What an amazing free service in the McKinney Avenue area of downtown. Essentially you just find a trolley stop and wait for a trolley to come by and pick you up. Depending on the route you take it takes 30 minutes to an hour to make the full circle. The trolley drivers are super friendly and knowledgeable and make the ride a lot of fun! read more

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Seriously a must do. Visiting Dallas? Trolley. Lived here forever? Trolley. Night out? Trolley. The top of the trolley loop goes around West Village so we use the parking garage there as a starting place and hop on at the stop outside of Starbucks. From there the trolley heads down Mckinney Ave to downtown and circling back by Klyde Warren Park. Easy to hop on and off as your night dictates, but important to know that they trolley will only stop if you are standing and waiting at the designated trolley stop. To exit simply ring the bell and the conductor will stop when available to do so. read more

McKinney Avenue Transit Authority - Inside the trolley - Public Transportation Near Me - Dallas, Texas

You MUST do this! If you're landlocked and have wondered what it's like to ride the San Francisco Trolley, this is your opportunity. First of all, it's free, so you can't beat the price. It's safe and reliable and you will get an opportunity to see an area of Dallas you would not normally see. You can get on and get off at various stops along the 45 minute route. read more

Absolutely love riding the Trolley and meeting all the conductors and the engineers on the different Trolleys and listening to their stories about the history of Dallas. We've caught a ride on Matilda, Emma, and Petunia. All of these Trolleys have a little back story about the history of where they came from and when they were built. The ride is free and will take you to a lot of cool spots around McKinney Avenue, but if you can spare a few dollars they have a spot for donations that pay for the repairs and restoration of the Trolleys. If you ever have the chance to come to West End, hop on the trolley. It's so cool! read more

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This is such an awesome service, jump on - jump off, fares are suggested at $2 per lift, website has a tracker to let you know which cars are in service and where they are, tracker is a few minutes slower than real time so get to your stop early read more

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Very fun, FREE activity for kids and adults alike! We caught the m-line at the uptown station and took it to federal, where we hopped off and walked to the farmers market. It's not super close but is walkable, even for a couple of 3 year olds. Our first ride was not crowded at all, but the return trip was standing room only. Also, I'm not sure if this is normal or not, but we waited nearly an hour at the federal st. stop to get picked up. I read on their website that the max wait time is 25min but this was NOT the case. It was freezing that day and the wait was pretty brutal. But hey, hard to complain about a FREE activity. Bring a few bucks to make a donation if you can - the trolley may be free to riders, but it's certainly not free to operate. read more

Free trolleys take you around town. The old cable cars are well maintained and still have vintage advertisements inside. The trolley stops are marked by signs and you can check the website for a real time map of where the trolleys are. The conductors are nice, we asked for places to go and things to do and they were happy to point out shops, restaurants, museums and parks along the route. It's a non profit and you can make a donation online on their website. read more

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I am so sad to hear that Josh Brown no longer works for them which I think was a terrible mistake. I was on that trolley when that man lunged after Josh that day and called the police. Josh tried to get help on his walkie talkie but no one answered him!! This guy attempted to get all of our lives in danger by trying to put the trolley in drive!!!! It made all of us very scared and no one came to help him!!! This needs to be investigated very thoroughly as I know several of us passengers will be making a formal complaint to the board. read more

I love the McKinney Avenue Trolley. Whenever we have family or friends in town, we always make it a priority to travel through the city by trolley. Each of the trolley's are well kept and clean. They offer many stops throughout the city and also allow plenty of window space for viewing. Perhaps the McKinney Avenue Trolley is the easiest way to access Klyde Warren Park and the Dallas Museum of Art. I love that Dallas has the trolley and I do what I can to continue to support it. read more

Rented out the trolley for my sister's bachelorette brunch! They provide a table, coolers, and balloons, and allow you to bring your own food and drinks (yes even alcoholic drinks). Book months in advance- I had originally wanted to use the trolley as a "pre-game" type event, but their only availability was a Sunday brunch even 4 months beforehand. It can also be a little hard to contact them, so make sure to check in every so often to confirm your reservation. It ended up being perfect though that we could only do brunch! We lucked out on a beautiful day. Even for a native Dallasite, seeing it while on the trolley was a great reminder of how beautiful our city is! read more

McKinney Avenue Transit Authority - Public Transportation Near Me - Dallas, Texas

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AKA the M-line, the McKinney Avenue Trolley is a great way to get around. When I have out of town guests, and we are doing the "Dallas list", via DART, the M-line is always a destination. I'll take the DART blue, red or orange line to City Place, ride the 2 very long escalators (keep in mind the station is under US75), which are worth seeing if haven't, and then the short funicular (though Incline elevator might be more accurate - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cityplace/Uptown_(DART_station) ) up to the west exit. Here you will find to the turntable (it's how they turn the trolley around) and is also where you board. I'll normally ride it all the way to St. Paul Street, taking in the sights along the way, looking for a place to eat. At St. Paul St. is the Klyde Warren (Deck) Park ( https://www.yelp.com/biz/klyde-warren-park-dallas ), which is a great destination when the weather is nice. There are food trucks, and a restaurant (Savor Gastropub), here too. It's also close to several museums and other attractions. Oh, one other thing, the trolley can be rented for parties. How cool would that be! Bottom line: It's free, but donations are accepted. read more

While driving/walking around the Uptown neighborhood & eating outside at Bread Winners (http://www.yelp.com/biz/bread-winners-cafe-and-bakery-dallas-2), we saw an old Trolley Car, the M-Line. This little treasure does a loop around cool areas of Dallas, and is FREE!! We were there on a Saturday (when the streetcars arrive every 25min). We hung out at the McKinney stop (a nice little area kitty corner to Bread Winners), and the 20min wait went by fast, and then the streetcar rolled on by. Wow. What a cool little service and experience. The trolley cars are fairly old-looking, but the service was only re-started back in 1989. The cars were restored really well, yet also have that old-feel to them. The trolley conductor was super nice. I must admit being surprised at how few people were in the trolley---I woulda thought a cool little thing like this would be packed (especially on a football weekend, when all the bars were packed with drunk Texas fans!). However, having the trolley nearly to ourselves was good for us. I always feel like a kid when in situations like this (trains, trolleys, amusements parks). I was wide-eyed & had a big grin on my face the whole ride. At one point we stopped the trolley, and the conductor moved his "driving equipment" from one end of the car to the other. He said we could slide our back rests to switch our seats around....Didn't know what he was talking about at first, but basically, you lift the wooden backrest and shift it from one side of the seat to the other, so you could keep on looking forward as the streetcar switched directions. This is an old school trolley, and it was neat to see how the conductor masterfully maneuvered his machine along the busy streets. A fun time was had by all. read more

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Five reason for five stars... 1) it's free 2) it's fun 3) it saves you time, as it is quicker than driving around downtown and uptown to find parking 4) they are reliable and provide the ability to track the trolly to see when it will arrive 5) did I mention it's a free DD read more

McKinney Avenue Transit Authority - Public Transportation Near Me - Dallas, Texas

Finally! A few nights ago I crossed riding the trolley off my DFW bucket list! If you have somewhere to go in the arts district or uptown or downtown, park in free parking (uptown) and hop on the trolley. It's a bit of a ride but it's free and you see the sites along the way. The conductors are polite and very helpful. You can tip/donate if you like. It is so much fun! I would love to rent the private trolley for a party in the future!! One of DFW's best kept secrets! read more

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I have always loved the McKinney Avenue Trolley! Their adorable vintage cars, friendly engineers, and free service all throughout Uptown (and soon downtown!) make this my favorite way to get around. They're not entirely reliable (sometimes a car breaks down, or they only have two cars in service so you have to wait a little longer for a trolley to come by) but it's completely free to ride and they now have a tracking system on their website so you can see exactly where the trolley is and how close you are to one. I've never had a bad experience riding the trolley. On the weekends it's filled with happy families and tourists, and on the weekdays it's not uncommon to have a car completely to yourself. You can travel from Klyde Warren Park to West Village in old-fashioned style. Certainly worth your time if you haven't given them a try! read more

McKinney Avenue Transit Authority - Public Transportation Near Me - Dallas, Texas

Free rides from downtown Dallas to Uptown on the coolest trolley ever. It was a real treat to hop aboard this old school trolley. It creaked and jerked, and it was absolutely fun! The interior will take you back in time. The drivers were so friendly, and you can tell that they genuinely love their job. We grabbed dinner at Hopdoddy in Uptown and hopped on the trolley to take us to the American Airlines arena to catch the Mavs game. Without being asked, the driver radioed another nearby trolley to see where it was since it was one block away from us and headed in that direction. We told him we were in no rush, but he really went above and beyond to get us there quickly. I hope this trolley lives on forever, because it's convenient, free, and adds a lot of charm to the city of Dallas! read more

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This is one of those Dallas things that makes you feel like you're really living urban. The concept: Take a couple authentic and ancient trolly cars from Australia, strap wheels on the suckers and drive around town. Actually, these trollies troll the uptown area, and you can actually use them for getting around if you plan it out before hand. Or, just hop on and see where it takes you -- it's free (but tipping the driver is polite and appreciated). I last went on one of these things last year for a 40th birthday celebration. A trolly-car full of hard liquor and cake means only one thing: good times. Plus, you get to throw cake out the trolly windows to the unsuspecting public (not really). Yes, you can reserve a car for the whole evening for little cash outlay. What you do in the car is up to you, but Dallas law officials prefer that you keep it legal. read more

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Are you in the mood to travel around uptown and have fun without worrying to catch a cab? Do you have a big group of people and just want to check out the town and bar hop? Then you need to hop on this transit and find some good bars and really enjoy it with your friends. It's so convenient and the best part is that it's free and in the best location. read more

Quick look rating: 4/5 Quality, 5/5 Service, 5/5 Experience. "Come on and take a free ride!" (Name that tune) is the tune I keep hearing in the back of my mind writing this review. What a fun way to travel in the Uptown and north downtown Dallas area. It is be no means the fastest, prettiest, or even the most luxurious ride around. But, it is down to earth, fun and free. (But, please try to remember to tip!) (By the way, there is a mounted tip box in the trollies for those with kind hearts to help out these hard working folks.) This trolley system really helps promote the area and local business. For the working crews on the trollies, a BIG thank you and keep up the great work! If your visiting the area, go with a group to try out a local hang out or two! For special events they will run with extended hours, but do ask ahead of time and try to make it back with plenty of time to get you back to your location. Overall experience: Fun, Inexpensive, and down to earth! read more

I fall in love with the trolley system more and more every day! Now, with the LIVE map of running trolleys on their website, you can truly use it as reliable transportation. I mean, this. changes. everything. Before the live map, it was a little tough, since timing was often pure guess. NOW, you can see that a trolley is on it's way down McKinney, finish your beer and close your tab at Idle Rich, and then walk right onto the trolley for dinner in West Village - that's just awesome! The volunteers who operate the trolley are wonderful! They are always professional and courteous. It's nice to see some younger volunteers operating the cars too; they really appreciate and care for these unique pieces of history we have going up and down our streets. Hubs and I were able to take a tour with two of them, and they are incredibly knowledgable about the trolley cars and the surrounding sites you pass by on the route. While it is free to use, bring some cash to donate and/or keep them in mind during North Texas Giving Day (donate to non-profits and they also get bonus funds)! They have big plans for expansion and adding more cars - can't wait! Trolleys can also be rented out for parties - looks like fun! read more

Rosie is like Blanche on the Golden Girls. She's got some moves. However, they were probably better before she had hip replacement surgery, started wearing dentures, and dying her hair red. Rosie still has class- you'll notice the velvet lined seats right away. And she's got that special international flair, being from Portugal. But she's slow as hell, and I don't recommend that you take her when operating on a tight schedule (or even an hour lunch break). Some of that is Rosie's fault, and some of it is her driver's fault. There's two kinds of people who ride the trolley- people who are trying to get somewhere and people riding for the hell of it. On the way to lunch one day (trying to get there), our conductor stopped the trolley to tell the tourists all about the Arts District- some factual information, some jokes, some this and that. We sat through two green lights while he had Rosie in park, and we waited. But that's the driver- and they're all very different. We observed a shift change in the middle of our ride, and saw a noticeable difference in styles and timing. Watch out for corners, Rosy can feel a little wobbly. I hear that she's the oldest of the trolleys. It can be a bit bumpy, and some of the sounds she makes are concerning, but apparently it's all normal. Best part of the trolley: it's a free way to get between downtown and uptown. Can't beat that. read more

I love this! So what it doesn't go from here to Paris... I swear some people crack me up. To slow, to fast, not far enough, goes nowhere... it goes somewhere! It goes from downtown to uptown and you can ride for FREE... I live downtown and hopped on to check out uptown. So I ride the whole loop, what a nice way to check out the digs in uptown and see what my eat, drink and shop options are. I also enjoyed the streetcar itself... historic brought back to life is a big thing to me. Cute clean little car's with a mixed crowd chummin along. And if your serious it would be a fabulous pub crawl ride! Tip the driver and go wild! Also, he said a well behaved leashed doggie can ride too! read more

It really annoys me to see this under-used . . . Maybe it's because I'm in a current state of green . . . maybe it's because the freaking thing is FREE . . . maybe it's because I know I should use it more and not just complain about it . . . regardless, this is one of the coolest things Dallas has going . . . what a way to BARHOP?!?!? The McKinney Avenue Trolley runs from the DMA to the West Village. It's fun, it's free, and it's not a car. You don't have to pay for parking, or gas, or homeless guys washing your windows . . . it's wonderful. It's actually very convenient, although the night owl surely wishes it ran until about . . . oh . . . 2:35 AM (it stops at 12) it's still one of the coolest things Dallas has going . . . There's also been a bond that passed that will extend the trolley into the new Arts District . . . this is going to be awesome guys, seriously . . . also check out their Dine-A-Round's . . . you basically restaurant hop on the trolley. The next one is Halloween themed. They are so much fun!! read more

Great date idea, family fun day, or an activity to take visiting guests! Absolutely FREE (please tip the drivers) I've only had a chance to take the Trolley a handful of times from West Village to the Arts District but I LOVE IT and always take my out-of-towners on here if we've got some time to waste. I've met some really great tourists and even locals on here as well. The website specifies everywhere that the trolley stops and I usually just park my car over at West Village and hop on at the stop in front of Starbucks and it's about a 10 minute ride to Klyde Warren Park, Crow Collection of Asian Art, Dallas Museum of Arts, The Nasher Sculpture Center, and Perot Museum. Occasionally while riding the trolley you'll get a little history and mini tour of the city and the history of where the Trolleys come from. There's 4 total on rotation including Matilda, Rosie, Petunia, and Green Dragon-- it's fun to point these out to kids and try to have them seek the others! When returning to your stop (if at West Village), be sure to hop off "West Village" station if you're in a hurry or you'll be taking a mini 5 minute detour at the Uptown Station Turntable (which is also where the DART Subway Station is). read more

I have a new found love for the trolly. It picks me up in front of my apartment and drops me off downtown a few blocks from work. The trolly runs in 15 minute spans. The drivers are always so friendly. To get from Cole/Bowen to downtown only takes 12 minutes on the trolly! It takes me longer to drive and park than it does to take the trolly! If you work downtown and live in uptown, ride the trolly instead of paying $80-200 per month to park! read more

The trolley is just good ole fashion fun. The route has many stops and you can basically get off wherever you want at the push of a button. A few tips: The bottom pane of the windows slide up. If you have 3 or 4 you can reverse the back part of a bench so 4 seats are facing each other. Try to find the old guy who has his little comedy routine about skipping the training on how-to-brake. My friend has a party coming up and apparently you can rent one of these for the night to bar hop and you can have booze on it! Woo hoo! read more

It's Free and cute! Take some single to tip the driver. Caught it at the West Village and rode down to the Art Museum.

I ride the trolley everyday, I live in uptown and work in downtown. It is really convenient! I think Joe is my favorite trolley guy, he welcomes you everyday with a "welcome aboard!" That really cheers you up sometimes, specially in the morning! All the guys that work there are really nice too! I have nothing but good things to say about it. read more

It' free and fun! Did I mention free? It's a break from walking, especially with the kids. Kids enjoy the ride and parents enjoy the break. They do stop along many bars and restaurants. read more

Free transportation is very hard to beat. Free transportation that makes the little one squeal with joy is even better. So getting around the Uptown area of Dallas doesn't get much better than the McKinney Avenue Trolley. This working piece of history can get you around the West Village. Ferry you to a restaurant or bar along McKinney--making it a great way to try new places to Yelp about. Or simply provide half an hour or so of diversion and entertainment for kids of all ages if you want to ride from end to end (plus, the kids are usually invited to ring the bell when you reach one of the turnaround spots). Some of the conductors are more interactive and share more of the history of the trolley than others. But since they're all volunteers, I'm simply glad they're there making sure it's running day after day. Sure, it's a bit slow going for a world that is in an ever-increasing hurry. And the time between trolleys is intermittent (the only two negatives I can find after having been on the various cars numerous times). But every time I'm on it I wonder if we wouldn't be better off--economically, ecologically, emotionally--if we had spent the money on keeping such delightful pieces of public transportation in place rather than having to spend money to revive and revitalize them. If you're in Dallas, go. Enjoy the ride. Ignore the usual traffic hassles. And for goodness sake, don't forget to tip the staff. read more

I take my family to ride it once a month and we always have lots of fun!! If you are lucky, you will get a driver who is very funny while describing the places along the trolley line. If you come on Thursday, you can actually combine this with some of the free activities offered in downtown Dallas, such as the Dallas Museum of Art, going up to the 42nd floor of Chase building, etc. On weekends, this trolley is a good vehicle to watch people who come to the Uptown area. My favorite place to stop in the area is Hook Line & Sinker restaurant. Be ready to wait in a long line if you get there late. read more

One of the coolest things about Dallas! One of my very favorite things to do here in Big D is to kick it old school and ride this mobile museum (some of the cars are 100 years old) from the West Village to the Arts District and back on a beautiful day...and it's going to be even better when the line is extended the entire length of the Arts District...and even more awesome when (if?) it gets extended to Knox Street. There's got to be at least a couple hundred retail establishments within a block of the trolley route. What a fun (and green) way to shop, graze, bar hop, or show Dallas to out-of-towners! To echo other reviewers, it would be ideal if it ran until the bars closed...but it's fun to bar hop on the trolley until midnight, bunker down for a couple hours, then cab it back. A great fun way to experience one of the liveliest parts of the city. read more

This trolley line is a real gem! My wife and I enjoyed riding it to the arts district and other downtown locations when we were in town visiting our son. I like the slower pace that lets you see the area. The people on board were nice and you could feel that it is hard not enjoying yourself when riding a trolley! read more

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I love this trolley system !! hey free public transportation is the bomb. If you are trying to go somewhere fast this is not for you. I do recommend this if you want to find a cheap way to show a friend around town. You'll see a lot of neat things and travel in style ;) The ride is a little bumpy but.. you might like that? I've never booked this but I do believe you can rent the trolley for parties. I need to try this someone for sure. Shout out to Ms. Rosie our old faithful trolley :D My coworker an I had a fun time going around with her tooting up a storm. read more

A true gem of Dallas. Not only does the trolley run from Blackburn Street all the way to downtown, it is free! There are several stops where you can pick it up and they run about every 15 minutes during regular business hours. Not only is it easy and convienent, you can also rent the trolley out for corporate events, birthday parties, or anything else your heart desires. They charge $150 an hour and there is a 2 hour minimum but they will put any color balloons up for free as well as clean everything up at the end of the night. And you can bring booze! read more

This is a GREAT ride. Classy workers, fun and enjoyable ride, and it's FREE. I'm so fortunate to have a apartment by it so right when I go outside I can hop on the trolley and go eat somewhere. It takes you to many landmarks and restaurants of dallas. I recommend going to hopdoddys, the food their is amazing. The trolleys themselves are beautiful seemingly frozen in time as they go from uptown to downtown dallas. If You aren't in a rush and the trolley is near you and you need to get to the airport you can hop on the trolley to union station jump on the orange line of the light rail and go up to Dfw airport. If you live in Texas and you haven't rode the m line trolley you're missing out read more

McKinney Avenue Transit Authority - Public Transportation Near Me - Dallas, Texas

Did you know you can rent an entire trolley for private parties?? Neither did I, but it happened! Mckinney Ave Transit Authority gave us a great rate, and drove our party of 20 people around for a few hours as we celebrated the engagement of a couple of our good friends! We brought our own booze and snacks, and Joseph, our driver, was AWESOME!!! Seriously had so much fun and can't wait to do it again! read more

This trolley is one of a kind. They have THE OLDEST operating trolley in the US. This is a great ride for the young or old. Oh and it 100% FREEEEEE. You can't beat that. It also stops right in front of Klyde Warren Park. read more

McKinney Avenue Transit Authority Really isn't bad for the majority. They are there for safety reasons To keep you safe from all those heathens. So treat them nicely, they pay their dues Remember they're there to protect you. read more

Most convenient way to get through the Dallas traffic. Plus you get to sight see and it's FREE. You can't beat FREE. read more