MetroLink is the light rail system that serves the area of Greater St. Louis in Missouri and Metro East Illinois. The system has 2 lines and 37 stations and transports an average of 53 thousand people every day.
MetroLink began its service on July 31, 1993 with the North Hanley to 5th & Missouri red line section. MetroLink is operated by the Bi-State Development Agency, and is working as underground since 2003, with a tariff system integrated with Metrobus lines.
In 2014 was the largest system of light rails in the western half of the United States in terms of use, and the tenth of the United States.
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Metrolink lines and stations
The St. Louis Metrolink currently has 37 stations and a total of 73.3 kilometers of tracks. Only 13 stations are exclusive to the red line, 9 exclusive to the blue line and the 15 remaining are shared by the two lines. 16 stations are located in St. Louis, Missouri and 11 in St. Clair County in Illinois.
Red Line
MetroLink red line has a total length of 61kms and 28 stations. It starts at the Lambert St. Louis International Airport station in Missouri and reaches Shiloh-Scott in Illinois. The stations are at surface level or underground. Stations: Lambert Airport Main, Lambert Airport East, North Hanley, UMSL North, UMSL South, Rock Road, Wellston Delmar Loop, Blue Line, Forest Park-DeBaliviere, Central West End, Grand, Ewing Yard, Union Station, Civic Center, Stadium, 8th & Pine, Convention Center, Arch-Laclede’s Landing, Mississippi River, East Riverfront, 5th & Missouri, Emerson Park, Jackie Joyner-Kersee Center, 29th Street Yard, Washington Park, Fairview Heights, Memorial Hospital, Swansea, Belleville, College, Shiloh-Scott
The red line meets the blue line in the Forest Park-DeBaliviere station. From here to the Fairview Heights station shares the route with the blue line.
Blue Line
This line has a total length of 39 kms and serves 24 stations. Some of them are elevated, some others are on the surface and some are underground. The blue line is operational since August 2006. It is the newest line. The line begins at Shrewsbury stations in Missouir and goes to Fairview Heights in Illinois. Stations: Shrewsbury-Lansdowne I-44, Sunnen, Maplewood-Manchester, Brentwood I-64, Richmond Heights, Clayton, Forsyth, University City-Big Bend, Skinker, Red Line, Forest Park-DeBaliviere, Central West End, Grand, Ewing Yard, Union Station, Civic Center, Stadium, 8th & Pine, Convention Center, Arch-Laclede’s Landing, Mississippi River, East Riverfront, 5th & Missouri, Emerson Park, Jackie Joyner-Kersee Center, 29th Street Yard, Washington Park, Fairview Heights.
Accesibility
Each car has 4 priority seats reserved for disabled users.
All Metrolink stations are accessible by ramps or elevators.
¿How to use MetroLink?
Buy your ticket, pass or transfer in vending machines in any station. You can pay in cash or with credit/debit card.
If you are going to just take a trip, buy a One-Ride ticket, valid for two hours in a direction. The price is $2.50.
If you plan to ride aswell the Metrobus, buy a MetroLink pass for 2 hours. With this ticket you can use both systems without restriction for 2 hours for $3.00
Metro One-Day Pass allows you to use MetroLink and Metrobus interchangeably and unlimited for a day for $7.50.
Validate your ticket if it’s not already pre-validated. If you are caught travelling in the wrong direction for your ticket or with an invalid ticket, you will have to pay a fine and leave the Metrolink.
Bike & Ride
Each MetroLink car is equipped with a rack for 2 bikes, available for the first come first served.
Since MetroLink encourage the use of bicycles in public transport and even connects to bicycle lanes in the area. There are also racks for bicycle parking at stations. The only restrictions for the use of bicycles is that the car is not very crowded and to enter in using the rear door, leaving the other passengers go first. Nor can ride the bike on the platforms or in lifts or ramps.
Park & Ride
There are park lots for your vehicle in almost all stations for free or almost. You can check out in the map of Park and Ride
Security and safety
There is security and surveillance staff at the stations. All stations are monitored 24 hours 7 days a week.
Interesting Links
- Iphone app: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/metro-on-the-go-saint-louis/id951906358?mt=8
- Android app: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.metrostlouis.onthego
- Trip Planner: http://tripplanner.metrostlouis.org/
- Metrolink Ticket calculator: http://www.metrostlouis.org/RidingMetro/dumpthepump.aspx
