Plan the return trip first

Open the transit agency’s trip planner and enter the meeting address as your starting point. Set the departure after the posted meeting end, adding enough time to find the stop. If you need to transfer, check the second route separately. The last bus leaving the first stop may arrive too late for the last useful connection.

Confirm the correct direction and stop location. Two stops with the same street name can be on opposite sides of a busy road. Check the agency’s service alerts for detours and holiday timetables. Save the stop name and departure time where you can find them if your battery runs low.

Walk the route on paper

Look for the place where you will leave the building, the crossing you need and the space where you can wait. If you need step-free access, check the route beyond the venue entrance. Ask the meeting contact if an evening exit leads to a different side of the building. Our accessible AA meeting guide has questions you can ask before visiting.

If the margin is tight, decide when you will stand up. A quiet word to the chair before the meeting can help you feel less awkward about leaving early. Choose a seat that lets you go without asking several people to move. If you miss the conversation afterward, ask when there is more time to talk.

Have one backup you can reach

Choose a backup that will actually be available at that hour. You might agree on a pickup with someone you trust, pick an earlier meeting, or use the online meeting details you saved for an evening you cannot travel. If someone will pick you up, name the entrance or a visible landmark. Our meeting ride and pickup guide explains how to agree on a public pickup point.

Check the route again before the next visit if service varies by day. A weekday schedule you saved may have little bearing on a holiday or weekend. If you are sharing transit directions with the group, include the agency’s link so the next visitor can check their own departure.

Medallions to consider

If you are collecting a medallion and need to leave promptly, ask the volunteer whether a short handover before the meeting would suit everyone involved.

Both catalog photos show one-year samples. Confirm your choice in the Sobriety Time selector.

Tricolor Enchanted Crimson Topaz Sparkle

Elite crimson design with a stone-set triangle. The selector lists 18 months and annual milestones from 1 to 65 years.

Tricolor Glittering Aqua

Deluxe aqua design with a white triangle. The selector lists 24 hours, 18 months and annual milestones from 1 to 50 years.

Common questions

Should I trust an estimated bus time?

Use current agency updates where available and build in enough time for a walk or transfer. Recheck the stop and route before heading out.

Can I leave the meeting early?

You can plan a quiet exit. If the room layout or format makes that hard, ask the meeting contact before you go.