Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with publictransportation

Get me to Pike Place Market!

meese — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 21:14:34 -0800

Can you help me figure out a good way to get to Downtown Seattle without driving in Downtown Seattle? I plan on going to Seattle for a day. I have a car, and I'll be driving down from the North, on I-5. I would really like to avoid driving in Seattle as much as possible. Ideally, I'd like to find some park-and-ride that is right off the freeway, so I can just park and then take some public transport from there. I'll be going on a weekday, so I'm also hoping to find a park-and-ride place that isn't filled to the brim with commuters. There goal here, for me, is to get to Pike Place Market and the surrounding area with the least amount of stress possible.

Any suggestions about what I should park? Or have a better suggestion for how I can get where I wanna go?

Thanks!

Pictures of celebrities riding public transit?

Tom-B — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 09:58:18 -0800

We're looking for photos of famous people riding public transit for a Facebook page that fights prejudice against public transportation. In my city, public transportation is seen as something for the lower class.
We're trying to frame it as something cool and rebellious, that goes against mainstream capitalist expectations of getting rich and buying a car, humanizes the city, etc.

So we're looking for photos of famous alternative people, say Kerouac in a bus in 1953, or Afrika Baambaata riding the subway in 1980, suitable for making some memes in memegenerator. Help us out? Thanks!

Map The Trail For A Newish Hiker

EmpressCallipygos — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 06:44:29 -0800

So a week on the trails in Moab has renewed my interest in hiking. Help me keep it up here in New York instead - I need to know where to go and what to bring. This is actually a two-part question here...

1. I need ideas for day hikes in the area. I've tried hiking in the past, but what's always stopped me is that New York doesn't have quite as much of a striking-scenery factor as does Utah and the national parks; so I'd like hikes with really killerawesome views. My skill set is probably easy-to-moderate; I also prefer solo hikes (yes, I would let people know where I'm going). Finally: I need places that I can reach via public transportation. I've checked this previous question out, and it's a good start; would love to hear more.

2. I know I need way better shoes (I got by with sturdy sneakers in Moab, but realize I probably should upgrade) and I really dug the trekking poles my friends in Moab loaned me; I already have a basic first aid kit, water bottle, day pack, flashlight and basic compass. The jacket I was wearing in Moab was ideal for 20 degree weather, and I can zip out the lining to make two whole separate jackets, so I'm set for outerwear. Aside from that - what else do I need? (I'm a bit afraid of showing up at EMS and asking them this and getting wildly upsold; I'm also afraid of my own tendency to get all caught up in how cool a given gadget looks, and I won't know that I don't actually need it.)

2-1/2. Is there anything else I need to know that I'm overlooking in my starry-eyed enthusiasm?

Bus from Albany/Corvallis to Portland?

long haired child — Sat, 03 Nov 2012 12:07:07 -0800

Does public transportation between Corvallis, OR (or Albany) and Portland, OR exist? A bus that ran at least a few times a day would be great, but I can't seem to find one. I know about the hut shuttle but I am looking for something less expensive.

iPhone, why do you hate public transportation?

2bucksplus — Wed, 19 Sep 2012 12:14:18 -0800

I did something stupid today and 'updated' my iPhone 4 to iOS 6.0. The new Maps app doesn't include public transportation options (as Google Maps did previously) which I use extensively here in San Francisco. What are my options? Will anything be as seamless as the Google Maps app was?

Seeing Portland, OR without a rental car?

AdamOddo — Sun, 05 Aug 2012 07:55:34 -0800

Me and the wife will be flying out to Portland, Oregon roughly six months from now to check out the city to see if we want to relocate. We were thinking of not renting a car and just using light rail to get around, since good public transportation is a major factor of why we want to relocate. How good or bad of an idea is this?

What's a Great Gift for a Public Transportation-Loving Toddler?

Bunglegirl — Fri, 06 Jul 2012 11:02:16 -0800

What are your favorite public transportation/travel gifts for toddlers available in the U.S.? My friend's little boy is turning three soon and he loves trains. Not just any type of train, he specifically loves the Chicago L train. Last year I bought him two wooden Blue Line Trains (the train he rides) with magnets on the ends for his train table from CTA Gifts and he loved them. He even went as The Blue Line for Halloween. This year I'd like to get him something possible train-related but unique (not a set of wooden Red Line trains, for instance).

Perhaps there's a few great books or other toys that he might like? Have you come across cool kids books with public transportation in international cities? He also just took his first ever plane ride to France so a plane/international travel theme might be worth a shot as well.

Rush Hour Freeway Commuting Takes Years Off My Life

garuda — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 11:05:47 -0800

How reliable is public transportation in LA? Can I trust it to get me to work on time? I just moved to LA and got a job that requires a commute that I would rather not take part in. All told, the driving is about 25 miles each way, which translates to utter hell if I'm driving during rush hour or if the freeways are randomly clogged for some other reason. I've been looking into public transportation because it would be cheaper than paying for gas and way less stressful.

According to both google and the metro trip planner, the best bet is to take a bus 17 stops to the green line rail, take that 4 stops to another bus, and then take that bus 7 stops to my destination. All told, about an hour and a half of travelling. I'm totally OK with this, but I'm concerned that the bus may take longer than this due to traffic and then I'll be late for work, something I really don't want to be.

How reliable are buses in LA? If I am taking the bus at 6AM in the morning, will it actually take as long as it say it is going to take on the internet? What about when I leave work at 5PM? How big of a risk am I taking of being late to work?

Also, how do I go about getting a few of metro day passes to experiment with this before I start getting a monthly pass? Can I purchase a metra day pass on the bus?

San Francisco After Dark

Ardiril — Sat, 18 Jun 2011 11:54:37 -0800

What should I know about getting around San Francisco/Bay Area via public transportation between 6 pm and 2 am on a semi-regular basis? I can get system information online, but what experience should I expect riding those systems? I am on disability, and I want to move to SF to be near its music scene. I don't drive, but I walk good. (Budget is not an issue.)

Guy gets on the MTA...

the NATURAL — Tue, 10 May 2011 03:03:09 -0800

General tips for riding the LA MTA Rail? (Red Line in particular, if you'd like.) Say, things along the lines of "don't ever hang around xx stop, ever," or "the xx food at xx stop is highly underrated."

Much appreciated!

One way the West has the East beat...

Golfhaus — Sat, 16 Apr 2011 13:01:58 -0800

What are some In-N-Out Burger locations easily accessible via airport and light rail? I work for an airline, so I have free flight benefits. It's been the better part of a decade since I've indulged in the deliciousness of In-N-Out Burger, and I'm thinking of flying somewhere out west and getting a fix. What locations are convenient to flying into town, catching a train to a station, walking a block or two, and arriving at Beef and Cheese Valhalla? I'm aware of the infamous LAX location, but aside from questionable use of a parking shuttle, it seems the easiest way to get there is by cab.

Are there other convenient locations out there?

Do any major world transportation systems operate at a profit?

GilloD — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 16:36:52 -0800

Do any of the major world public transportation systems (Paris, Tokyo, Seoul, Madrid etc.) operate at a profit? I was pondering New York's constant MTA woes and was wondering if other cities had similar problems. What are the factors that lead to profitability vs. expense? etc etc.

I'm leavin' on a MetraTrain

santojulieta — Sat, 16 Oct 2010 08:53:47 -0800

Help me understand how to commute from Chicago to Elmhurst on a daily basis. I got a job in Elmhurst, but I live in the South Loop (21st and Indiana). I have a car, but I'd rather not spend hours in traffic on I-290 each day in rush hour. I'd prefer to take the Metra, but I can't really tell if it'll be crazy expensive to combine CTA with Metra. Should I drive to a specific station and park and then ride to Elmhurst or take CTA to the downtown station and then ride? I need this to be as economical as possible.

Help!

New Public Transit Locales

The Biggest Dreamer — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 09:33:48 -0800

Where are the *newer* public transportation systems in the US (implemented, let's say, within the 2000s)? I'm interested in places which recently went from being completely car-dependent (having zero public transit options) to having AT LEAST ONE option (whether it be rail, bus, trolley, cart, boat, carriage, or shuttle network) for carrying many people around town/city/region.

Did your town, or a town you visited, recently put such a system in place? Help me identify some places!

Racked with concern

bibliogrrl — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 13:39:41 -0800

I need help figuring out if a certain type of bike rack on the bus will be dangerous to use with my bike. Details inside. I recently got a new bike and I love it a LOT. My old bike is a road type bike, and I never had any problem taking it on the bus (I had no fenders or front rack on the old bike).
There are generally two types of front racks here on the buses in Chicago. The first is the Red kind. This type works really well with my bike, as the clamp fits around the front of the wheel. The second is the yellow type where the clamp pulls out and rests on top of the wheel. This is where my problem is.

The first time I took my bike on the bus, I had a bus with the red rack, and everything was fine. The second, it was the yellow. The clamp could not be put securely onto the top of the wheel because of the front rack/fender. It seemed like the bike was wobbling back and forth a lot while the bus was in motion, and the wide handlebars kept coming into contact with the windshield wipers. I ended up getting off the bus halfway to my destination and riding. (for the record, I’ll sometimes take the bus to work if it’s very hot, or I’m running short on time as I am not a fast rider.)

My question is: has anyone else had problems like this? Is my bike unsafe on the yellow rack? Could the wobbling be because of the weight of my bike and not the (what I perceived to be) non-secure fit on the rack? Can anyone else let me know of any experience they’ve had like this? Thanks!

A huckleberry over my persimmon.

jardinier — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 18:34:18 -0800

Where can I pick huckleberries in New York State that is accessible by public transportation and hiking? The NYT reports that in 1884 and 1897 there were enough huckleberries in the state to make collecting them a profitable enterprise, but where are they today?

I grew up picking huckleberries in the mountains of Oregon, freezing them and making pancakes with them all winter and would like to do the same here in NY, so ideally they should be the sweet-tart variety that are desirable for eating without noticeably large seeds.

The above articles mention the Gunks and also Ulster, Orange, Sullivan, and Greene counties. I'm looking for locations accessible by a combination of public transportation and hiking from New York City. I'd prefer to take a train over a bus and don't mind hiking up to 10 miles round trip.

Everyday I'm hustling. And crutching.

quadrilaterals — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 08:44:06 -0800

I broke my foot. And am a mess on crutches. Now what? And you are not my doctor, but my doctor won't see me. In a flurry of industriousness, I flew down the stairs on the DC metro. Only to miss a step and break my fifth metatarsal (specifically, fractured and displaced it). Great. Wonderful. I went to the ER, where they gave me a fiberglass splint and some underarm crutches. Oh dear.

So, a few things:
I have no car. I walk and take DC public transportation everywhere. I live close to one end of the Red Line and work on the other end in Maryland. Elevators exist, but I have to transfer and move around. I also live in a townhouse up two flights of stairs. Any tips on making moving around town easier to handle?

I broke my foot Wednesday. Everything hurts after a day and a half of the crutches - my ribs where the crutches hit, my hands, my good leg. Pretty much the only thing that doesn't hurt is the damn broken foot (which is non-weight-bearing). I have an ulcer, so don't take NSAIDS. How can I make everything feel less hurty?

You are not my doctor. I have not even met my doctor. The nurse in the ER gave me discharge papers telling me to see an orthopedist within 3 days (the displacement is apparently something they want looked at). I called the orthopedist yesterday. He took a look at my X-rays. His office called me back this morning and said he would see me in mid-May. What. Seriously? A walking cast / boot / etc would make my life so much easier, and I would at least like to have that shot down by a doctor before crutching for three weeks. Is it ok to see another doctor, or should I wait?

I currently have a fiberglass splint that I can't get wet, which means sponge baths for everyone! Or just me, actually. Also, I am moving the second week in May, which promises to be a challenge. General tips on crutching, reducing my whining, swallowing my pride and asking for help for people, and navigating public transportation all really appreciated.

Best Canadian cities for non-drivers?

vanitas — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 23:44:43 -0800

Best Canadian cities for non-drivers? I'm Canadian, I live in a small town, I'm at a crossroads in my life, and I'm seriously considering a move to a bigger city.

I have vision problems that prevented me from ever getting my drivers' licence. Right now, I'm stuck relying on family and friends and taxis to get around, which sucks big time. When I move away, I'm not going to have this, so being able to get around as a non-driver is pretty important.

What Canadian cities have the best public transportation? I've heard Vancouver and Toronto both have fairly good transit systems - how easy is it to get by as a non-driver in those cities?

Planes, Trains, and Automobiles

SLC Mom — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 20:53:39 -0800

Please recommend a simple route on public transportation to go from JFK airport to White Plains Airport (Westchester County). Something cheaper than a taxi is desirable, but I don't want to change buses a dozen times either.

We are flying into JFK, but I don't want to rent a car at those prices. We'll be staying near White Plains, and their airport has much cheaper rentals.

Thanks!

(I asked a couple of weeks ago about cheaper rentals at JFK. Thanks to all those who offered suggestions then, too!)

Can I be this much of a New York Jew?

Jon_Evil — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 05:18:43 -0800

When one buys a 30-day unlimited MetroCard from the NYC Subway, are those thirty days counted from the date of purchase or the date of first use? Subway fare is about to go up (again!), and I'm wondering if I can save money by buying a bunch of cards now, and activating them as needed. From the perspective of the City government, use-based dating would lose them money, but I seem to remember this being the way it works.

Please help us get to longwood to visit friends!

Nanukthedog — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 06:42:57 -0800

Anyone have any tips on taking public transportation with an infant? Bonus for Boston-centric and the T-based green line? Do we strap in the car seat? Do we just hold it or set it down? Should we go for any special seats? Tips tips tips?

Public transportation options from Charlotte or Knoxville airports?

woodblock100 — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 23:10:57 -0800

What type of public transportation is available in rural Tennessee and North Carolina? Writing from Japan; my lady here has a dear friend who lives in Tennessee, near a small town called Butler (airports are Knoxville TN and Charlotte NC). This friend has recently been quite ill, and my lady would like to fly over from Japan and visit her (again). On past visits, the American friend has driven down to Charlotte airport to pick her up, but due to the illness, this is no longer an option.

The 'obvious' solution would be for my lady to rent a car, and drive to Butler herself, but she is unwilling to attempt this (unfamiliar highways, 'wrong-side' steering wheel, etc. etc.). Are there public transportation options for this kind of trip? Rent-a-car with driver? Any recommendations from locals would be much appreciated ...

Tthe cheapest way to get to Fordham U. from Providence, RI on a Friday using public transportation

JamesJD — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 10:40:33 -0800

What is the cheapest way to get to Fordham University from Providence, RI on a Friday using public transportation (must leave around noon, if not earlier)? What is the cheapest way to get back?

How do I get there from here? (Lexington/Burlington MA)

TravellingCari — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 20:52:25 -0800

I'll be travelling from NYC to Boston via bus or train (as yet undecided, probably bus) on Columbus Day weekend. That part is easy, it's getting from South Station or Greyhound in Newton to my destination that's challenging me. Where I ultimately need to go is NW of Boston in the Lexington or Burlington areas (can be picked up in either). I had thought I could go from South Station to Riverside via the T but according to MBTA's Trip Planner, that's 2h20min. I don't think so.

So then I figured Big Grey Dog to Newton (essentially Riverside) but it's another "can't get there from here" without going back into Boston on the green line and back out on the red, apparently. This can't be impossible to do. I'm not sure how commuters do it. Cars only?

Worse comes to worse, I can get access to a car here but really don't want to have to pick it up Friday night here in NY, pay to garage it overnight, spend gas, drive, then come back Monday, get the car back home and then come back to my apartment.

What I've also looked at: Zipcar (not economically feasible), Amtrak to Framingham and or Westwood (see also: can't get there from here), traditional rent-a-car (Hertz is at South Station and isn't bad for three days if I take Fungwah/Megabus up, costs are still down over self-drive with gas and hassle)

Am I spoiled from being too long in NYC? Can you really not get there from here? Bostonians, what are my options?

I've read the related, nothing appears to match. As always, thanks so much for all of your help!

rubbing shoulders on the bus isn't exactly networking

porpoise — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 09:43:18 -0800

Public transit personal space etiquette question. I take public transit just about everyday to and from an University campus. Sometimes the person(s) next to me will press arms/shoulders against mine. This happens more frequently when I'm wearing a tank top that leaves my arms and shoulders bare.

People from S. Asia or from the mainland, I understand, have different ideas about personal space than most North Americans.

I'm not talking about these persons.

Typically, they are female or gay men with a wide spectrum of physical attractiveness and apparent personal assuredness. Sometimes they'll even initiate incidental leg/foot contact.

When this happens I usually discretely give them their space, if possible, but they just shift and re-initiate contact again. They'll typically have adequate space on their other side and are not in contact with the person on their other side or there is nobody on their other side. Sometimes they'll even fiddle with something in their purse or a binder/newspaper/audio player/whatever that offers them more contact with me. When I try to smile and initiate eye contact, they never return the eye contact.

Mind you, I'm not complaining here. I've been told that I have nice shoulders - that they're starting to develop and are well defined - but the rest of me amounts to "short, skinny ugger" so this phenomenon is just baffling.

Anyone able to shed any insight on what's going on here?