Green Line 101:

Posted
Your Guide to Riding the Rail

June2014_LRT101_feat

By JILL BOOGREN The Green Line is fast approaching. Here’s what you need to know to hop aboard. Where can I go?
June2014_LRT101_3 A man uses the ticket machine at the Downtown East Station in Minneapolis. This station is the first opportunity to change to the Blue Line (to travel to the airport and Mall of America). The Green and Blue Lines share stations from here to Target Field. (Photo by Jill Boogren)[/caption] The Green Line will go from Union Depot in Downtown St. Paul to Target Field in Minneapolis. The Blue Line goes from Target Field to the Airport and Mall of America. You can switch to the Blue Line anywhere from the Downtown East (former Metrodome) Station to Target Field. In all, the Green Line has 18 stations, plus the five it shares with the Blue Line. A map of the route can be found at www.metrotransit.org/greenline. Route maps are also posted inside every rail vehicle. How long does it take? Travel between the two downtowns will take 48 minutes. From the Snelling Ave. station it will be 28 minutes to Union Depot and 20 minutes to Target Field. Stations are 2-3 minutes apart. How much does it cost? Single trips are $2.25 at rush hour (Mon.-Fri. 6-9am and 3-6:30pm, except holidays), $1.75 other times of day. Tickets are valid for 2.5 hours. Reduced Rates of $0.75 are available for non-rush hour travel for youth (age 6-12), seniors (age 65+), and Medicare card holders. Persons with disabilities always pay $0.75. Children age 5 and under are free with paying customer. Adults can buy an Event 6-Hour Pass for $4 on weekdays, $3.50 on weekends ($3 weekdays, $1.50 weekends for youth, seniors, Medicare card holders and Mobility customers). You can also get a Day Pass for $6, good for 24 hours. How do I pay? There are no fare boxes on trains; you must pay before getting on. Police officers will randomly ask to see proof of fare payment on trains and stations. Pay at the station by feeding dollar bills ($1, $5, $10, and $20), coins, or a credit card into the ticket machine. Select ticket/pass. Insert payment. You can buy for more than one person if it’s the same ticket type by selecting “Purchase additional tickets.” Pick up ticket(s) and any change from the tray at the bottom of the machine. Keep your ticket with you as proof of payment.
June2014_LRT101_4 Go-To Card (Photo by Jill Boogren)[/caption] For added convenience (and savings), get a Go-To Card. This lets you store an amount (or a pass) on the card, so instead of hunting for change on the platform you just press your card against the Go-To Card machine. You can add more value at your convenience, or even sign up to have value refilled automatically. Purchasing stored value greater than $5 gets you a 10% bonus. Multi-Day (31-day and 7-day) and 10-ride passes are also available. Be sure to check at your workplace, college, or high school to see if they have passes for employees (Metropass), students (U-Pass, College Pass or Student Pass) and faculty. Go-To Cards and other passes can be purchased online at www.metrotransit.org/passes-go-to-cards or at service centers (see sidebar). Call 612-373-3333 (to refill Go-To Cards only). How do I ride?
June2014_LRT101_6 People at the Downtown East Station in Minneapolis prepare to board a train. Stations are signposted by the direction the train is going, in this case to St. Paul (if Green Line) or the Mall of America (if Blue Line). (Photo by Jill Boogren)[/caption] Go to the side of the platform that is signposted with the direction you wish to go. The front of each train, above the operator’s cab, will be marked with a blue or green “block” to show which line it is, along with the destination. When can I ride? Green Line trains will run 24 hours a day at 10-minute intervals for much of each day. In early morning and late evening intervals gradually increase until it goes to hourly in the middle of the night. At Snelling Ave. these 10-min. intervals are between about 5-6am and 9-10pm, depending on which direction you’re going. At other times trains come every 15-20 minute intervals then hourly between midnight and 4am (again, depending on direction). There’s a gap in service on the Blue Line in the middle of the night, too, so be sure to check the schedule. The schedule shifts on the weekends, with extended hours on Friday and Saturday nights. Timetables are found at each station. Look at the direction you wish to go (i.e. to Union Depot, Target Field, or Mall of America) and whether it’s a weekday, Saturday or Sunday. Then find your departure time. Schedules for the Green Line and all connecting buses are now posted online at www.metrotransit.org/green-line-buses. Printed schedules can be found on buses, at libraries, and at other public locations. What if I use a wheelchair? All rail cars are accessible by wheelchair, with level boarding so wheels roll directly onto the train. There are labels indicating priority seating near vehicle doors. Can I bring a bike, or luggage?
June2014_LRT101_5 Inside the train: Priority seating for persons with disabilities is situated next to the door. Bikes can be brought on board and parked vertically, held upright by a hook. Route maps are posted above each door. (photo by Jill Boogren)[/caption] There are four bike racks per car. Bikes are parked vertically, by pushing the back wheel forward and lifting the front wheel up into a holding arm. Luggage is carry-on. WiFi? There’s no wireless connection available on the train for your wireless devices. Is there parking? There is some paid ramp parking and street parking along the line, but no new park and rides. “We anticipate that a large share of riders will connect by bus or walk up,” said Metro Transit Spokesperson John Siqveland. Can I transfer to a bus? Yes! Metro Transit expects that a third of Green Line riders will transfer to, or from, buses. Any ticket or Go-To Card is good for a bus. You can also hop on the train if you have a valid bus ticket. Ask the bus operator for a transfer, good for 90 minutes. Look for major changes in bus service to go into effect once the trains start running. Changes involve 17 routes (see story on page 8), including the addition of a new bus line (Route 83) that will run along Lexington Pkwy. between the Roseville SuperTarget and Summit Brewery on W. 7th St. Route 50 will be replaced by the Green Line, and buses 8 and 144 will be eliminated, but other routes will have expanded hours and direct routes to Green Line stations. Trip planning assistance is available at www.metrotransit.org or by calling 612-373-3333. According to Siqveland, staff will be out at heavily-trafficked transit locations throughout June passing out schedules and materials. Safety: LOOK BOTH WAYS! Listen up! These trains are quiet. Unlike freight trains, you might not hear a light-rail train approaching, and it could come from either direction. Pay attention to all traffic signals and warning signs, and look both ways before crossing the tracks by car, bicycle, wheelchair, or on foot. A key difference between the Green Line and the Blue Line is that along University there aren’t any signal arms like the gates at intersections along Hiawatha Ave. This means it’s especially important for motorists and pedestrians to watch and listen for all signals. When a train is approaching, you’ll see a light rail train icon that flashes, and you’ll hear bells. Look both ways, every time, at every crossing. Pedestrians: cross only at designated crosswalks. At Snelling Ave., for example, this means east of the station, mid-block. Motorists: stop for pedestrians at crosswalks. It’s safe, and it’s the law. Security According to Siqveland, 22 newly-hired full-time officers, in uniform and plain clothes, will be dedicated to patrolling the Green Line 24/7. These are in addition to those who already patrol buses. At platform areas, there are multiple pan-tilt cameras, monitored remotely by supervisors, plus call boxes on stations for people to call if there’s any trouble. On board trains there are camera monitors, as well as call boxes where people can directly communicate with the rail operator.

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