quarter is reachable on foot: Calle del Cristo, Plaza de Armas, Castillo San Felipe del Morro and Castillo San Cristóbal.

Along the way, the route runs down Avenida Ponce de León through Santurce, so it also serves the Luis A. Ferré Fine Arts Center and the Puerto Rico Museum of Art.

⚠️ If you are heading back at night, mind the time: the last trip from Covadonga Terminal towards Sagrado Corazón leaves at 10:55 p.m. After that there is no bus back and you will need a taxi or private service.

Frequently asked questions

How much does Route 3 cost right now?
Nothing. Fare collection on AMA buses and the Urban Train has been suspended since March 2024, so riding Route 3 is free. When collection resumes, the general fare will be $0.75.
Does Route 3 reach Old San Juan?
Yes. It ends at the San Juan Covadonga Terminal, at the gates of the old town. It covers the stretch the Urban Train does not reach, since the closest train station is Sagrado Corazón.
Does it run on Sundays?
Yes. Route 3 is one of only three AMA routes with Sunday service, along with routes 30 and 40. On Saturdays, Sundays and holidays it runs from 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., every 20 minutes until 6:00 p.m. and every 30 minutes afterwards.
How often does Route 3 run?
On weekdays, every 10 minutes at peak times (6:00-9:00 a.m. and 3:00-6:00 p.m.), every 20 minutes off-peak and every 30 minutes from 6:00 p.m. On weekends and holidays, every 20 or 30 minutes depending on the time.
How late can I get back from Old San Juan?
The last trip from Covadonga Terminal towards Sagrado Corazón leaves at 10:55 p.m., every day. If you leave later there is no bus service and you will need a taxi or ride-hailing service. Note also that the Urban Train runs until 11:30 p.m.