News

Forest Park Trolley Returns to Service on May 1

Since 2011, the Forest Park Trolley has been a great option for bi-state area residents, families and tourists to conveniently travel through Forest Park and its many attractions, while also helping reduce traffic congestion in the 1,300-acre park. This year, there is another great reason to hop on – the Forest Park Trolley will be free for everyone to ride all-day long on Sundays throughout the 2018 season.

The Forest Park Trolley officially begins its eighth season of service on Tuesday, May 1. Riders have 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 Tuesday, May 1, through Monday, September 3. 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. Both routes are free to ride on Sundays this Trolley season. 

On all other days, tickets for the Forest Park Trolley are just $2 for adults; $1 for children (ages 5-12), seniors and disabled passengers; and the Trolley is free for children ages 4 and under. A Forest Park Trolley ticket provides all-day riding 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 either the Blue Forest Park Trolley or the Green Forest Park Trolley at the station, depending on the attractions they want to visit 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 the corner of 8^th and Pine Streets 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 the Missouri Department of Transportation to reduce backups and closures on Interstate 64 at Hampton Avenue. 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 Forest Park Trolley to reach their final destination.

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.forestparkmap.org
• www.forestparkforever.org/navigation

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.