I thought BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) took the award for the worst transit system website (notes here: http://www.yelp.com/biz/E_gJNt58BLuAOeW9O42ySw?hrid=b8SZRWHCLgg4BwbiST0Awg) But MARTA is worse. There's no trip planner. I can't belive that a major metro transit site WOULDN"T have a trip planner - yeah - because visitors don't need it, right? It was so frustrating to have to try to plan my own travel logisitcs using the marta site, yelp and google maps. OTherwise - it got me from A to B. The trains were clean. But really - 2 words - trip planner read more

So I don't know how I ended up reading reviews of MARTA, but I feel compelled to write. Yes, MARTA is limited. Blame that on suburbs/state government "MARTA = crime" bullshit mentality. All we can do is vote for it and vote for those who support it to show we do care. Other than that, let's move along. MARTA is public transportation that's been around since the 70s. The 70s. It's not brand new, so it's not going to be spotless. People can be gross, hence the random trash you occasionally find, but again - it's public transportation! Sucky MARTA experience? All you have to do is know where you're going and how it works. That's it. It's not hard. The trains go in four directions. Up, down, left and right - literally. Look at a schedule online and know that if it's at night you may wait up to 20 minutes. C'est la vie. Buck up people. It works for the daytime commute for those of us in town. That's why I live in town. I've lived in Midtown for three years without a car. I take MARTA (or Zipcar) everywhere. The buses generally go down the same road your car would take to get you from A to B, so they're not some big evil people make them out to be. If you live far out, I'm sorry, that has to be a shitty, long commute. read more

People who are afraid to ride MARTA are a bunch of chicken-s*!t cowards. Coming from the airport it's easy and efficient . They have places to put your luggage and you can be out and on your way in less time than it takes to get to your car. It's true the line doesn't go alot of places (thus only 3- stars)-- the lines just make a cross through town, but you make due. If you live in the northern/ northeastern suberbs just drive to those far-north stations (Dunwoody or North Springs) and take it to the airport. Depending on when your flight leaves, it'll save you time and hardache from the freeway traffic. And if you're just coming in for a meeting in downtown, midtown or buckhead areas it's a no-brainer. Save you money and the hassel of renting a car. I wish people would just stop being so cowardly. read more

As much smack is said about Marta, I used to disagree; I went to Georgia State for grad school, and took it almost every day. It was cool to have transportation and not have to park. The only downside was the random stopping of the trains for no reason that randomly made me miss class... but that isn't my gripe. My anger about Marta is directed at the new Breeze card system. I was going to take Marta downtown to a conference recently, and I haven't taken it for quite some time. I had my $1.75 in change ready to purchase a ride pass, and was pissed off to find that the only option I had, was to buy a Breeze card for $5, and put my fares on it. In all, I had to pay $8.50 to ride Marta, just to go downtown and come back ONCE. From now on, I will drive; I could have parked downtown for $5. Marta really should know that whatever support they HAD is now gone. I will gladly give a parking attendant my $9 over Marta any day. And people wonder why everyone drives in Atlanta... it's things like this, Marta! Boo on you! read more

Marta was great. It was inexpensive, everyone wore masks, and no one bothered me. It was easy finding the bus and paying for the ticket. Will definitely be doing this more often. read more

I have been a MARTA rider since the 80s...Well a MARTA train rider as I try to avoid the busses at all costs. I have given MARTA 3 of 5 stars. I give MARTA 5 stars for going into town and for going to the airport. I find no better way to get to either . Coming back home (Sandy Springs station) after 9 pm I give MARTA 0-1 stars. Coming home is awful they cut the number of trains and it is a 17 minute wait between trains and you have to transfer again at Lindburgh after 9. So coming home from Hawks game the train at Phillips station waited for people to fill at least 2 minutes but that was enough time to miss the train from 5 points to Lindburgh so we had to wait 17 minutes. That train was late causing us to miss the North Springs train so we had to wait another 15 minutes. Coming back from Turner Field you can forget a decent ride. Delays in busses that go way out of the way to go to the West Point train station. It is best to take MARTA into town but take UBER home. In the stations the monitors are usually wrong and if they ever announce anything it is nearly impossible to understand what they are trying to say. Think Charlie Browns teacher. They have a program "see something say something" but if anything were to ever happen on the train 9 times out of 10 phone service is not working and nothing could be reported. Marta has a twitter account but they NEVER respond to anyones posts so even if there was wireless on the trains I would have little faith that anyone would even respond. read more

MARTA is Amazing!!! Now I may have a different perspective since I come from Los Angeles and I would never ever ride the bus or train anywhere! Question: Who can get you to the atl airport in 15 minutes? Answer: Nobody except Marta! Question: Who has rats running around the train tracks and crazy people yelling for no reason? Answer: Nobody except Marta! Question: Who has buses with TV's where you can play guessing games as you ride through atl? Answer: Nobody except Marta. These are all reasons why I love Marta. I know everytime I ride the train I'm going to meet atleast 5 crazy people, see a couple rats, and give money to the panhandlers. I've accepted MARTA for what it is. Cheap, reliable, FAST transportation. For 1.75 I can't complain. read more

Oh MARTA, I don't know how to bring this up so I'll just say it. I'm glad that I have you. I would miss you if you were gone, but you can be so very frustrating. I wish you would take me more places. We never go anywhere fun any more and you go to bed way too early. I have to cheat on you with my car or God forbid- a taxi- to get to most of the bars I enjoy but I do love how you always drop me off and pick me up from the airport. The rides to Midtown are always fun. I also love the Sunday trips to Decatur and cherish the times you dropped me off right at the High museum. You are always down to go to Candler park. You don't take me to Braves games, but I can always catch a ride with our good friend the Braves shuttle. I guess we can try to make this work for now. read more

It was very clean and fast. It was very shaky but it got us where we needed to go! All in all a pleasant experience and much better than anticipated! read more

Marta was very good. Parking was easy and was free. When buying your ticket it was cheap and easy. Looking at the map where to go and what train to get on was easy if you know what you're doing. Lastly getting on and off was easy and was a good trip read more

There are lots of reasons to like MARTA, but you have to maintain a perspective without comparing its infrastructure to other large cities in order to appreciate it. I've been riding every day for the last few weeks and from Buckhead to Dunwoody it's become an ideal commute alternative. The trains are clean (although I would prefer more ventilation) and even though they have a limited range you can transfer to a bus for free (plus most everything is now being built near transit stations, so walking is also a viable option). I love the new Breeze card system and it's very easy to use. I haven't quite mastered the whole "tap to transfer" thing, but that's probably more user error than anything. It's not perfect and with a little effort you can make it work to your advantage. read more

Marta is a fucking joke. The thing is, I REALLY want to like it. I REALLY want it to be a viable option for commuting to work or getting from neighborhood to neighborhood throughout the city. You simply cannot rely on buses that cannot, even once, keep to their schedule. I feel sorry for anyone who doesn't have any other options than this mismanaged system. I guess it really is no surprise the system is so unreliable when you consider many, if not most, of the employees are surly and act like they're doing you a favor by doing their job. I'm ashamed for any visitors from out of town or out of country who have a reasonable expectation of reliable and courteous transit. Marta is an embarassment to this city. Believe me, I would be one of the first to encourage using mass transit in Atlanta. However, I believe Marta needs a makeover from the bottom up. read more

I rode MARTA several times to go to the airport. It was awesome when I lived in Dekalb County. My friend could just drop me off at the nearest station, and I could just ride my way down to the airport. Not only that, you can use it to go to Phillips Arena, Ga State, Ga Dome, and possibly other places. Now, since I live in Mableton, MARTA sucks. I'm not sure who's fault it is, but they need to bring the trains to Cobb County. Speaking of which, MARTA doesn't really go anywhere except for Midtown, Downtown, and airport. I want to use MARTA to go to places, but if I have to drive 20 minutes to the nearest station, what's the point? The good thing is that it is cheap compared to the other cities' transit system. But it's probably because it doesn't go anywhere. read more

I though there was no more tuberculosis in the world...until non-stop coughing dude sharing the virus love in MARTA gave it to me! By the time this girl is trying to type these words, she's maybe more dead than alive. Although I'm mad and unfeminine because I'm sick and I feel like a-piece-of-something-worthless on a highly transited floor, at the end of the day, MARTA hasn't done any direct harm to my health. But, I do have several good reasons for those two stars. 1. I'm an aroma snob. The cluster of words the word MARTA is, combined with the word atmosphere give me the creeps. MARTA IS a new category in the world of smells. This is your typical case where a very, very distinctive yet intangible quality overgrows itself to becomes a monster. GRRRR! GRRRR! Yes, in my mind now, all stuffed with Theraflu and other OTC drugs, I see the little green cloud like those ones representing smells in cartoons, seeping through the doors of the cars with its pointy teeth and diabolic eyes, taking over my head and whispering "yes, I brought tuberculosis along this time, too!" Hey, Fantasia from the crypt! Try to understand me, MARTA lovers. I refuse to spend the $80 cab round trip to the airport or to serve as a morning roaster to my friends (I crow terribly off-key)...so...sigh...good morning, MARTA! Every time I use an elevator, I enter it rosy and exit it blue. And damn! I need to use the elevators because I take MARTA to the airport, and have bags with me. Every time I sit on a train, I had the bad luck to share the bench with someone who is not eager to soak in water as much as I do. Again, people is not MARTA (but the elevators, yeah, they could do something about it). 2. Lack of security. I usually travel by myself, and I have to take red-eyes or really early flights (Seattle, someone?). I have to confess that I never feared for myself in Atlanta until I had to be at MARTA at 6:00 AM. There is usually NO security in the premises, or the police in duty is a sweet lady into her mid 50s, who's maybe as scared as I am. Maybe it's not the case of all other stations. But Art Center...that is Art Center at 6:00 AM everyday. Rest of our mass transportation is OK. The buses are pretty neat, and my overall experience there has been good. I love having the Brezee Card, as it is convenient even though I always confuse it with my debit card and try to pay with it. I want to like it better, but...anything that pairs up in my mind with the word smelly goes down the bottom in my appreciation rates. That, and having to deal with my shaky body (at 6:00 AM in the station, and now, due to that fever that is giving me a swollen tongue). Good night, MARTA. read more

Y'all are harsh on MARTA! I mean it's cheap and pretty reliable (well at least the trains are - which is all I'm reviewing since I never really used the crappy buses much). From the airport MARTA is great. Especially if you are on business and just need to get downtown as I've had to do the last few times. I miss the coins from the 1990s but i guess the paper passes work fine too. Since I live in San Francisco and our MUNI is all kinds of funky, MARTA can remind me of home but you need more crackheads MARTA! read more

Ahhh, MARTA. You smell like urine. Your escalators are all broken. Your employees are surly. And your homeless beggars aren't at all creative. What's not to love? Here are a few of my favorite experiences when riding MARTA: Once, in my bus riding days, the driver stopped the bus halfway through the route and ran into Chik-Fil-A to buy lunch before continuing on. Riding from the airport to Doraville on the last train of the evening, there was the homeless guy who at first appeared to be sleeping, but as the train went further north and emptied out, began preaching quietly to himself, then loudly to himself, then loudly to the whole train about how we were all going to burn in hell. The girl who needed to show the whole train her massive I-don't-wanna-know-what stain on the seat of her pants before she got off at Civic Center. The homeless guy who wanted to shake my hand then wouldn't let go while the MARTA employees stood around watching and laughing. The multiple Braves shuttle bus drivers who didn't know which route they were supposed to take to or from the stadium. The time my train died halfway between North Avenue and Civic Center. We spent half an hour in the tunnel until they could send a rescue train to push us back out. I'll give them one star because at least the new black buses are nice. (Also, because that's the minimum.) read more

I've only ridden a MARTA bus once in my 12 years in this city, so this review is about the trains. There's no better way to get to and from the airport than via MARTA., particularly during rush hour. Even when my 70-year-old parents come through Atlanta to fly internationally, we drop them off and pick them up at MARTA. It's just so much easier. My husband can also commute using MARTA, since his downtown office is less than a mile from the station. Since I work in Roswell, and would have to take a bus, to a train, to a bus that only drops off on the other side of GA400, it's not an option for me, particularly now that I've got to get the little one to day care. So yes, there could be more train stations and more reliable bus routes. One of the huge pluses: the trains are clean. Whoever decided that the trains would be plastic instead of upholstered cushion made a wise choice. I've felt myself catching cooties from other trains in other cities that were being used without the seats being cleaned in this century... And even though there are still crazies and loud teenagers, I feel safe on the trains for the most part, particularly compared to other major cities. Maybe not enough folks rely on MARTA for it to be a target for pickpockets, etc. So that's actually a plus for it's small network. #Yelp365 - 172/365 read more

MARTA Rail = Epic FAIL I attempted to take MARTA rail from North Springs to the Airport last Saturday. The last time I rode MARTA the train broke down but I wanted to give it another chance. On this last trip, the train made it as far as Lindbergh Center. At about 7:45am they announced that the train was going out of service. Everybody exited the train which then pulled away from the platform and stopped. Then they announced that the North/South line was shut down for an unspecified problem. I waited for 60 minutes. With no resolution in sight and no useful information from the MARTA PA announcements, I had to take a taxi from Lindbergh to the airport. The crowd of stranded travelers at Lindbergh was at least 300 people by the time I left. Some of them were getting angry. I saw one upset lady try to ask a MARTA employee about the problem and I heard him tell her to "just shut the Hell up and wait like everybody else". Not surprising, MARTA employees (when you can find them) are usually pretty unconcerned with paying customers. Too bad MARTA got their lunchhooks in the $100 million to install a new light rail line through and around downtown. If is to be managed like the rest of MARTA... well, too bad. So before taking MARTA anywhere, expect delays, poor service, and surly employees. And be aware of these statistics directly from the MARTA website: Since Nov 2013, all of the following were below acceptable target: 1. Rail On-time Performance 2. Rail Mean Distance Between Failures 3. Rail Mean Distance Between Service Interruptions MARTA Rail = EPIC FAIL read more

MARTA is a safe, clean, and effective rail transportation system. A direct ride to the airport means you avoid unnecessary cab costs or the horrors of Atlanta's infamous traffic. If you live close to a station, or are able to park n' ride, MARTA can be stress free. The rail system is good, but the buses leave a lot to be desired. One particular highlight of Atlanta's transportation system is that it doesn't just serve Atlanta proper, but MARTA service runs throughout Fulton County. So you can take MARTA from Dunwoody to Jonesboro (if for some strange reason you wanted to!) Even in New York or Chicago, that'd require transferring to suburban transit. It really could be worse. New York City doesn't even have a direct ride into the airport @ LaGuardia or JFK. MARTA does you good. :) read more

It's trying, but its hands are tied in many ways. It's slowly being strangled by its state-mandated funding structure, though if there's any silver lining to that it's that it can manage to do things like upgrading to smart card ticketing (Breeze). Rail service (especially the N-S line) isn't bad, and actually pretty good if you're between the airport and Lindbergh; bus service is hopeless. The bus feeder system makes no sense. The new trip planner is a big leap forward, now if they'd just develop a schedule application for PDAs... read more

I used MARTA for years when I didn't own a car while living downtown. The bus service was slow and still is not 24 hours, which leaves gaps of coverage for those who stay up late or get up early. The bus service has just been reduced again (Sept 2010) and is now pretty bad, but still workable. MARTA mobility (for disabled people) works excellent for my mom and is only $3.70 per round trip for anywhere in Dekalb or Fulton counties. There is also a discounted fare card you can get if disabled, which is $.90 one-way. read more

MARTA is great!* * MARTA is great! if and only if you live or work within the 0.05% sliver of the metro Atlanta area that is within reasonable distance of a MARTA station. ** MARTA is great! if you are one of those people that masochistically enjoys the wholesome three-hour challenge involved in planning a bus route across the city and wasting countless more hours in order to implement and revise your plan as you rumble aimlessly across the city on a dirty, outdated pollution-machine. *** MARTA is great! if you need to get to the airport and would especially enjoy the good company of Atlanta icon "soulja girl" along the way: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NZtGz_7WI0 Surgeon General's warning: in large doses MARTA may also be detrimental to the general health and psychological wellbeing of its passengers. if you experience rides in excess of or approaching four hours, get off the train - you're probably just stuck in Doraville. read more

1 star cuz it gets you to the airport, 2nd star cuz its not as smelly as the one in NY. Agree w/ other reviewers that the public transportation hre sucks. You really do need a car to go around because the rail lines literally only go N, S, E, and W. (Check out the map i uploaded) Even with the new extension which caused a raise in fares to $1.75, all it did was go further North! That plus a few years ago, they cut back on the number of buses! So not cool. read more

MARTA - Public Transportation Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

When they first switched to the breeze card, I filled out the papers, and got the plastic card for wife and I. A few weeks ago, I went to use my breeze card and the machine would not accept it, and would NOT let me add money to it. A marta attendant told me that I'd have to pay extra to get the paper card, and have my plastic card 're activated' at a marta kiosk. WTF is the point of the plastic card if it can become inactive after a few weeks of non-usage?? The plastic card should NEVER become inactive. I still haven't made it to a marta kiosk, b/c I never make it to them during business hours, and it's inconvenient to get off of a train for this purpose, and then get back on. So the card is still sitting around, nagging me with the fact that I need to get it re-activated b/c of their garbage 'breeze' system. read more

A guy asked me for 100 bucks, and said that he'd take me to dinner (quickly changing tactics and asking if I would take him), but other than that Marta rocked. It's super cheap and easy to take from the airport to your hotel. The station is right in the airport, so you never even have to figure out how to get to it. So, I guess if saying "no" to weird strangers isn't a problem for you, Marta can be the fastest, easiest, and cheapest way to get from the airport to a hotel. I'd take it again! read more

My only experience with MARTA is taking it to a Braves game. The train came right on time. If you have trouble walking, it is a long walk from the train to the bus. Overall it was a good experience. read more

I have been using MARTA for almost two years and I don't have any major complaints and it sure beats driving in rush hour traffic. Just like a lot of other places in Atlanta, you have to dodge homeless people and drunk people sometimes but overall I would recommend this to anyone. Actually, some of the drunk/homeless people have provided me with some great entertainment on the train, I have seen some people doing some really funny stuff but I never get involved with them and try to keep to myself as much as possible. I'll never forget one homeless person I saw on the train one time that was begging for money and they had on an (almost) new pair of Nike tennis shoes and a brand new Atlanta Braves jersey that goes for a few hundred bucks a pop. I haven't seen as many pan-handlers lately on the train so maybe enforcement has stepped up. The park-and-rides that MARTA has at various stations are great and I love being able to park my car for half the price of what it costs at the airport and then hopping on the train and going all the way to the airport........that's very convenient and if you are going out of town for a couple of weeks, it can save you a lot of money.. All of the trains seem to be on time usually and if they aren't, it's usually because there is a problem somewhere on the tracks. My only regret with MARTA is that their tracks don't extend further north, I would like to see a station in Marietta some day. read more

Public transportation = best people watching. $6 for a roundtrip ticket that gets you from point A to point B with no trouble. We took it from the airport to the Marriott Marquis and it was about a 20 minute door-to-door experience. Escalators make it easy to lug your suitcase around. read more

An adventure for the nostrils! This trip on MARTA, the air was filled with the fragrant aroma of a "Slim Jim". I was overwhelmed by the body odor and flesh of others squishing against me. Last trip, the smell was lavender mixed with urine. MARTA is a cheap alternative to driving and parking at the airport, but be prepared for some pretty unusual smells. What do you smell when you're on MARTA? read more

Marta is garbage. They are always late and never be on time. They're always breaking down and they never get the schedule time right. Fuck Marta. read more

Not really a review but more of a public service announcement. Marta is having cash issues (in today's economy who isn't). Friday April 17 is Ride Marta Day - Show some support, some solidarity and keep me from having to buy a car. www.ridemartaday.com. read more

If your home (or hotel room) AND your destination are within walking distance of a train station, then I highly recommend MARTA. If your destination is within walking distance and you can drive a short distance from your starting point and park at a station (a lot of the stations that aren't downtown have free or cheap parking), then MARTA may work for you as well. I habitually take MARTA to get to and from the airport or downtown events where I'd rather not drive or park. The trains are generally on time, comfortable, and not scary even for my spoiled, raised-in-Dunwoody self. The stations seem to be pretty well-maintained (clean, no graffiti, minimal urine smell) and the staff there is helpful... if you are stupid like me and go out the wrong bus exit at the Chamblee station, there is phone you can pick up to talk with an employee who will ACTUALLY COME AND LET YOU BACK IN. And he was nice about it! (I know, I was surprised by this, too.) However, the buses are a different animal entirely. Props to the MARTA people for posting all their bus schedules on the Interwebs so that we can plan out our routes in advance. But no love for the lack of air-conditioning on the buses, much higher urine-smell factor and abysmal driving skills of the bus drivers. I can't tell you how many times I've had a MARTA bus almost plow into my car. Also, one time when I was in college (granted, this would have been over 10 years ago but I'm still holding a grudge) I waited OVER AN HOUR at a bus stop for a bus that was supposed to come every 20 minutes. Yes, I am still mad. Though in all fairness, I have taken a bus from the station a few times recently and they have seemed to leave more or less on time. Overall, I can really only recommend MARTA if you have the luxury of avoiding the bus part of it. But it's a LOT better (with a lot more stations) than it was 15 years ago. read more

Nobody *likes* to ride MARTA, but it is good for a few things: 1. It's much less expensive to buy 2 trips on MARTA than to park at the airport (but if your flight gets delayed past operation hours, you might get stuck). 2. If there's a big event, thus limiting parking, MARTA will save you a few dollars on parking. 3. If your car dies, at least there's a feasible method of transportation. Now for the bad: 1. The trains always smell and I usually get preached to. 2. It could use a lot of work as far as extending the train lines. I'd rather walk a couple of miles from a train stop than get on a bus for an hour. 3. Hours of operation are not so awesome. They really can't just run 24-hours? What is this, the Middle Ages? 4. It just sucks in general. So, if you're planning to move to the ATL and you want to know whether or not you really need a car, I would advise you to plan on it unless you're a masochist. read more

I give MARTA 4-stars because it gets me to where I need to go. Whenever I need to go the Philips Arena, GA Dome and places like this...MARTA IS SMARTA! Now, If MARTA would only expand to where it travels...that would be great. If you don't have a car, don't expect Marta will get you to where you need to go, outside the Metro ATL area...it ain't gonna happen. I still feel you need a car to live in Atlanta, for the most part. Due to the limitations of MARTA, traffic congestion is horrible here! WE NEED IMPROVEMENTS! read more

A big F.U. to Governor Perdue and the bastards in governance that continually refuse support for public transit. All money seems to make the trip for tourists from the airport to downtown as pleasant as possible. Any body that lives here and doesn't have a car is S.O.L. They recently put in a bunch of television -- oohh wow! On the positive side: MARTA train operators are usually very nice, the riders are as well. read more

Have now ridden the MARTA a total of 4 times while in town on business. This is a great and inexpensive way for me to get from the airport to my hotel and back to the airport. No, it isn't as clean as sitting in your own car, but it isn't even close to as dirty as the NYC subway. I think a one way trip is $2.50, which I think is a good deal. I can't take the Denver light rail for so little. From the Airport to Lindbergh station takes approximately 30-40 minutes. The train doesn't exactly take you through the best sight seeing areas, but I have experienced any problems either. If you enjoy people watching, this is a great place place to spend 30 minutes. I have overheard some of the funniest cell phone conversations during my trips. Some of the conductors can be a bit difficult to understand, so pay close attention to the LED banners flashing the next stop. read more

Not only does MARTA have a cute name for a subway system but it's fancy and clean! The cars I was in had little flatscreen TVs displaying TV entertainment with subtitles. I wish the system spanned more areas of ATL because it was a joyful inexpensive way to get around the few part of the city that I could. You can see lovely views of the city when the train travels above ground. New Yorkers will be in shock (and celebrating!) not having to carry heavy bags from the airport - there are escalators everywhere which are super convenient. Helpful screens on the platform keep you up to date on train ETA. I'm a fan of computer chip paper tickets and non-turns-dial entrances you can actually fit luggage through. read more

East-West line trains are clean, generally underused, but regular. I like the air-conditioning, clean stations, and frequent airport service. Long weekend passes on MARTA are cheap for visitors. The RFID TAP system is convenient and reliable so you don't need to slide the Breeze card through anymore. While the platform may get cramped at rush hour, the cars aren't crowded. read more

MARTA is great when it's going where you need it and not so great when it's completely out of the way. There's definitely a love-hate relationship between MARTA and Atlantans. After all, sometimes you're treated to a dance show on your train car and other times you're just pestered for money or the car reeks of urine. Then again, maybe that's what gives it character. MARTA is "smarta" in many situations, such as Braves and Thrashers games and anywhere else where parking is slim or costly - as long as a train can get there. The buses are a bit tricky as you don't know what bus picks up where without looking it up prior or asking an attendant in a station. They run a tight schedule, but the drivers can be rude at times (though I suppose if I was driving in circles all day I'd be a little testy too). It's a very basic Point A to Point B service. You might hear people complain that MARTA is only for poor people or criminals, but this is very untrue. I've often found myself sitting among a wide variety of people, most of whom which are friendly and helpful if you have any questions about the service. If you're on the trains, there are some great views of the city to catch as well! The only gripes I have about MARTA are the costs, lack of a one-day all-day pass for visitors (or even a 3-day weekend pass), and the sometimes inefficient routes offered. 63 bus stops to reach my work (that brings it to a 2 hour long ride) isn't being efficient, unfortunately! So don't be deterred by people who are probably so scared that they've never ridden on it before - MARTA is as safe as you make it out to be and is often the best way to get yourself to wherever it is you're trying to go within downtown. read more

MARTA for the infrequent traveler staying downtown is a fantastic option from the airport. A buck seventy five and 20 minutes with good signage and friendly MARTA ambassadors (must be for the tourist and convention areas) is the way to go. As long as you can read signs (north, south, east, west) you should be good. No graffiti seen at the stations we traveled and this 13 yr old system is smooth and clean. read more