I was in town for a long weekend, and found St. Louis' public transportation system to be surprisingly good. Sure, vehicles could run more frequently, and they aren't 24 hours, but between the light rail and bus I got around easily, and nothing was crowded. Combined with what looks like easy biking terrain, it seems like you could live car-free here pretty easily. I don't quite understand how the honor system/fare-checking staff system is simpler/more cost effective than just having turnstiles, though. read more

This review is for MetroLink / Light Rail Only. To go from Lambert Airport to Downtown, Metrolink beats a cab hands down in terms of cost, and if it's rush hour in terms of speed. The ride is relatively smooth and you don't get jostled around like some transit systems do. If you want to check out the Gateway Arch riding Metrolink is the best way to go. You avoid the hassles of finding a space at the Arch parking garage or with street / surface lot parking and the related costs. The Light Rail stop is located literally inside the West end of the historic Eads Bridge so you can stand on a piece of American history right there on the platform. This stop also gives you easy access to the riverfront, for those who want to go to the Mississippi River's edge. A word of caution: Beware of the Ticket Vending Machines. I've fed them cash and had them fail to spit out a ticket. I've had this problem more than once and at more than one station. When I sent a letter about it to Metro, the group that runs MetroLink they replied that they couldn't do anything about it. Note: Metro offers an unlimited 2 hour pass that's a good deal if that works for your schedule. The 1 day pass is $7.50 so it only pays to get it if you plan to ride more than 3x in a day. read more

If you're willing to work around its limitations, MetroLink Rail gets the job done. Trains only come every 20 minutes during the day (10 min during rush hour). And the extent of the lines is limited (think of the whole system as a sideways Y). However, it's very reliable. Download the "Transit" app on your smartphone, and it tells you exactly when the next train is arriving, so you won't need to waste time in the train station waiting. You can go to many specific destinations, such as the airport, Washington University, the Amtrak/Greyhound station, Busch Stadium, the Arch, and Central West End, among others. The train system is clean and people are polite and quiet. It's also safe, with police making regular rounds. It's honor-system based, so make sure you buy your tickets (and validate them!) before you board. You may have officials come around and ask you for your ticket. read more

I would advise anyone considering taking the St. Louis MetroLink to do so only with extreme caution, especially if you are a woman traveler. On two instances from Lambert Airport I have been subjected to unwanted attention: the first by an angry young man who sat behind me and spewed racist and sexual commentary; most recently, by another man who followed me, sat across the aisle, and began masturbating. There is no patrol on the train, and you are left to fend for yourself. In the most recent instance, I departed the train and took an uber home. I did report the incident via the system's online emergency chat, but as yet have not received a response. If you are commuting to/from downtown during normal business hours, I think it is most likely safe, but you need a critical mass of riders to ensure that. Scan the train and others on the platform, and decide -- Do not enter the train if there are very few riders. read more

So I was visiting here from Chicago and used the light rail system a few times and I pretty much agree with everyone's comments I couldn't believe that I could just walk on to the platform without having to go through some sort of turn style. And then my cousin told me that there were a few times when he almost went a month before someone checked his monthly pass. I was quite astonished. I don't agree with the honor systems, since to many people can and will take advantage of it. I don't think it could ever work in a larger city. Plus it hurts your revenue and Op Income. Another thing i don't get is free parking at the MetroLink terminals. Talk about a major perk for taking the train downtown. After all is said and done I'm a fan of the service. The MAJOR reason is the fact that it's on time. After using the CTA for so many years I didn't believe my cousin when he said there will be one coming at 11:25am(on the dot), because it always comes at that time. Sure enough the the time came and the train was pulling into/at the station. Finally the train was in spectacular condition, clean, smelled great and the platforms were in great condition read more

Most buses stop on the schedule on Grand don't show up after 10pm. Your lucky if one finally come at 11:09 at Grand center. Every night everybody be complaining about buses never showing up that's on the schedule! read more

As a Kansas Citian who is uber jealous of any city with a light rail or effective public transportation let me just say Grrrr. Parking downtown at our hotel was outrageous so we opted to park by the Delmar Loop stop to grab the Metro back downtown. First, what a great thing for baseball fans to have! We used it mostly for exploring St. Louis' shopping on the cheap. It was a nice way to get to know a city that we could have paid a lot to taxi's to get around in. It is very clean and a nice comfortable ride. The only part we were not prepared for was the very loud and unstoppable preaching of one of the guests on the train. We were a little taken aback, it was a little much and made us feel awkward to talk to each other or even look toward the front because we thought we'd get called on for "audience participation." But hey, it's good to know that freedom of speech is alive and well. Congrats on having some nice public transportation. Here's hoping KC can follow your example. read more

I've traveled enough to believe perfect public transportation is a myth. I also know there is a significant difference in opinions of mass transit based on whether one uses it to commute or simply to get around during a vacation or brief stay. That said, I believe Metro is a great system for St. Louis. I've used MetroLink as a visitor to St. Louis and, after moving to the city, as a commuter. In both instances, I've found it affordable, convenient, and effective. As in most cities, I prefer the Metro light rail to the bus system, and I do wish the light rail covered more of the metro area. However, those areas not covered by rail are well-served by buses, making the entire system quite accessible. Pros: Reliable schedule, even during rush hour Reasonably priced Easily navigable for out-of-towners Stations are generally well-staffed with friendly folks Cons: Limited options for fare (a rechargeable card would be nice) Limited rail service read more

The big knock on STL's mass transit (or at least the light rail portion) is that it's limited in the number of areas that it serves. While that is true, if you're near one of the stops you should take advantage of it. It's fast, clean, new and not that expensive. During my last trip out of town, I choose to use MetroLink to get home from the Airport. This significally saved on expense since I didn't have to pay for airport parking. I live in the Webster area and MetroLink only goes as close as Maplewood. But for the $4 ticket I was able to make a free transfer onto one of the Metro Buses to complete my ride. It took about 45 minutes to get home, but I didn't have to deal with rush hour traffic, and my hands were free to catch up on email & social media. It's somewhat confusing to use the bus service. Take time to plan your route ahead of time via their website. They have a trip planner that will give you the best route option based on your starting and ending address. read more

I absolutely abhor the "honor" system. Not only does turn-style ticketing provide for safer, cleaner, and more efficient transportation, it also provides a high-revenue grossing system in which you can use to sustain the service (instead of asking for X millions of dollars from the city/state). With that said, everything else about the Metro is spot on. I like how trains are on time, and I love the lights that they use in the underground station to signal approaching trains. The railways and platforms are for the most part well kept, and I have yet to meet a "crazy person" like I do frequently on Atlanta's MARTA. I ride the Metro frequently, from Wash U campus to Barnes Jewish daily, as well as occasionally to the airport. I was and will be more than willing to pay taxes to keep the Metro alive, but they need to help themselves. Fire your current business managers and hire new ones. The Metro needs to be self-sustaining, and relying on the "honor system" to turn in that revenue is just not going to happen. read more

Right in the middle of downtown! Can't give it 5 stars because it always seems dirty and used. Security is ALWAYS posted at this one so it's safe IMO. read more

I am giving Metrolink 3 stars because I am torn. I have been riding Metrolink for around 5 years now and it's a great service for a reasonable price. The problem is the employees that Metrolink hires. You will hear the conductor of the train yelling at people over the intercom, shutting the doors on people as they are running up to the train and then laughing, and if they are off shift and riding the Metro you will even hear them sexually harass passengers. Customer service is definitely not strongly emphasized at Metro and I wonder if they even train their employees on good customer service. They really need to have undercover employees monitoring their conductors and other personnel. I usually stand right by the conductor at the front of the train, so maybe I will start recording what they say. Maybe send the recordings to Metro to see what they say or maybe create a website called "Metro's Great Customer Service". I hate to think what visitors to the St. Louis area think of our customer service/friendlieness after experiencing a ride on Metrolink! read more

It's a crapshoot as to whether staff at the Metro will offer assistance or just stare at you blankly. We ended up not using it.

As far as mass transit in mid-sized Midwestern cities goes (which isn't very far), St. Louis's Metro system is alright. The buses are pretty regular and go all over the place. The MetroLink could definitely be more far-reaching, but they made a big big step with the Cross County Extension, which snakes south through the inner belt County suburbs to Shrewsbury. Having that new MetroLink station less than a mile from home made it MUCH easier to get around when I was car-free and carefree for a couple months. And dude. The people you meet on the bus (especially in the City) will make you laaaaugh sometimes, but other times realizing that most of them are stuck with the hassles of mass transit for their entire lives can seriously bring you down. I feel like I learned a lot in my time on the bus. ::::END AFTER SCHOOL SPECIAL SEGMENT:::: So anyway, use it. read more

Pretty good for St. Louis. It's clean and goes to useful places. My beef is at the station by the ballpark. After the game, I had no idea what direction the trains were going or which one was the right one to get on. Luckily my Mom told me ahead of time to remember to take the blue one. In Chicago, there are BIG signs telling you where you are going or what stop you are at. The signs were ok at the stops, but I thought they could be bigger and easier to read. There's some room for improvement in other areas as well. Like better signs from the roads pointing to the garages and that whole ticket thing seems like way too much work. Maybe I'm spoiled living in Chicagoland! read more

I honestly didn't feel very safe. Some people that were very loud, another talking about his gang, and some shady characters. I was counting down the stops!! read more

Metrolink does not compared to the NYC subway, but it has its advantages. Metrolink is easy to use and it is CLEAN and cheap. We brought four $7.50 pass from the airport and used it for 2 days. We were never asked to show our passes on the metrolink. I surpose that people do jump the fare. The metrolink and metro bus got us around town. It took some research but using goggle, we were able to travel around St. Louis. Metrolink ran every 20 minutes. There are 2 lines-red and blue. My only complaints with metrobus was that there were some hourly buses. Well worth the price for tourists. read more

Rode Metrolink trains several times, and it was pretty good. Never had to wait too long for a train, at least one security guard seems to be on duty at all the stops(even saw a bust going down on one of the station platforms west of Civic Center), and the seats inside the railcars appeared to be clean for the most part. OTOH, I disliked how the area immediately outside of the Civic Center station(by Scottrade Center, and Amtrak station) had real aggressive panhandlers(to the point where I wish it was better patrolled by their security), but to the credit of their security I did see a bust occur on one of the platforms west of Civic Center while I was riding the train. I totally agree with other reviews that they should have turnstyles before entering the platform area at all the stations, rather than only doing random fare checks at times and doing an 'honor system' at all stops. And I thought Metra(Chicago's commuter rail) was bad during infrequent times in this regard, since I have infrequently rode it when I never was once asked to pay my fare. I know Metra has since cracked down on this and are asking riders to pay fare on the train a lot more often, so I'd hope Metrolink does resolve this issue on their trains. Train platforms for the light rail also appeared to be cleaner and more maintained vs. the 'L in Chicago, but that doesn't surprise me considering Metrolink is a newer system. The vending machine threw me off slightly, since I didn't realize that you have to leave your card in for about 2-3 seconds, before removing it. There is a 'remove card' prompt I didn't realize you have to wait for, before taking your card out of the machine when you purchase your fare, pass, etc. to ride the train. As for the bus, except one time where I swear one of the buses must've not ran at the scheduled time for whatever odd reason(and as a result ran into a Walgreens at a nearby shopping center to that bus route, to kill 20-30 mins), the buses seemed to run fine, based on the timetables I'd printed out before my trip. Since I took the buses out to a suburban area where I spent time in, I did like how the buses were clean, ran on schedule for the most part(sans for a lone incident where I swear the bus didn't come at the time it was scheduled to do so), and actually run late for bus routes in a suburban area, unlike the fact that a lot of Pace routes(bus system in Chicago's suburbs) seem to end early. Their bus system reminded me of the one in Milwaukee where all buses seem to run later into the evening, which I really appreciated. Great system, and the fact that the trains and buses ran as well as it did(moreso the trains), is one of the factors where I'd be encouraged to do a return trip to St. Louis again. read more

I like Metro of St Louis. Cheap, efficient, and clean. Save the trouble to find taxi to the airport. The minor problem is that you could not buy one single trip fare with a credit card. read more

Rumor has it that E'ville might once have had an opportunity for a Metro line, but it didn't work out. Too bad. I love Metro. We tend to use it for almost any special event downtown: restaurant, hockey game, band competition, car show, road race, festival, or Cardinals game. Parking is free at stations like Fairview Heights (our preferred) or East Riverfront (Casino Queen, East St. Louis). Automated machines sell one-ways at $2.25, ticket windows open for special events/high volume sell "round trips" at $4.50. Better prices for day passes or longer. If you're going to a Cards game from the Illinois side, you can get off at 8th and Pine (say you're going to Mike Shannon's and want to walk south), or just get off at Stadium (just west of the 3rd base line). Last night, trains were running east to west every 6 minutes, and west to east every ten minutes. There are two lines, "red" and "blue," and trains are marked with signs on the front car. VERY EASY to figure out, especially compared to more complicated east coast systems in Boston, NYC, New Jersey Transit, Philadelphia, and D.C. read more

I love that Metrolink goes to and from the Airport and to major destination spots like Busch Stadium ect. Other cities should take note. I was a visitor and was pleased with the service Metrolink provided. Easily accessible, Convenient, quick travel from point A to B. No cab needed in this city. Its just like any other light rail service, smooth ride and fairly inexpensive from what I'm used to in California. I use public transportation everyday and I have traveled a lot. Metrolink is one of the better transportation systems. read more

When I was visiting from Chicago a few weeks ago i decided to try out the MetroLink to see how it was compared to Chicago. As for On time, Clean, Safe and Friendly it definitely was more of all of those than Chicago combined. When it comes to the sheer sprawl of the system it is lacking and will come when they figure out how to make sure all users pay. I found it very easy to rub off the Validation and have it re validated. I paid for all my trips but tried to see if it could be done and it easily was. I enjoyed the ride to Forrest Park and to the Casino across the bridge in Illinois. If MetroLink can expand this would be a top class system. read more

I never expected St. Louis to have good transit. You'd think we're just too small a city for it. But I was wrong. St Louis has a very comprehensive bus service and a very high-quality light rail service, in the few places that it goes. Unfortunately, for reasons that are mostly out of Metro's hands, I feel very uncomfortable on public transit in St. Louis. MOST passengers keep quiet and are just trying to get where they need to go, but there are always some loud/obnoxious passengers, crazy people, beggars, and shady characters. This is most pronounced in Metrolink in the rear cars because the driver cannot see/hear there, and there is rarely a security guard. As for the service, Metrolink has astoundingly good on-time performance. Now, it shouldn't be hard to be on time when each train is 10-20 minutes apart, but this is the US and you should not expect ANYTHING when it comes to transit. To avoid waiting too long in the Metrolink stations, be sure to reference the timetable, and trust it. I don't think I've ever had a Metrolink that arrived even a minute late. Busses, on the other hand, are quite often late. This is much harder to control since they have to ride through traffic. If it's late at night, or any other time when traffic is smooth, you can trust the timetables, but otherwise, prepare for a 15-30 minute wait. I do own a car, so I don't use metro too often. I generally only use it to go to the airport (beats the heck out of Super Park) and maybe to go downtown or to the Delmar Loop where parking is atrocious. Since I'm an infrequent rider, I make use of the $3 2-hour pass. I always keep a few on hand. They will accept them on the bus (if you start on the bus, they will keep the ticket and trade you for a transfer slip). It's much better than needing to keep $3 exact cash on hand. Soon we will have smart cards and that's even better. Summary: Trust the rail timetables, don't trust the bus timetables, and know your surroundings. read more

Compared to other train systems (e.g. Boston, Chicago & D.C.), the Metrolink lags way behind. I agree with previous reviews about the lack of turnstyles & the bad "honor" system. Bad design is all I can say about this mode of transportation. Lack of maps to take with you at any Metrolink stop makes it really bad. I agree with previous posts about only having 2 lines & wishing they could expand to North & South St. Louis. Free parking is pretty much the only thing I liked. read more

The metro system that I love and hate all at the same time. Reasons I like the metro system: It goes to Busch Stadium, the Scottrade Center, the Edward Jones Dome, the Arch, the Landing, Union Station, and WashU. In a matter of minutes, I can arrive at my St. Louis downtown destination without having to worry about a designated driver or the general hassles of a car. WashU also provides students with free passes too, so I try to take advantage of free transportation. Reasons I hate the metro system: It only runs a little past midnight! If my friends and I go out for the night, we don't have a way back unless we either find a cab, find a sober friend, or wait until the metro opens at 4am. The metro also doesn't go that many places. If I didn't live directly on the line, I would probably have trouble accessing the metro. I also still can't get to many places via metro. I think that metro is a good step in the direction of a great rail system, but it needs to be expanded. With that said, I do take advantage of the existing system and enjoy taking it because of its reliability. read more

As a visitor headed to the Cards game, I loved the Metrolink. $2 each way, not crowded, and a very smooth ride.

I'm surprised the Metrolink hadn't been added to the database. The overground subway system has been an excellent way to get from the Western part of Illinois to downtown STL and all through the city. It has been a cheap, safe way to travel through the city for many years. There are numerous locations to hop aboard the Metrolink. The lines can be pretty lengthy, though, especially after sporting events. read more

Great for visitors like myself coming from the airport and wanting to go to your downtown hotel. Cheap and efficient mode of transportation that can get you to places without having to put up with traffic. Compared to my normal light-rail experience, I like how the trains don't have to stop for street traffic since they are partially underground and away from the street traffic flow. I thought the method of validating the ticket after buying it was a little redundant, but hey, as long as it works, that's all that matters. read more

Relatively clean. Not too expensive. The system of having a ticket you need to show randomly is a little archaic though. The Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) of the San Francisco Bay Area has tickets you buy from a machine that you need to slip through another machine to allow you to pass to and from the train. read more

Only good if you ride the Metrolink. I have no complaints about the Metrolink, other than it reaches so few places. The Metrobus, however, is a disaster. The drivers are rude, rude, rude, and they seem to run on their own schedule. I dread riding the Metrobus, and *wish* I worked in a direction that the Metrolink served. read more

Metrolink There is so much potential for this train system but Metro does not take advantage of it. First there was the disaster that was the Blue line and then after passing Prop A, they haven't increased frequency across the board. A 20 minute wait is pretty bad when you are trying to catch a bus. Missing one train can set you back by an hour more. Often there is little to no open seats and when Cards fans get on board they often block the doorway and make it impossible to maneuver. Its irritating and makes it so obvious that most of those fans have no idea how to use public transportation. My biggest complaint with Metrolink is that they are always under construction causing delays and even closures of stations, particularly the ones most important for me. This causes a great big inconvenience. MetroBus Bus drivers tend to be rude, and do not enforce the not eating rules or no loud music rules making it an uncomfortable experience. The buses run about once every 40-60 minutes making them very inconvenient. Most do not run Sunday so getting to the nearest bus can take just as long itself. Buses rarely connect with trains or the train does not wait long enough for bus riders to get on board. Bus drivers do not allow riders to board the bus during the 20 minute wait time before they leave even when its scalding hot, freezing out, or rainy. You usually have to report the bus driver in order to get them to allow passenger boarding. Bus stops are poorly placed. On some streets there are just too many such as on Rock Road which causes the bus to stop at nearly every stop and be late. While in other places there aren't enough. If you had no choice and had to take public transportation AVOID the bus at all cost! read more

Metro Link service should be boycotted (use a ride service) until ridership is controlled, and a visible security agent who is serious about their job, is on every train. read more

Buses felt safe to ride on, trains somewhat. My ride from Brentwood to Skinker on the MetroLink wasn't bad though. It's really an efficient way to get to WashU/Forest Park. read more

I was here with my husband on a business trip. I tried to ride the train to the zoo. I walked from my hotel to the Union Station, where I was threatened by a very aggressive panhandler. He asked me if I would give him some money since he was homeless. When I handed him a dollar, he said loudly, "Did you hear me say I was homeless?" This scared me to death, and I parted with 10 more dollars before this guy took off after he grabbed the $10. I then got on the train. The ride itself was uneventful, but on the platform, I felt unsafe. I would ride again with my husband or if I were carrying mace. read more

Call-a-ride is a joke. I have been informed since using them by their phone operators that I have to call 24 hours in advance for a ride the next day. Tried that today and not only can they not get me to work on time (my first day), the operator proceeded to act like I was a liar because I had informed her that I was always told to call 24 hours in advance. She said no one at Metro would tell me that...really? So if I've been misinformed it's my fault? Don't use them or pay the ridiculous $8 round trip fare... read more

Rode metrolink between downtown/Arch area to Forest Park. Everyone was helpful to me as a tourist. Cheap, clean, and efficient. My only gripe was that on one car I couldn't hear the announced stops. read more

The Metro in St. Louis reminds me of an improved version of a simple light rail system; that is, it runs on dedicated tracks but is generally at street level, and the best part about it is that it doesn't have to stop for vehicle traffic. However, a few things are a little fishy about this system. For one, ticket fares are only somewhat enforced... and they work on an odd "hourly" system (one hour pass, two hour pass, etc) instead of a per-ride system (although day passes and longer are still day passes). Also, depending on where you want to go, stations can either be very convenient (as they thankfully were for us) or quite far from where you need to go. As near as I could tell, there really is only 1 main line, which branches at one point to become two lines. Stations are a bit tricky to find, and it's hard as a tourist to find a good map of the surrounding area at any given station to get your bearings. Note, however, the availability of plenty of free "entertainment," as you bump elbows with some potentially unsavory folk. Also be warned that, due to what I'm assuming is the frequency of occurrence of said entertainment, the Metro security are a little racist in their attempt to catch troublemakers. We witnessed an incident where a young man caused an incident that caused our train to be boarded by Metro security, who then proceeded to question a couple of other men of the same race rather than try to track down the actual culprit (who eventually snuck around behind the guards and ran away). Nonetheless, if you do what we did and stay near the airport, the Metro is a reasonable way to get into the heart of the city without too much fuss. read more