Fairfax Connector

A Fairfax Connector New Flyer D40LFR at Pentagon City Station
Locale	Fairfax County, Virginia, U.S.
Service area	180 square miles
Service type	bus service
Routes	85
Stops	4,061
Fleet	Orion New Flyer
Daily ridership	30,500 (Q2 2016)
Annual ridership	9,348,500 (2015)
Fuel type	Diesel
Operator	MV Transportation
Website	Fairfax Connector

Fairfax Connector is a public bus service provided by Fairfax County, Virginia, United States, and operated under contract by MV Transportation. The first buses rolled out in September 1985 as a lower-cost alternative to the Metrobus service of the regional Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority. The original routes connected the southern part of the county (near the Mount Vernon Estate) to the Huntington Metro station which borders Alexandria. This area continues to be the core of the system, and is noted for the number of residents in the Richmond Highway area who use the service at all times of the day.

Fairfax Connector, or simply "The Connector", has since expanded to 50-odd routes spanning much of the county. In 1994, the service was extended to the high-technology industrial areas of suburban Reston and Herndon, located between Washington, D.C. and Washington Dulles International Airport. Along State Route 267 (the Dulles Toll Road), express buses carry commuters from free park-and-ride lots to the Washington Metro system. In June 2009, service was transitioned from the Metrobus 2W, 12-, and 20-series routes to the Connector in the Centreville, Chantilly, and Oakton areas along I-66 and near Vienna/Fairfax-GMU Station.

Fares are paid in cash (exact change), Metrobus weekly unlimited bus "flash" pass, or WMATA issued SmarTrip card. The fare for local routes for riders paying cash and SmarTrip is $1.75. Discounted transfers between local buses to and from Metrorail cost $1.25 and are available only to SmarTrip users. The fare for express Bus 495 (F, G, J, M) is $4.00 cash or $3.65 SmarTrip. The fare for express buses 394, 395 and 981 is $5.35. An express fare of $7.50 is charged on routes 595 and 597. There is no SmarTrip discount for express routes except for 495 buses. A $5 round trip fare or $4.50 SmarTrip with rail to bus transfer is charged for the Wolf Trap shuttle 480 operated by the Connector. As of January 4, 2009, Fairfax Connector no longer issues or accepts paper transfers. Seniors and disabled persons ride on local and express buses 394, 395, 981 for $0.90 ($0.80 with SmarTrip), $2.00 ($1.80 with SmarTrip) on express buses 495 (F, G, J, M) and $7.50 on express buses 595 and 597 or free on all routes with a valid MetroAccess ID card.