POV: you’re a first-year, first-semester student. You’ve met all of these great people to hang out with and found a ton of interesting events you want to do. You’re full of energy, ready to explore the broader Twin Cities community before the summer weather fades.
So… get walking, I guess?
Not so much. If you thought it was hard enough to coordinate a newly-formed friend group into going on an outing, you haven’t seen anything yet until you have to convince all them to hoof it there, too.
That’s what makes the Twin Cities’ Metro Transit system so useful for students without cars; with careful planning, you can use it to get you and your friends wherever you need — from work, to restaurants, to grocery stores — for far cheaper than an Uber fare.
Here are some basics for using the buses and light rail system, along with some handy routes that you can take advantage of, straight from campus.
Paying for transit
For adults ages 13-64, a single transit ride costs $2 and lasts 2.5 hours, allowing you to transfer routes on the way. For more than one trip (like a round-trip to work and back, for instance), you can buy an all-day pass for $4 and take as many trips as you need until 2 a.m.
To pay for your ride, you can either use the Metro Transit app on your phone — which can store your credit card information for quick purchases — or load up your fare charges on a Go-To Card, which you can tap to pay as you get on. Cards can be bought from machines at major stations or purchased online and shipped directly to you, as well.
You can also pay directly in cash at the front of the bus and ask the bus driver for a transfer.
Using your phone tends to be the most versatile payment option, as you’re less likely to misplace it or run out of funds in a pinch.
Riding and navigating
To keep yourself on track during the ride, I recommend using generic Apple Maps, set to the Transit option. This will provide you with a convenient map and set of directions to follow that is typically fairly up-to-date on delays or route changes.
Metro Transit’s Trip Planner feature is also an option if you prefer the information straight from the source — or don’t have an iPhone — but the lack of a map makes it less convenient to track precisely how far you are from your next stop.
A map also provides a clearer sense of where the physical stop itself is located, which is a big help at certain corners in downtown Minneapolis that have multiple stops on the same street, or in a major transit center where several routes converge in one place. Regardless, keeping your wits about you and paying attention to signage is a must, lest you accidentally take the right bus in the wrong direction.
Staying safe
Awareness is also important for your safety when on transit. It should be noted that the ride is typically worry-free and that drivers, operators and transit security officers are there to intervene in especially dicey situations. Keeping the number for Metro Transit’s Text for Safety system (612-900-0411) saved in your phone is a good idea for emergencies and general peace of mind.
In any case — whether it be on a bus, in a light rail car or at a stop — removing yourself from a dangerous situation as quickly as you can is often the right idea.
Important routes
Trip planning on Metro Transit varies, and it’s always good to check the schedule before a trip in case a route change or unexpected delay throws a wrench in your plans. Still, here are a handful of routes passing by St. Thomas that will rarely serve you wrong.
The 63
This tried-and-true route hits one of the most accessible corners on campus at Cretin and Summit Avenues right outside Anderson Student Center. From there, it can easily be taken to downtown St. Paul, headed east — with multiple nifty retail spots to hit on Grand Avenue along the way — or up to the light rail station on University Avenue if you take it headed west.
- Catch it at: The corner of Cretin and Summit Avenues
- Takes you to: Downtown St. Paul (eastbound); light rail station (westbound)
- Frequency: Runs every 15 minutes until 7 p.m. on weekdays, less frequently until 1 a.m.
The Green Line
You may have to take the 63 to get to the light rail station on University Avenue, but once you’re there, the Green line provides a clean-cut ticket to both ends of the metro area. Take it west, and you’ll arrive at the heart of the University of Minnesota’s Minneapolis campus before continuing deep into downtown Minneapolis, near Target Field. Headed east, it will get you to Union Depot in downtown St. Paul — which Amtrak runs out of — with a stop at the State Capitol along the way.
- Catch it at: Raymond Ave. Station
- Takes you to: State Capitol, downtown St. Paul (eastbound); U of M, downtown Minneapolis (westbound)
- Frequency: Every 12-15 minutes until midnight on weekdays
The B Line
The recently-established rapid B line is a great, quick option to both head east toward downtown St. Paul and travel west down Lake Street. On Lake, you can reach a variety of businesses and other transit lines, like the E Line, which can take you to Edina, and the Blue Line, which you can take south to both the airport and the Mall of America. Criminal activity has been known to increase as you go further west down Lake, according to city crime data, but as always, being aware of your surroundings goes a long way in staying safe.
- Catch it at: Cretin and Marshall Avenues or Cleveland and Marshall Avenues
- Takes you to: Downtown St. Paul (eastbound); Lake Street, Blue Line station (westbound)
- Frequency: Every 12-15 minutes until 1 a.m. on weekdays
The 87
Need a full-day shopping trip to refresh on food or clothes? Buying an all-day pass and hopping on the 87 bus northbound to Rosedale Center mall is a perfect solution. It runs less frequently than most others, but the route’s proximity to campus can’t be beat. It can get you either to the mall or to Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport if you take it south and transfer to the 54 for one stop.
- Catch it at: Multiple stops along Cleveland Avenue
- Takes you to: Rosedale Center (northbound); MSP airport (southbound)
- Frequency: Every 30 minutes until 11 p.m. on weekdays
Information about routes and stops has been sourced from the Metro Transit website; check there for more detailed and updated information.
Kevin Lynch can be reached at lync1832@stthomas.edu.
