Ins and Outs of Getting Around Saint Louis

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During the week, the eastbound train runs from 4:28 a.m. to 12:11 a.m., while the westbound train is in operation from 4:03 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. On weekends, the eastbound train runs from 5:32 a.m. until 11:17 p.m., while the westbound train is open from 5:34 a.m. to 10:53 p.m.

The MetroLink operates at varying intervals throughout the day. During rush hour, the train services the downtown area every five minutes, while stops are made at outlying stations every ten minutes.
From 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on weekdays, the MetroLink offers a Ride-Free-Zone. During that time, riders can travel between the Arch-Laclede’s Landing station and Union Station at no cost.

For riders with disabilities, MetroLink cars feature priority seating. All MetroLink stations are accessible by ramp or elevator.

Thomas Shrout, Jr., Executive Director of Citizens for Modern Transit, suggests people who are relocating should consider settling near a Metro stop.

“There are lots of opportunities in housing choices these days for a person that lives and works near a Metro stop,” explains Shrout, “ranging from high-rise condominium projects in the central west (section of St. Louis County) to lofts downtown to single family residences in a number of locations in both Missouri and Illinois.

The MetroBus service has also expanded. “The ridership on the bus system has gone up 7 percent over the last few years,” Shrout says. “First, the gas prices have increased. Second, a new management team at the Metro has gone in and reconfigured a lot of the bus routes to better serve people, and they’ve improved the reliability of the bus system. The on-time performance of the current bus system is now above 90 percent.”

MetroBus has developed a single route (93 Midtown) to help conventioneers and tourists visit more of St. Louis’ attractions. The route serves primary downtown hotels and connects many tourist venues, including Soulard, the Anheuser-Busch Brewery, City Museum, Grand Center, Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis, the Missouri Botanical Garden, and the Euclid and Hill area business districts.

Planning a weekend get-a-way? No problem. St. Louis also has a variety of transit options designed to get you in and out of the city with ease.

Greyhound Bus Lines has two major bus stops in the St. Louis metro area- one at 1450 North 13th Street and another at Lambert Field. Greyhound offers routes from St. Louis to Chicago; Indianapolis; Evansville, Ind.; Sikeston, Mo.; Jonesboro, Ark.; Springfield, Mo.; and Kansas City.

For those wanting to travel by train, Amtrak has a downtown station and one in Kirkwood with service to Kansas City and Chicago with many stops available in between.

If your needs require taking to the air, there is Lambert-St. Louis International Airport. As the primary airport for St. Louis, Lambert sits just outside the city’s limits covering 2,800 acres and growing. Lambert recently underwent a $1.059 billion expansion program, including the first new runway in 50 years and a new route for Lindbergh Boulevard between Interstate 70 and Hazelwood, including the first traffic tunnel in Missouri.

In addition to Lambert, there are several other smaller airports in the area available including the Spirit of Saint Louis Airport near Chesterfield, Mo., the Creve Coeur Airport in Maryland Heights, Mo., and MidAmerica Airport, which is 25 miles from downtown St. Louis, in Mascoutah, Illinois.

For more information visit the Missouri Department of Revenue at www.dor.mo.gov, or the Citizens for Modern Transit site at www.cmt-stl.org.