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Lost

Lost something on public transport?

How to track down an item left on a bus, train, tram, or taxi by contacting the right transport operator.

Items left on buses, trains, trams, and taxis around Madison are usually handed in to the operator's lost property team — the trick is contacting the right one quickly.

  1. Identify the operator. Note the route, line, or company and the rough time. Each operator runs its own lost property process.
  2. Submit a lost property report. Use the operator's online form or phone line as soon as possible; recovered items are logged against your description.
  3. For taxis and rideshare, contact the driver or company directly through your booking or app receipt.
  4. Keep your reference. Save any report number so you can chase it up.
  5. Post a listing. Add a listing for Madison in case a fellow passenger picked it up.

Check the local transport resources below for the operators serving Madison.

Helpful resources for Madison

Recent reports in Madison

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Lost belts near Capitol Square, Madison

I lost belts around 4:15 p.m. on Saturday, near Capitol Square in Madison, after ducking into a coffee cart on West Main Street for a quick refill. It's a brown leather belt with a brass buckle and a small scratch near the buckle. I've worn it every day for years, and it feels like a piece of my routine is missing when it's gone. I walked the sidewalks along State Street and checked the benches by the farmers market stalls, hoping someone found it and kept it safe. If it turns up near the fountain by the Capitol steps, that would be a relief; it's more than just an accessory, it's got a lot of my memories attached to it.

Capitol Square, Madison 3 days ago
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lost violins in Madison, WI

Last night at 9:05 PM I realized my two violins were lost from the stand outside the Overture Center on State Street in Madison. I retraced my steps along State Street toward Capitol Square, hoping a kind passerby had tucked them somewhere safe. The cases felt lighter than I remember, and the red ribbon on the bow looked familiar under the streetlights. I’m anxious about an upcoming recital and can’t sleep imagining them still out there. If you saw anything near the Overture Center, please report it through the site.

outside the Overture Center on State Street 7 days ago
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Lost student ID near Memorial Union, Madison

I lost my student ID around 11:30 a.m. Tuesday near Memorial Union Terrace on the UW–Madison campus in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. The card is plain, with my name Isabella Chen and a small corner dent—the kind of thing you rely on every day for library access and class entry. Since I’ve got back-to-back lectures this week, I’m anxious about missing my first classes and the late library checkouts. If you found it, please hold onto it—getting it back would mean the world to me.

Memorial Union Terrace, UW–Madison campus about 1 month ago
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LOST: Flutes in Madison

While leaving a rehearsal at the UW-Madison campus, I realized my flutes were gone. I was walking down State Street toward the Memorial Union Terrace around 3:40pm today, and I must have dropped them somewhere along the route. They are two silver flutes in a black soft case; the zipper is a little stiff and the inner lining is slightly worn. Losing them hurts because I rely on them for lessons and a spring recital, and Madison's campus feels oddly quiet without their sound. If anyone found them, please bring them to the campus Lost and Found near the Memorial Union.

Urgent
Outside the Memorial Union on the UW–Madison campus, State Street about 2 months ago
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Lost Coins in Madison

On Saturday at 3:10 p.m., I stepped off a bus near State Street and Capitol Square in Madison and dropped a small pouch of coins from my grandfather’s collection. The pouch slid under a bench and vanished as I hurried toward Monona Terrace for a quick coffee. The coins are a mix of Wisconsin pennies and a few older tokens, each with a story from weekend trips around the lakes and the Capitol grounds. Losing them feels like losing him again, a reminder of the time we spent exploring Madison. If someone found a small pouch with those dates, I’d be so grateful to have them back where they belong in Madison.

Capitol Square area, State Street, Madison. 2 months ago
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Lost sculptures near Capitol Square, Madison

I had just wrapped a quick photo check at the Artist's Coop near Library Mall when I realized my sculptures were gone. There are three pieces, brushed steel, about a foot tall, with intertwined curves that catch the streetlight along State Street. I left them in the back room around 9:15 pm last Friday after a quick setup, and the door had been left ajar. The space smelled of metal and rain, and I can't shake the worry that someone might have taken them. These works matter a lot to me—personal and professional—and I hope someone saw something that can help bring them back via this site.

near Capitol Square, State Street 2 months ago