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The Valley Metro Rail Adventure

Mesa has the Valley Metro Rail, so what is it good for? At first, you might think not much, because it may not go anywhere close to where you work. But there are some very interesting things you can do on the new metro light rail.

You can park your car for the day at one of the many park-and-ride lots of the Metro. These are for day use only. Here's a list of the locations of the free Metro park-and-ride lots: park-and-ride locations.

Like trains? The Phoenix Metro Light Rail (or Metro for short) is a convenient passenger train that goes from Mesa to some of the main parts of Phoenix and Tempe. Check out the view as you travel in comfort across the Tempe Town Lake:

It is comfortable, modern and moves along at a good speed similar to regular traffic. Seats are basic cloth covered and there is room for things like strollers and even bicycles! Wheelchairs are no problem because the level of the landing and train looked good, and the gap was very small. The Metro is very smooth; you will notice this is not some swaying, jerking, smoky bus.

Take a day-long joy ride on the Valley Metro Light Rail

The Valley Metro Rail is a fun thing to do with friends and relatives when they come to town and want to see what some parts of area look like. You will see major Tempe and Phoenix attractions, mixed in with a few bland commercial areas.

Start your trip at the ample free park and ride lots. The park and ride lots are for day use only, no overnight parking. In Mesa, the most eastern part of the line is at Sycamore and Main (near Dobson and Main). You will get the best pick of seats here. Why? Because the closer you get to Tempe and Phoenix, the riders increase to standing room only:

The train moves at a fast speed and will get where you want to go quickly. It is nice and new. So far there is no graffiti. You can get from Mesa to the other end in Phoenix in about an hour and 15 minutes on a busy weekend.

Step off the Valley Metro Rail anywhere and get a bite to eat. Or check out a museum like the Arizona Science Center. Then when you go back to the station, a new train will be there. They generally come every 10-20 minutes depending on day of the week and time of day.

Here’s a map of the existing line: Light Rail Line

Take a bike to Tempe and ASU on the Valley Metro Rail

The Valley Metro Light Rail is equipped with room for your bicycles. Just wheel them in the door and find the place to hang your bike on a bicycle hook.

Think of the trips you can take around the scenic Tempe Town Lake! A lot of ASU students use the metro light rail to get to and from the campus. This is fun and healthy to be outdoors during the good weather months. Save money on parking fees too.

You can get to the ASU campus where the drop off is on the north side next to the ASU sports venues, frat row and ASU hill.

Take a fun run ride into Tempe and forget about parking

Tired of the parking hassles and choked traffic in Tempe? You might be way better off taking the Metro Rail and getting off near Mill Avenue sites like Monte's la Casa Vieja etc.

Take the light rail to see a Phoenix baseball/basketball game

Ok, so you might have to walk a few blocks in the heat. But even if you park in the one of the covered parking lots you have to walk a ways too. Then with the money you saved on not paying for parking you can get an extra hot dog and drink!

This part of the Metro is on the one-way streets. The Metro follows the one-way streets. So depending on which direction you want to go, you have to walk north or south a block to catch the train.

Go to Phoenix Sky Harbor via Valley Metro Rail

Do you flinch when you need a ride to the airport because of the sometimes difficult traffic? Well take the train next time! Just get dropped off at a local train station. Here is how it works.

The train actually doesn’t go right by the airport, but close to it. (This is a good thing because if the rail stopped by the airport it would delay other riders with all the many stops.)

So the train will stop in a nondescript commercial area just north of the airport. You might wonder why the train stops here because it looks like there is nothing around.

Anyway it is next to a transfer bus depot that will whisk you and your luggage to wherever you need to go at the airport, including the main terminals, see the Sky Harbor rail and bus map: Metro Light Rail to the Airport.

The bus leaves every 10 minutes so you won’t have to wait long. It is located at the light rail station at 44th and Washington streets, just north of the Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport.

Best advice is pack light and use luggage that rolls because you have to hoof it a ways.

Transit Schedules

Be sure to check for any changes because Valley Metro Rail train schedules are subject to change without notice. The schedule shows different start times M-F or the weekends. Here’s the general schedule page so please check for any time changes before your trip: Metro Rail Schedules.

If you want a paper printed copy of the Transit Book, you should be able to get them at all major transit centers, libraries and city hall offices. Or just print what you need from the transit website and it will probably be more current.

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