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List of Metro (Minnesota) light rail stations

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Metro is a public transportation network consisting of light rail and bus rapid transit services covering the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area. The light rail portion of the network, managed by Metro Transit, has 37 light rail stations in operation across two lines: the Blue Line, running from downtown Minneapolis to the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota, and the Green Line, connecting downtown Minneapolis to downtown Saint Paul.[1] In 2016, the Blue and Green lines respectively provided approximately 10.3 million and 12.7 million rides for a total of 23 million rides across both lines.[2] By ridership, it is the ninth-largest light rail system in the United States.[3]

A simple transit diagram with a green line stretching roughly left to right (west to east) and a blue line stretching roughly top to bottom (north to south). A light blue river runs from the top right to the bottom right, roughly following the shape of a ladle. Another thinner waterway runs straight from center-left to connect with the river near the center of the image.
Map of the Metro system as it stood in September 2017, showing the Blue and Green lines

Construction on the Blue Line, which was initially known as the Hiawatha Line, began in 2001.[4] The line opened in two phases in 2004, beginning with a 12-station stretch from the Warehouse District/Hennepin Avenue station through the Fort Snelling station in June. In December, five more stations were opened, continuing service south of Fort Snelling to the Mall of America station.[5] Two additional Blue Line stations opened in late 2009: a new northern terminus at Target Field and the American Boulevard station in Bloomington.[6][7] Construction on the Green Line, which was initially designated as the Central Corridor, began in 2010.[8] The line opened in its entirety in June 2014.[9]

Fares for Metro light rail service are the same as those for most Metro Transit bus services and include unlimited transfers to other light rail and bus routes within 2.5 hours from the time a fare is paid.[10] Two exceptions exist for Metro light rail services: fares within (but not between) downtown zones[nb 1] are less expensive than regular fares but may not be transferred; and there is no cost to ride between terminals 1 and 2 at the Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport (MSP).[13][14] Many stations connect with rail or bus routes. The Target Field station provides a connection to the Northstar commuter rail line, while the Mall of America station allows for transfers to the Metro Red Line bus rapid transit service. The A Line bus rapid transit line connects with the 46th Street Blue Line station and the Snelling Avenue Green Line stop.[1] Two Metro light rail stations – 30th Avenue and Fort Snelling – have designated park and ride lots.[15]

Extensions to both Metro lines are planned as of 2023. The Blue Line extension will branch northward from the Target Field station, adding 11 stations to the line: two more in Minneapolis, two in Golden Valley, one each in Robbinsdale and Crystal, and five in Brooklyn Park.[16] The Green Line extension will branch west from Target Field station and include 16 new stations: five in Minneapolis, three each in Saint Louis Park and Hopkins, one in Minnetonka, and four in Eden Prairie.[17] The Green Line extension was originally intended to open in 2018 but, as of 2022, was delayed until 2027.[18] Passenger service was planned to begin on the Blue Line extension in 2023, but an issue with securing right-of-way resulted in the need to rework the line's route, resulting in a new estimate of 2028.[19][20][21][22]

Stations

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Target Field station is the northern terminus for both the Green and Blue lines.[1]
 
The elevated Lake Street/Midtown station on the Blue Line
 
The underground Terminal 1–Lindbergh station on the Blue Line
 
Saint Paul Union Depot, the Green Line's southern terminus
Legend
* Downtown fare zone stations
† Terminal stations
*† Terminal / downtown fare zone stations
  Free airport zone
Lines
  Blue Line
  Green Line
Extant Metro light rail stations
Station Lines Locality Opened Ref(s).
10th Street*
  Green Line
 Saint Paul June 14, 2014 [12][23]
30th Avenue
  Blue Line
 Bloomington December 4, 2004 [24][25]
38th Street
  Blue Line
 Minneapolis June 26, 2004 [26]
46th Street
  Blue Line
 Minneapolis June 26, 2004 [26]
50th Street/Minnehaha Park
  Blue Line
 Minneapolis June 26, 2004 [26]
American Boulevard
  Blue Line
 Bloomington December 12, 2009 [27]
Bloomington Central
  Blue Line
 Bloomington December 4, 2004 [25]
Capitol/Rice Street*
  Green Line
 Saint Paul June 14, 2014 [12][23]
Cedar-Riverside
  Blue Line
 Minneapolis June 26, 2004 [26]
Central*
  Green Line
 Saint Paul June 14, 2014 [12][23]
Dale Street
  Green Line
 Saint Paul June 14, 2014 [23]
East Bank
  Green Line
 Minneapolis June 14, 2014 [23]
Fairview Avenue
  Green Line
 Saint Paul June 14, 2014 [23]
Fort Snelling
  Blue Line
 Fort Snelling June 26, 2004 [26][28]
Franklin Avenue
  Blue Line
 Minneapolis June 26, 2004 [26]
Government Plaza*
Minneapolis June 26, 2004 [26][11]
Hamline Avenue
  Green Line
 Saint Paul June 14, 2014 [23]
Lake Street/Midtown
  Blue Line
 Minneapolis June 26, 2004 [26]
Lexington Parkway
  Green Line
 Saint Paul June 14, 2014 [23]
Mall of America†
  Blue Line
 Bloomington December 4, 2004 [25][29]
Nicollet Mall*
Minneapolis June 26, 2004 [26][11]
Prospect Park
  Green Line
 Minneapolis June 14, 2014 [23][30]
Raymond Avenue
  Green Line
 Saint Paul June 14, 2014 [23]
Robert Street*
  Green Line
 Saint Paul June 14, 2014 [12][23]
Saint Paul Union Depot*†
  Green Line
 Saint Paul June 14, 2014 [12][23]
Snelling Avenue
  Green Line
 Saint Paul June 14, 2014 [23]
Stadium Village
  Green Line
 Minneapolis June 14, 2014 [23]
Target Field*†
Minneapolis November 14, 2009 [6][11]
Terminal 1–Lindbergh 
  Blue Line
 Fort Snelling December 4, 2004 [14][25][28]
Terminal 2–Humphrey 
  Blue Line
 Fort Snelling December 4, 2004 [14][25][28]
U.S. Bank Stadium*
Minneapolis June 26, 2004 [26][11]
VA Medical Center
  Blue Line
 Fort Snelling June 26, 2004 [26][28]
Victoria Street
  Green Line
 Saint Paul June 14, 2014 [23]
Warehouse District/Hennepin Avenue*
Minneapolis June 26, 2004 [26][11]
West Bank
  Green Line
 Minneapolis June 14, 2014 [23]
Western Avenue
  Green Line
 Saint Paul June 14, 2014 [23]
Westgate
  Green Line
 Saint Paul June 14, 2014 [23][30]

Planned stations

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Main articles: Southwest LRT and Bottineau LRT
 
The site of the planned Royalston Avenue/Farmers Market station on the extended Green Line in Minneapolis[31]
 
Work underway in 2019 on the SouthWest station, part of the extended Green Line to Eden Prairie
Planned Metro light rail stations
Station[16][17] Lines Locality[16][17] Planned opening[32][33]
63rd Avenue
  Blue Line
 Brooklyn Park 2028
85th Avenue
  Blue Line
 Brooklyn Park 2028
93rd Avenue
  Blue Line
 Brooklyn Park 2028
Bass Lake Road
  Blue Line
 Crystal 2028
Bassett Creek Valley
  Green Line
 Minneapolis 2027
Beltline Boulevard
  Green Line
 Saint Louis Park 2027
Blake Road
  Green Line
 Hopkins 2027
Brooklyn Boulevard
  Blue Line
 Brooklyn Park 2028
Bryn Mawr
  Green Line
 Minneapolis 2027
City West
  Green Line
 Eden Prairie 2027
Downtown Hopkins
  Green Line
 Hopkins 2027
Eden Prairie Town Center
  Green Line
 Eden Prairie 2027
Golden Triangle
  Green Line
 Eden Prairie 2027
Golden Valley Road
  Blue Line
 Golden Valley 2028
Louisiana Avenue
  Green Line
 Saint Louis Park 2027
Oak Grove Parkway
  Blue Line
 Brooklyn Park 2028
Opus
  Green Line
 Minnetonka 2027
Penn Avenue
  Blue Line
 Minneapolis 2028
Plymouth Avenue/Theodore Wirth Park
  Blue Line
 Golden Valley 2028
Robbinsdale
  Blue Line
 Robbinsdale 2028
Royalston Avenue/Farmers Market
  Green Line
 Minneapolis 2027
Shady Oak
  Green Line
 Hopkins 2027
SouthWest†
  Green Line
 Eden Prairie 2027
Van White Boulevard
  Blue Line
 Minneapolis 2028
West 21st Street
  Green Line
 Minneapolis 2027
West Lake Street
  Green Line
 Minneapolis 2027
Wooddale Avenue
  Green Line
 Saint Louis Park 2027

Deferred/cancelled stations

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Along Southwest LRT, two additional stations, both in Eden Prairie, were originally included in plans for the Green Line extension. One, Mitchell Road, was cut entirely from plans while another, Eden Prairie Town Center, was deferred until a later date. In October 2018, Eden Prairie Town Center received a full funding grant agreement and will open with the rest of the line when it is complete.[34][35] Along Bottineau LRT, four planned stations (Van White Boulevard, Penn Avenue, Plymouth Avenue/Theodore Wirth Park, and Golden Valley Road) were abandoned after BNSF Railway refused access to their Monticello Subdivision, forcing Metro Transit and the Metropolitan Council to find an alternative alignment. Three other stations (Robbinsdale, Bass Lake Road, and 63rd Avenue) also along the Monticello Subdivision are still being pursued, albeit outside the railroad corridor.[36]

Notes

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  1. ^ Minneapolis's downtown zone includes stations from Target Field to U.S. Bank Stadium.[11] Saint Paul's downtown zone consists of stations from Capitol/Rice Street through Saint Paul Union Depot.[12]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "What is Metro?". Metro Transit. June 19, 2017. Archived from the original on June 26, 2017. Retrieved July 19, 2017.
  2. ^ Moore, Janet (January 13, 2017). "Metro Transit sees slight dip in 2016 ridership". Star Tribune. Archived from the original on January 14, 2017. Retrieved July 19, 2017.
  3. ^ "Transit Ridership Report Fourth Quarter 2016" (PDF). Washington, D.C.: American Public Transportation Association. March 3, 2017. pp. 3–4. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 20, 2017. Retrieved July 19, 2017.
  4. ^ Knudson, Paul T. (June 2009). "Coalition Formation and Metropolitan Contention: An Analysis of the Politics of Light-Rail Transit in the Twin Cities of Minnesota". City & Community. 8 (2): 177–195. doi:10.1111/j.1540-6040.2009.01279.x. S2CID 143514228.
  5. ^ "Hiawatha Line Returns Rail Service to Minneapolis". Passenger Transport Archive. American Public Transportation Association. July 5, 2004. Archived from the original on July 19, 2017. Retrieved July 19, 2017.
  6. ^ a b Gibbons, Bob (November 14, 2009). "Communities celebrate arrival of Northstar Line; daily commuter rail service begins Monday" (Press release). Metro Transit. Archived from the original on March 16, 2010. Retrieved July 19, 2017.
  7. ^ Smetanka, Mary Jane (December 9, 2009). "Hiawatha LRT line opens 19th station in Bloomington". Star Tribune. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved July 19, 2017.
  8. ^ "Central Corridor Light Rail Transit Project Facts" (PDF). Metropolitan Council. April 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 19, 2011. Retrieved July 19, 2017.
  9. ^ Duchschere, Kevin (June 13, 2014). "St. Paul makes a bet on revival with Green Line light-rail train". Star Tribune. Archived from the original on August 7, 2016. Retrieved July 19, 2017.
  10. ^ "Fares". Metro Transit. Archived from the original on July 7, 2017. Retrieved July 19, 2017.
  11. ^ a b c d e f Downtown Minneapolis (PDF) (Map). Metro Transit. March 4, 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 18, 2017. Retrieved July 18, 2017.
  12. ^ a b c d e f Downtown St Paul (PDF) (Map). Metro Transit. March 4, 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 18, 2017. Retrieved July 18, 2017.
  13. ^ "Downtown Zone is 50¢". Metro Transit. Archived from the original on October 7, 2016. Retrieved July 19, 2017.
  14. ^ a b c "Taking Metro Transit to MSP airport terminals". Metro Transit. Archived from the original on October 27, 2016. Retrieved July 18, 2017.
  15. ^ "Park for free then ride the smart way". Metro Transit. Archived from the original on July 7, 2017. Retrieved July 19, 2017.
  16. ^ a b c "Routes and Stations: Connecting Brooklyn Park, Crystal, Robbinsdale, Golden Valley & Minneapolis". Metropolitan Council. January 2017. Archived from the original on July 12, 2017. Retrieved July 20, 2017.
  17. ^ a b c "Routes and Stations". Metropolitan Council. January 2017. Archived from the original on July 20, 2017. Retrieved July 20, 2017.
  18. ^ Phipps, Jennie L. (September 29, 2022). "Minn. Light Rail Project Is Nine Years Late, Billions over Budget". Engineering News-Record. Archived from the original on December 6, 2022. Retrieved April 29, 2023.
  19. ^ Ecklund, Eric (November 30, 2018). "Twin Cities Transit Expansion Timeline". Streets.mn. Archived from the original on November 30, 2018. Retrieved November 30, 2018.
  20. ^ Ecklund, Eric (July 1, 2019). "The Blue Line Extension in Limbo". Streets.mn. Archived from the original on October 15, 2019. Retrieved August 20, 2020.
  21. ^ Wanek-Libman, Mischa (October 12, 2020). "Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz fully backs METRO Blue Line extension". Mass Transit. Archived from the original on January 11, 2021. Retrieved January 10, 2021.
  22. ^ Sepic, Matt (April 19, 2022). "Latest light rail plan puts Blue Line in heart of north Minneapolis". MPR News. Archived from the original on July 2, 2022. Retrieved April 29, 2023.
  23. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r "Route: Connecting downtown Minneapolis and downtown St. Paul". Metropolitan Council. Archived from the original on July 12, 2017. Retrieved July 18, 2017.
  24. ^ Harlow, Tim (March 20, 2015). "Park-and-ride system has plenty of room as usage drops slightly in 2014". Star Tribune. Archived from the original on May 10, 2016. Retrieved July 18, 2017.
  25. ^ a b c d e Wilkins, Craig (December 1, 2004). "Hiawatha LRT to reach final destination on Dec. 4". Newsline. Minnesota Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on October 7, 2006. Retrieved July 18, 2017.
  26. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "Minneapolis ushers in Light Rail era on June 26, cleaner transit options and improved air quality". City of Minneapolis. June 25, 2004. Archived from the original on July 18, 2017. Retrieved July 18, 2017.
  27. ^ "New light rail station opening in Bloomington". St. Paul Pioneer Press. December 12, 2009. Archived from the original on July 18, 2017. Retrieved July 18, 2017.
  28. ^ a b c d Stecker, Nicole S. (2005). A GIS Analysis on the Effects of the Hiawatha Light Rail on Single-Family Residential Property Market Values (PDF) (Report). Saint Mary's University of Minnesota. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 29, 2015. Retrieved January 10, 2021.
  29. ^ "Metro Blue Line Facts". Metropolitan Council. Archived from the original on July 11, 2017. Retrieved July 18, 2017.
  30. ^ a b "Westgate Station". Metro Transit. Archived from the original on June 17, 2017.
  31. ^ "Royalston Avenue/Farmers Market Station". Metropolitan Council. Archived from the original on July 13, 2017. Retrieved July 22, 2017.
  32. ^ "About the Green Line Extension". Metropolitan Council. Archived from the original on August 12, 2022. Retrieved August 23, 2022.
  33. ^ "METRO Blue Line Extension Route Modification Report Summary". Metropolitan Council. April 2022. Archived from the original on August 24, 2022. Retrieved August 23, 2022.
  34. ^ Dexter, Patty (February 9, 2017). "Eden Prairie's Town Center LRT station recommended for federal funding". Eden Prairie News. Archived from the original on July 22, 2017. Retrieved July 22, 2017.
  35. ^ Hazzard, Andrew (October 17, 2018). "Eden Prairie officially receives grant for Town Center LRT station". Southwest News Media. Archived from the original on November 1, 2019. Retrieved November 1, 2019.
  36. ^ Moore, Janet (August 3, 2020). "Hennepin County, Met Council abandon route for Bottineau Blue Line light rail". Star Tribune. Archived from the original on June 12, 2022. Retrieved December 6, 2021.
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