News

Forest Park Trolley Returns to Service on April 15

Metro transit, Forest Park Forever and their Forest Park partners make it easy for   bi-state area residents, visitors and families to enjoy all that Forest Park has to offer with the Metro Forest Park Trolley. The Forest Park Trolley officially returns for its seventh season of service on Saturday, April 15. The Trolley is a great way for Forest Park visitors to conveniently navigate through the 1,300-acre park and its many attractions, while helping reduce traffic congestion.

New for 2017, Forest Park Trolley riders have more options with two trolley routes to choose from, depending on their destination. The Blue Forest Park Trolley route serves the western side of Forest Park, with stops at the World’s Fair Pavilion, Saint Louis Zoo, Saint Louis Art Museum and Emerson Grand Basin. The Green Forest Park Trolley route serves the eastern side of Forest Park, with stops at the Jewel Box and the Saint Louis Science Center and Planetarium. Both trolley routes begin at the Forest Park-DeBaliviere MetroLink Station, and both routes make stops at the Missouri History Museum, Dennis & Judith Jones Visitor and Education Center, The Muny and the Boathouse.

The Metro Forest Park Trolley (MetroBus route #3) will operate daily between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. from Saturday, April 15 through Monday, September 4. The Blue Trolley route operates every 15 minutes on weekdays and the weekend, and the Green Trolley route operates every 30 minutes on weekdays and every 15 minutes during the weekend.

Tickets are $2 for adults, $1 for children (ages 5-12), seniors and disabled passengers, and the Trolley is free for children ages 4 and under. Valid fare provides all-day on and off privileges on both the Blue and Green Forest Park Trolley routes. A valid Metro Reduced Fare permit is required for the Senior and Disabled discount. A convenient Park & Ride option is available for visitors inside Forest Park at the Visitor Center Lot across from the Dennis & Judith Jones Visitor and Education Center. Guests can park their vehicle at this lot and then hop aboard the Forest Park Trolley for a quick and easy trip to their destinations inside Forest Park. In addition, there are free Park-Ride lots at 21 MetroLink stations in Missouri and Illinois. Park visitors can ride MetroLink to the Forest Park-DeBaliviere MetroLink Station and then catch the Blue Forest Park Trolley or the Green Forest Park Trolley at the station, depending on the zoo attractions they want to go to first.

The Metro #3 Forest Park Trolley service is a partnership between Forest Park Forever, Metro, Missouri History Museum, Saint Louis Art Museum, Saint Louis Science Center, Saint Louis Zoo and the City of St. Louis Department of Parks, Recreation and Forestry.

Forest Park Trolley Tips:

• One-Day Trolley tickets can be purchased on the Trolley (exact change is required), at Forest Perk Café inside the Dennis & Judith Jones Visitor and Education Center, and at the Planetarium Ticket Station at the Saint Louis Science Center. Each Trolley ticket allows unlimited rides on the Forest Park Trolley for the day the fare is purchased.
• Valid Metro passes are acceptable fares for the Forest Park Trolley. Visitors who are combining MetroLink or MetroBus with the Forest Park Trolley should consider purchasing the Metro Adventure Pass. Available at Metro Ticket Vending Machines located at all MetroLink stations, the Metro Adventure Pass provides unlimited rides on MetroLink, MetroBus, the Forest Park Trolley and Downtown Trolley for one day for $7.50 – an easy way for visitors to explore Forest Park and other attractions throughout the region.
• Forest Park Trolley tickets and the Metro Adventure Pass can also be purchased at the MetroStore, located at 7^th and Washington in downtown St. Louis. The MetroStore is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Check the head sign before you board. Forest Park Trolley vehicles coming from the Forest Park-DeBaliviere MetroLink station are identified as Green – To Science Center or Blue – To Zoo depending on the route. Forest Park Trolley vehicles heading toward the Forest Park-DeBaliviere Station are identified as Green – To Forest Park MetroLink Station or Blue – To Forest Park MetroLink.
• The #3 Forest Park Trolley is fully accessible to persons with disabilities.

Information on Obtaining Reduced Fare Permits

Seniors (age 65 and older) and the disabled can ride MetroBus, MetroLink and the Forest Park Trolley at a reduced rate. Qualifying individuals must complete the following:

• Seniors must apply in person at the MetroStore and show a government-issued picture identification card verifying age (age 65 and older). For more information, please call the MetroStore at 314-982-1495.
• Individuals with disabilities can apply for reduced fare permits by contacting Metro ADA Services at 314-982-1510.

Additional Traffic Support for Forest Park

The Metro Forest Park Trolley is an important resource toward alleviating traffic in Forest Park this summer, and on especially busy days, a Traffic Relief Route will also be implemented. When traffic is particularly heavy at Forest Park’s popular Hampton entrance, Park Rangers will put this Relief Route into motion. This effort is done in coordination with MoDOT as a means to reduce backups and closures on Interstate 64 at Hampton Ave. To prevent traffic backups and highway closures, the Traffic Relief Route will direct drivers from Hampton on a circular path through the Park past many available parking locations. After parking, visitors may then hop on the Trolley to reach their destination in Forest Park.

In addition, the #90 Hampton MetroBus route will not operate in Forest Park on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. while the Forest Park Trolley is in operation. The route will instead detour around the park via Skinker Boulevard. During these times on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, passengers on the #90 Hampton will need to transfer to the Forest Park Trolley in order to access stops inside Forest Park.

Helpful Websites

• www.stladventurepass.com
• www.metrostlouis.org
• www.forestparkforever.org/navigation
• www.forestparkmap.org

About Metro

Metro is the operator of the St. Louis region’s public transportation system, which includes the 87 vehicle, 46-mile MetroLink light rail system; approximately 400 vehicle MetroBus fleet that operates on 80 MetroBus routes in Missouri and Illinois; and Metro Call-A-Ride, a paratransit fleet of 122 vans. Metro is an enterprise of Bi-State Development (BSD), which also owns and operates St. Louis Downtown Airport, the Bi-State Development Research Institute, the Gateway Arch Riverboats, and operates the Gateway Arch Trams and Revenue Collections Center. BSD also operates the St. Louis Regional Freightway.

About Forest Park Forever

Founded in 1986, Forest Park Forever is a private nonprofit conservancy that works in partnership with the City of St. Louis and the Department of Parks, Recreation and Forestry to restore, maintain and sustain Forest Park as one of America’s greatest urban public parks, now and forever. Along with the City of St. Louis, Forest Park Forever raised $100 million between 1995 and 2003 and dramatically restored many landmark destinations in Forest Park, including the Emerson Grand Basin, the Boathouse and the Jewel Box. Today, Forest Park Forever maintains Forest Park with the City of St. Louis; raises funds for and helps manage capital restoration projects called for in the Forest Park Master Plan; delivers experiential educational opportunities to teachers, students and adults; and provides information and guides for the Park’s 13 million annual visitors. Forest Park Forever is supported by private donations from throughout the community, including its 7,500 members, 1,100 volunteers and many leading community and corporate partners.