Minnesota Metro Information
A bus and light rail rapid transit system serving the people in the Minnesota metropolitan area of Minneapolis-St.Paul, METRO commenced operations early at the turn of the century. As per data released in 2014, the system comprises three different lines serving as a connection between Minneapolis-St.Paul International Airport and Bloomingdale with St.Paul and Downtown Minneapolis. Numerous extensions have been proposed with many of them in the planning stages. The network is operated by the Minnesota Valley Transit Authority and Metro Transit with each of them having a well defined area of operation.
Minnesota Metro Fare
Frequent travelers can make fare payments using a Go-To-Card. The card provides savings of at least 10%. Using this card, fare for adults aged 13-64 years, during off peak times is $1.75, while the fare during peak times (from 6:00-9:00 am and 3:00-6:30 pm) is $2.25. The reduced fare for Senior citizens aged 65+, youth in the age group 6-12 years and Medicare card holders, is $0.75 and $2.25 ($3 for Medicare card holders) during the off peak and peak hours respectively. For people with eligible disabilities, the fare is $0.75 for both peak and off peak hours. The fare is inclusive of a two and a half hour transfer, excluding the Downtown Zone. The Downtown zone fare is $0.50 for both peak and off peak hours.
People who ride the metro occasionally or want to buy a single ride can pay using tickets or tokens. One token is valid for one ride on the metro and buses during off peak times. Similarly a one ride coupon is valid for one ride on metro lines and buses.
Tourists can purchase a Day Pass for $6.00. The pass provides unlimited rides for 24 hours on all metro lines and buses. There is also an option for unlimited rides for a period of 6 hours on all metro lines and buses, with an Event 6-Hour Pass. Its price ranges between $1.50-$4.00 depending on the customer type and time of day.
For more information on tickets and fares, visit
http://www.metrotransit.org/tickets-tokens
http://www.metrotransit.org/fares
The system also offers various types of passes which provide unlimited rides on metro lines and buses, in addition to the benefits of a Go-To-Card. These passes are made available through employers/ companies, schools and organizations. The Metropass is the pass which a company provides and costs $76 per month. A Student Pass can be obtained through schools. A college pass can be obtained through respective colleges and costs $175 and less per semester. Similarly there is a U-Pass for students of University of Minnesota.
Click to view Fares & Pass Information or to use the official Trip Planner
Minnesota Metro Map
Map of Minnesota Metro showing its lines and stations. Click on the map to enlarge it.
Minnesota Metro Hours
The metro operates 24 hours a day. The frequency between trains is 10 minutes during day time. On weekends and during nights, the time interval between trains increases. Part of the METRO service runs for twenty-four hours a day and is one among six other rapid transit systems in the USA to offer such convenience of service to its commuters.
Minnesota Metro Lines
The metro has three lines, Blue, Green and Red that serve 41 stations.
- The Blue line services Target field station-Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport-Mall of America.
- The Green line services Target field station-University of Minnesota-Union Depot.
- The Red line services Mall of America-Apple valley transit station.
Three different projects make up the present METRO system in Minnesota. The Green Line and Blue Line are the light rail transit lines operating together in the downtown Minneapolis region on shared tracks of around one-mile length. The BRT Red Line is an extension to the Blue Line and travels across the Minnesota River. There, it has a connection with the southern suburbs at as many as four different stations. But for the high demand of ridership in the region, it would have been financially unfeasible to carry out the extension work of the Blue Line across the Minnesota River.
The Blue and Green Light Rail Lines run over a track length of nearly thirty-five kilometers with a combined forty-one stations in between them. The Blue and Green Lines share five of these stations while the former shares only one station with the Red Line. The Target Field Station in Minneapolis is the main hub of the Minneapolis METRO system though many feel that the Union Depot in St.Paul should be planned and developed as an additional hub moving forward into the future.
Each of the three existing lines are expected to undergo major expansions over the decade while a fourth line-the Orange line- is planned to be operated parallel to the Red Line, not as a rail service but as a bus rapid transit system.
Minnesota Metro Rules and Tips
The metro system provides hundreds of free park and ride slots. Most of the park and ride lots do not provide overnight parking. Mall of America does not provide any park and ride lots. Suburban Northstar stations provide overnight parking spaces for up to seven nights.
The metro system has a Lost and Found office for items that are left behind on the trains and buses. The items are turned into this office by 8:30 am of the next working day. The items are retained here for two weeks. Bicycles that are left behind can be found in the Lost and Found office in 2-3 working days and they are retained for one week. The office is located at 570 Sixth Avenue North in Minneapolis and is open from 7:30 am to 5:30 pm on weekdays. It is closed on weekends and public holidays.