I love the light rail for sure. I am more of a recreational user so I am not sure if the people who ride it for work have the same opinion. It is clean comfortable & fast enough for me. It just misses 5 stars because it is 20 minutes between trains & I hate waiting. Sure there are breakdowns, loud kids, and a few stinky bums, but what public transportation doesn't have that? Live a little people! I am currently planning my next biking/light rail excursion, cause I like to save the Earth when I go to Happy Hour. You're welcome. ;) read more

I'm a huge fan of public transportation and heard about the Light Rail from my friends in the Phoenix area. Most of them hadn't taken it, since driving is the typical mode of getting around, but one by one everyone has ended up on it for one reason or another. I've now taken it several times and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. The trains are clean, provide ample seating, and stay on schedule. The ride is quick and the stops plentiful, so you can get where you need to on the line. If you're going to the airport, you can connect to a bus that will take you to each terminal. The rail runs all the way to North Phoenix and I've been on the entire stretch of the line to visit friends. It would be nice to see the Rail expand so more people could take advantage of it. The park and ride concept is a good one for commuters and the environment. I'm happy to support this project whenever I come to town. Always be sure to purchase a pass ahead of time. While they rarely check, it did happen to me last week and I'm glad that I was prepared. Everyone had a ticket, so I didn't get to see the consequences. Like other transit systems, they should consider discounted fares for the 3-day pass (same price as buying 3 separate all-day passes) and one for families to encourage usage. And I think that kids under 13 should ride free. No system is perfect, but this is a nice addition that, along with generous friends, saves me from renting a car when I come to town. read more

Park and ride worked great for me on my first ride downtown. Quite unlike my first experience on the MTA (T) in Boston with December sub freezing temps going from the bus to the trolley to the subway and finally the train to Logan as I recall. Today was T-shirt weather in PHX; a little crowded but quiet and efficient. I will probably use the Valley Metro Rail whenever possible for sporting and theatre events. The one thing I noticed along the way was the large number of empty lots on Central. Hopefully, that will change in time with the rail finally operational. read more

What can I say that hasn't already been touched on? I love it. I'm glad its here. But it needs to run later. "Exit to LEFT...?" read more

Last night was only the second time I've used the light rail. The first time I was a little distracted by an event to really pay attention to the actual trains. Hopefully someday the rail will extend further into the rest of Mesa but right now it's barely at the west end. I went to the park and ride at the first Mesa station. The entire front lot closest to the station was closed. Empty and closed. Dunno why. So I'm already crabby about having to walk clear across an empty parking lot to get to the train because I know I'll be walking back alone much later that night. The ticket buying process was confusing and difficult. Kiosks you can walk right past and take your chances getting caught, because the rail cops only check every 5th train or so to see if people even have tickets. The kiosks have a bunch of steps to buying your ticket, wouldn't take cash, have 4 different and not-well-labeled slots to put things in or take things out of and the whole "activation" process is frakked. I'm sure after you've bought tickets for a while it gets easier to navigate, but for new and/or seldom riders it seems really confusing. In Atlanta and Vegas (the other places I've recently ridden city rails) you buy tickets and then go through a counter. In Atlanta you have to buy the initial plastic card and load it up like a debit card and it deducts your fare as you go through the gates/counters. Vegas had paper cards similar to ours but you still had to go through a counter to prove you'd paid. Here, the stations are open-air and you can just walk right on. No security at the stations and no counter or gating system at all. I watched people who've never used it walk right past the ATM looking kiosks and not understand how to pay. I sat in the middle of the train where the bike racks are and watched as some dweeb struggled to hang up his bike next to one already jammed in instead of right across the aisle where the rack was empty. Yeah, you're supposed to hang up your bike by the front tire. I will never be taking my nonexistent bike on the train. He hadn't noticed the machines and ended up asking other passengers how to pay for his ride. The train sure seems loud and clunky for being electric. Clean, but then again the whole system has only been operating for a month. And the announcement woman sounds like her recording was cut off mid-sentence. "Exit to left, (dummy)." Fortunately the station in downtown Tempe was only a block away from my meet-up. The ride back was about the same. Loud and clicky. I exited the train and walked past the still-empty front parking lot to the back one where my and only three other cars were. I seriously didn't like that part. That station isn't in the best part of Mesa to begin with and there weren't a lot of people around. I didn't feel particularly safe. And no bathrooms. Not that I would have used one at the end-of-the-line station late at night. There needs to be more obvious signage on how to pay for your ride. When the train is sitting there and you're in a hurry and there are people in line behind you, you don't need a machine you can't easily figure out. There are too many steps. I'm sure if I lived in Tempe or Phoenix, I'd pop on and off the light rail whenever it was convenient to my destination and I'd be really annoyed if I had to go through that ticketing process all the time. I prefer cash and I couldn't use it. It seems stupid and pointless to use a credit/debit card to buy a one day pass, and the diagram as to how to enter your card wasn't like any one I'd ever seen before and couldn't decipher. I ended up shoving my card in every which way until it worked. Get a standard diagram, rail people. There needs to be more security. I'm pretty sure once most riders figure out they're seldom checked, they ain't paying anymore. If I rode it all the time, I'd probably blow off paying myself. I never saw anyone who looked like security. And that's weird especially since the first time I rode it they were aware there would be a large group of pants-less people riding. You'd think they'd have security around to make sure that went okay. I didn't see any either time. I'll probably use it again. I don't like trying to find parking in downtown Tempe so it's better for that. Except the trains stop running at midnight so if I want to stay out later than that forget it. And it goes right through downtown Phoenix too so next time I'm on jury duty or need the civic center or something I'll think about the rail. Unfortunately the nearest stop to the VA hospital is just far enough there's no way I could walk that, especially in summer in AZ. Oh well, can't win 'em all. read more

As I emerged from the blue "tunnel" in front of the new high-rise building being constructed across from the Chase Tower, I saw a train a few blocks away. "I can catch that train," I thought to myself. Boy was I wrong! The Valley Metro ticket machines are quite a fickle mistress. Not only are the buttons sticky and hard to push down, but the "dollar eater" is as fickle as any break room Coke machine. I had to have perfectly flat dollars for the machine not to reject them and they had to be submitted perfectly straight to be "consumed." This is in contrast to the machines in NYC and DC that will take just about any dollar. Needless to say, I missed the train messing around with its cash machine and the fact that it also doesn't seem to be easy to pay with a credit card. Bummer dude! While waiting, I had a seat. Or should I say "I had a pain"? These seats are uncomfortable! No slouching on Valley Metro seats! Unless you are sitting all the way back or sitting hunched over with your back all the way against the back of the seat, you are made extremely uncomfortable by the "wavy" design of the seats. Yes! The train arrives. I was pleasantly surprised to board a standing-room only train on my way from Central/Van Buren to Central/Indian School. The inside of the train was bright and clean, but of course that will change over time. Oddly, it announces "Central/Van Buren" after you depart. Some kink that must be worked out with the announcement system. On my way back to Roosevelt/Central from Indian School/Central, I noticed that the plastic covers over the dollar slots had already been snapped off at the Indian School/Central station. A dumb move to make those covers cheap plastic on the cheap fare machines! On my way back, I enjoyed a seat in the "elevated portion" of the train and, again, was happy to see that the train was as crowded as any DC Metro train (subway) would be on a Saturday evening. Why just "A-OK" and not "great" like other people have rated the system? This is simply an "A-OK" system. For an area as vast and highly populated as the Valley, the system is slow and the train cars are cramped and very "plastic/cheap" feeling compared to the heavy rail systems back East or in California. I hope people will ride the system and get out of their cars, but this thing definitely needs to be complimented by a heavy rail "commuter rail" system for service to the West Valley and East Valley. read more

I took a trip from Mill Ave in Tempe to downtown Phoenix to watch an event. Pros: Cheap Tickets Smooth Ride Cons: 1) Doesn't cover the whole metro area 2) Anyone can just hop on here and get a free ride without checking ticket. 3) People getting harassed by homeless drunks. (see #2) I've taken many heavy-rail / light-rail trips in New York via Metro North and in the San Francisco Bay Area (BART). This one kind of sucks. read more

i heart the Metro Light Rail. Public transportation seems to become a bit easier to deal with these days in Phoenix. I can take a bus on Camelback and 16th Street to the Light Rail on Central and Camelback and be downtown Phoenix within 20 minutes. If you are going to downtown Phoenix, I would recommend taking the light rail if possibly. One it's cheaper than parking in one of the garages which cost anywhere from $8 to $12. Besides being a good price, you can people watch the whole time on the light rail. I've seen a grown man in a black and white business suit on the light rail with a Dr. Who lunch pail, two strangers making out on the way to the east valley and a bunch of old men coming from Occupy Protest coming on the light rail and complaining about people dressed up and coming from Tour de Fat. with their bikes. "What the hell are you from?" one said to a woman dressed up as a fairy. Never a dull moment. Life is about having adventures, riding the light rail..you will have something to talk about. read more

The light rail pretty much saves me from drinking and driving and/or having to deal with parking downtown. Knowing that I can pretty much get off at any stop, walk a few blocks, and find some new and interesting bars and restaurants, really excites me. Makes me feel so hip and urban. Sure there are plenty of shady people on the thing at all times but that is all part of its charm. I've been on the light rail during some pretty odd hours and I haven't been shanked or robbed yet so that's a plus. I can't wait for the thing to expand to other parts of the valley. The construction will suck but it will be worth it. They also need to figure out a way to have "express" routes. read more

I don't understand how people don't like the light rail. It's a good form of public transportation, something that the valley is seriously lacking. My only complaint is that we should have spent the extra cash to make it a monorail. That way it wouldn't have to stop for lights and it would keep the bad drivers from trying to make an illegal u-turn and getting hit by a train. For those of you who point out that the system is losing money, the problem is it's in its infancy and needs to be expanded before it can be fully utilized. It's a cheap ride. I personally use it by leaving my car at my office downtown whenever I go to the airport. The fee to take it there and back is a lot less than parking, and a lot easier than pestering a friend for a ride. The only argument against that is that it turns a 15 minute ride to airport into a 30 to 40 minute ride (that includes the bus that takes you to the terminals). Yes, like all public transportation you're going to encounter some odd characters on the train. As in most cases, if you keep to yourself, all should be good. The riders that actually bug me the most are the people who take their bikes on the train during busy hours. There are bike racks in part of the cars, but I'm always left wondering... If you have a bike, why don't you ride it? read more

Alrighty kids..... yes, the hours are NOT the best for night owls- agreed. BUT I'm also POed that Scottsdale opted out. I live in Arcadia and by the time I make it to 38th Washington, I could have driven to Scottsdale Fashion square and back. On the upside, I visit places like Tempe and downtown Phoenix more often. On the upside, I have unlimited rides each month for half price, thanks to my job. Its not free like some other people have from their employer, but close. Its also clean and stress free. Also, more park and rides please. If you're like me and choose to live in Phoenix, you it should be easy for you to hop on close to home. read more

One of the first things anyone told me when I was looking to move to Phoenix a year and a half ago was that the light rail was coming and was going to be awesome - a true game changer. When the light rail opened I rarely rode it at first. The hours sucked and the last thing I wanted was to end up stranded in Phoenix because I refused to leave by 11pm. Now the weekend hours at least have changed, and while sometimes it still sucks (house parties don't always end at 2am), I mostly like it. I've found myself taking the light rail even more now that I am back from a stint overseas and hating driving my car. In the past week, I've used it four times to make trips downtown for some fun and mischief. Unfortunately I am only able to use the light rail for recreational reasons as I work in Snottsdale, and they, apparently, aren't fans of the light rail. My only hope is to have it hit farther in Tempe or Mesa that I can take my bike and ride a few miles in after a stop... but I don't think that will happen either. I know that's not really the LR's fault, but it still makes me bitter. The adventures are fun on the LR and it's actually helped this newby that's terribly unblessed with being navigationally challenged on top of it to navigate the Phoenix area, downtown in particular. I never thought that would happen, and it probably wouldn't have been possible without the help of the light rail. read more

I'm going to be honest and say up front that I am a huge supporter of light rail and have been an advocate for many, many years. First off, HAHAHAHA all you haters! We built it! It's here! It's been a huge success! And second, it's about damn time Phoenix! Salt Lake City had more public transportation options than Phoenix did. But Phoenix is a city that grew up with and was built in the later half of the 20th century around the automobile. The beautiful, walkable, urban city that Phoenix once was (and it was!) was demolished long ago to make way for parking lots, wider streets, and freeways for even more cars. But hey, gas was cheap and commutes were relatively short, and that nasty brown cloud of pollution circling the Valley wasn't really THAT bad. My biggest complaint for years was that Phoenix has no alternatives to the car. (Yes, I know there was the bus and I used it. But a bus is not a train.) Personally, I hate driving. Hate it. I hate going slow, I hate the stupid drivers who pull out in front of me FOR NO REASON, and hate that I miss every green light. And I loathe the speed cameras. But Dec 27, 2008 was what I call, The Day the Valley Changed. (It was also the day before my birthday and Phoenix gave me the best present ever- a train.) I seriously have nothing to complain about. The light rail is perfect in every way. It's sleek and beautiful, it glides down the road like it's on ice skates, it's clean, it's cheap, it goes to the places I want to be. Each station has art that reflects the neighborhood the station is in. The light rail connects to the airport. The weekend hours were recently extended (hooray!). All real cities have trains and it is LONG overdue in Phoenix. I guess I do have one complaint: people need to shut the H up about it already and we need to extend it all over the Valley immediately. I've found through talking to people that the ones who are most belligerent and those who seem to hate the train the most, are the people who have never travelled far. (Not EVERYONE of course, but a lot. They always use the word "boondoggle" as well and never provide any evidence.) And to those who say that the light rail doesn't go near them, I say, too bad. That's what you get for living out in the sprawling suburbs. Enjoy your expensive gas and cars. But the light rail is here to stay. It has changed the face of the Valley, it has changed development patterns and it has made Phoenix a better city. I still can't believe when the train speeds across the bridge over Tempe Town Lake that I'm actually in the Valley of the Sun. read more

I love the light rail when it doesnt take long! yay its extending! also its free when you ride if you are seeing something at at the u.s. airways center read more

I couldn't believe I was in Phoenix. The BF and I took a ride to the Tempe block party (deserves another yelp) on New Years. The trains clean and shiny, the stations tastefully appointed. It was lots of fun. Of course on NYE it was taking passengers til 2 am for the occasion but that is not the norm. I'm going to follow suit and say, when the hours are expanded to 2 for weekends it will rate the 5 stars. Hooray for progress Phoenix! read more

Visited Phoenix in February and was excited to hitch a ride from the airport straight to the hotel I needed to arrive at. How convenient! I was only here for a weekend, but this and walking was everyone's main mode of transportation. Our tickets were checked twice - one night going to Mill and another time during the day. I like how there are bike racks inside - this would be extremely useful if I lived here..and chose to ride a bike. When my group went to Mill, we were told the last train to take us back to Van Buren/Washington left at 11:30 PM..so at about 11:20, we left the club - only to walk to the stop and have another group of kids tell us they had just missed the last train! My friend had to call her friend to come pick us stranded passengers up and take us back. I'll be back here in January..hopefully the schedule will be more dependable and consistent. We'll see! read more

I'm loving this train and all the stations, each with individualized art-mostly pertaining to the stations location. its easy to get on and off. i ride with my bike and unless its middle of rush hour, there is always room for us both. i've enjoyed it in the morning and the evening, each time arriving at my destination calm and fresh. my favorite part is watching all the people drive by, slower than our train lol. i just hope that one day there is a metro light rail running down Camelback road thru the biltmore area. ah maybe, if only; one day soon. read more

I'm still a big fan of the light rail! Sure, I can't use it every day, but it's about the only thing that will get me to head to downtown for a night out. It's perfect for pub crawls, you can gather a huge group, keep everyone more or less together, and make frequent stops. The extended hours mean more time for drinking! The trains have stayed clean, they run when they are supposed to, and I've never had a problem. The people watching is awesome as well. Each stop is a mystery grab bag of the teeming masses of people here in town. I just wish it had a wider range, I'd use it every day if I could. read more

Finally we get a light rail!! I live about a block away from a station. I take it on the weekends sometimes to go out and not have to worry about driving. It opens up Mill avenue and downtown Phoenix for me and a lot more places to yelp about :) I wish they would get a line from Scottsdale to Chandler..but baby steps.. I am just glad there is now a start to a real mass transit system here in the valley. The biggest improvement is they run the trains till 2:30-3ish on the weekends for people to stumble home ..JUST LIKE ME! My work also covers a transportation pass so its free too! .. read more

This is great. I love to see light rail projects come to sprawling American cities such as Phoenix. Even though it's a lot more cost-efficient to develop a bus-rapid transit corridor, there is something magical about riding the urban rails. Phoenix's train is a 20-mile, 60 minute joyride through the highlights of Phoenix, Tempe, and a quick hello in Mesa. Anyway, Clean Trains, No Ads (yet!!!), and friendly people make this ride a good one. read more

Love Phoenix's Metro Light Rail. Quick, easy, convenient, & good price. Much easier than trying to park down town, cheaper than gas, & fun to covers with fellow Phoenicians. Can't wait for the extensions to be built in Mesa & Phoenix! =) read more

METRO light rail - Public Transportation Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

Ghetto. Not safe. Threats of bodily harm. No security people smoking marijauna on the rail, passengers playing boom boxes.

PHX Metro's transit system is a joke, but it looks like they're getting serious. The light rail is pretty awesome, however has a limited reach (currently being expanded on both ends). Huge cities like Mesa, should be taking the rail way more seriously, as smaller cities back east have full fledged rail systems. The places that the rail goes in Phoenix is laughable, but at least it passes all the attractive destinations in the city, therefore making it more useful for tourist and partiers than it's residents. Hopefully the cities ramp up interests in their mass transit systems. It's a good start but we shouldn't be lowering our standards! If they were to put as much effort into the rail as Tokyo Metro. did after WWII, they'll have a world class system in 30 years. It's feasible, in this stretched out, car loving city, especially with a nice grid system. read more

METRO light rail - Arriving, on time! - Public Transportation Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

easy to use to get to and from the airport and downtown and other locations. thanks phoenix! read more

It's about time that Phoenix has its own modern mass transit system. The trains are clean and the seats are comfy. It's nice to see downtown Phoenix through the train's windows. One gets a new perspective on our town. My only criticism is that the handle bars could be lower, or some kind of strap system could be employed on the current bars, to make it easier to maintain balance when there are no seats available. I can't wait for further expansion and maybe longer hours. read more

22 of us decided to take the light rail to the Old Spaghetti Factory as part of an activity for our resort park. We left the Gilbert Station about noon on a Friday and there were plenty of security guards millling about. We got our tickets checked twice and their presence was well noted! On the way back - 3:00 or so - no security guards, nobody checking tickets, and the homeless with their carts full of junk and questionable characters emerged and took over the train. These folks were riding the rails for free - we, however, bought our tickets, as we should have to take the train. By the end of the trip, a homeless, outspoken, lady started smoking, and then by the end of the trip - proceeded to yell and scream at several members of our group, calling them names I cannot write in this review! So here are 22 people who will probably NEVER ride the light rail again due to the rail service ALLOWING these people to ride for free and you never know what/who you are going to get! One of our male members tried to calm her down and she just got more agitated. So the light rail has become a haven for these folks - nice air conditioned train car - free - and all they have to do is ride back and forth all day. And in the meantime, they are losing customers who want to take the train for good reasons - like attending ball games - going to the convention center for activities etc. So Light Train administration, you need to provide more security ALL DAY - and get anyone without a ticket off the trains! Basically the honest folks are paying for the not-so-honest folks to keep the train running read more

When the rail expands to cover Scottsdale as well as another East West Route (Indian School or Camelback?) I will add a star. Being from New York and taking the subway to work every day, I never thought I would even want to see another train again much less ride it. However, given that the traffic here is brutal, I have embraced the light rail in it's limited role. Since I live in the East Valley and need my car for work I can't use it. Me and friends do take it for ball games and shows that are downtown and it's great that way. I also use it if I have a series of downtown appointments and working at Central and Thomas makes that happen. Plus it's cheap! My only concern is that they really didn't take security to seriously. It's too easy to ride without paying since there's not enough money to go around to provide for police to check tickets. read more

Once again, I get on the lightrail car 110B and drugged out people are sleeping in the bike area and 2 security guys ignore them while I stand with another while we both have bikes hanging up. Not leaving my bike because people will snatch them and run. This mid-day 1:30 pm on way to work. Do the people sleeping work-NO. Dirty, smelly and in a drugged stupor. One says her stomach hurts. Why are you on the train then? Maybe you should visit the emergency room. read more

I ride the light rail every day to work from Tempe to Phoenix. I love that I don't have to worry about traffic and it's always on time, so I can rely on it better than the regular bus. I'm only giving it three stars because of the lack of security. In the past few weeks I've encountered several homeless people riding the rail and I know they haven't payed for a ticket. Some of them smell so bad I can hardly stand to ride and sometimes I have to get off the train to wait for another because of the stench. Some of them try to talk to people, usually in some unknown language (babble), and I can tell it makes others uncomfortable. I've seen a prostitute passed out in one of the rear seats, people asking me for money, and other strange people trying to get my attention for reasons unknown. To avoid this I ride with my sunglasses on, earphones in, and ignore anyone trying to get my attention. I haven't seen security on board for weeks now and I'm not too happy about it. I notice that effective July 26th, some changes will be made to the frequency of stops and holidays in which the light rail will now run. I don't understand how they need to do a budget cut when the light rail is booming with people daily. I guess that would explain the nonpaying homeless people who are riding it daily or others who risk not buying a ticket in hopes that security won't be there to check. All of this being said, I love the ride to work and sometimes it can be very enjoyable, but those other times when the rail smells like rotten piss or I'm being bothered for money just make this experience an A-OK one. I wish I knew how to change it, but I have a feeling that even if I did complain to customer relations, nothing would be done. If you are a daily rider and haven't experienced any of this, you're lucky! read more

One star. It takes twice as long to ride the line from one end to the other as it takes to drive it. It goes nowhere useful. Christown Mall? Mill Ave with all it's empty storefronts? The cost of the fare, not even counting the subsidy, is more than the gas it would cost to drive this distance. The ticket machines are overcomplicated. It makes driving in central Phoenix a nightmare.If I could give it 0 stars, I would. My review was flagged and removed by Yelp HQ once "because it lacks a first-hand experience of the business." Hey Yelp HQ nannies. I've ridden it a number of times, it sucks. And I pay for it every time I buy something whether I ride it or not because of the sales tax. And it makes left turns on Central Ave a pain in the ass. So if that doesn't constitute experience with the business, please tell me what does the next time you remove my review. It's slow and a bad value, and it only is useful if you're going to go from a place within a few blocks, to a place within a few blocks. There is limited space for bicycles. If time and money have no value to you, I guess that 5 stars makes sense. If you still think it's worth 5 stars, I want some of what you're smoking, because $1.75 for a service that costs $15 out of the pockets of others to provide. Shocking. If we bought each rider a brand new Prius III for $23,000 it would cost us just over $425 million, that is nearly ONE BILLION DOLLARS LESS than the $1.4 billion we pay to move them by rail, instead. 80% of ridership are former bus riders, so it hardly removes any cars from the road. Instead, it steals lanes, makes left turns dangerous and difficult, and makes traffic and congestion worse. Just another example of crooked valley governments granting special favors to real estate developers, privatizing the profits and socializing the costs. Welcome to Phoenix. All aboard the Fail Rail! read more

Want to drink and not end up in jail with a DUI? Light Rail. Want to go to a D-Backs game and not fight traffic, pay for parking, or end up with a DUI? Light Rail. Want to visit the Science Center, Art Museum, Mill Ave, or go to First Friday and not end up with a DUI? Light Rail. The Metro Light Rail in no way helps me commute to work or do anything particularly serious with my life, but four dollars for an all day pass that takes you to a dozen cool places quickly without using any gas and gives plenty of people watching opportunities? I like it. read more

Used the button to contact the Driver, and asked if he would take a moment so we could rack up our bikes before setting off. The driver blatantly refused, and set off anyway because "He has a schedule." Which just goes to show that rider safety is not the priority, contrary to all the safety signs posted along the route. Either inform your drivers to comply with safety, or update your signage to reflect the true nature of each driver's intentions. read more

honestly it does not deserve 4 stars...yet. i've ridden this thing like 5 times total. and on each of the 5 rides i have seen the same asshole sitting in a seat. must be fucking nice to sit on said train all day for the last 5 days its been running. how about you get your seat hogging ass off the fucking train and let someone else sit down. still apparently on the honor system, i have yet to see one of these mystery security personnel checking for tickets or receipts. how long do you give before phoenix smartens the fuck up and puts up the chain link fences and guardrails so people must purchase a ticket before they can enter the platform area? umm..hello?? semi smooth ride, much better then standing on a city bus..where a bus driver can casually throw your standing ass all over the eisles while he guns the gas and then slams on the brakes. i didn't realize drifting a bus was possible. but i can swear to the fact it's possible. i'll keep giving this thing a chance. i'm sure it's nice when it's not crowded. read more

I'm originally from the home of BART -- Bay Area Rapid Transit -- and so I was so happy when I learned that a transit system was coming to Phoenix. Now that the Light Rail has been in operation for a couple of years, I can say that it's definitely not perfect but I will say that it's better than what we had before which was ... a bus and taxi system. The Light Rail provides hope to Downtown Phoenix. When I'm in Downtown Phoenix, this is an excellent option to get me from point a to point b. If I am coming from Mill and want to get to Central all I have to do is hop in the Light Rail. But what about when I'm in Scottsdale and want to take the Light Rail to Downtown Phoenix? Sadly, that does not exist my friends. Unfortunately the Light Rail does a great job of getting someone from Central and Camelback to Mill Avenue, but not from Mill Avenue to North Scottsdale...or even Glendale or Old Town. I like the Light Rail. I think it provides great transportation and I've compromised with its lack of drop-off points by doing things like driving my car to Mill to take the Light Rail to a game downtown. The Light Rail is cheap and yes, it can be shady but that's half the character of public transportation. However, I honestly don't benefit from the Light Rail very much since it doesn't go north and south or even to places like The University of Phoenix stadium. I have my hopes that we are just experiencing phase one of the Light Rail and that the city has it in their plans to expand it so that it truly becomes a helpful transportation resource in the Valley and one that might end the issues involving drunk driving, smog and clogged roads. If we had a Light Rail that covered the entire Valley like BART covers nearly the entire Bay Area, we would see thriving change to different parts of the Valley and especially areas like Downtown Phoenix. I know I would spend even more time down there if I could hop on the Light Rail in Old Town on a Saturday and ride through the Valley on the Rail rather than driving my car. read more

**I'm posting this again, because I guess I posted the first one to the wrong light rail?** I have taken a ride on the light rail a few times now and I have some stories!! The first time I rode the light rail I took it from Mill Ave to Phoenix to see the D-Backs and Cubs play. My friends had caught a tram in Mesa so I sat there and watched a few trams come and go before I got onto the one with my friends on it. That was easy enough...there was enough room for me and the ride was smooth and fun (though I can't say it was relaxing)...Any ways. After the game was quite an experience! The tram ride home was a little more crowed now that the game had let out. There were two die hard fans in our car from the two teams who started talking trash to each other...well one of them had a little too much to drink and one thing lead to another and they were soon yelling threats at each other. Right before the drunker one took a swing (in a very crowded car) an older man stood up and shut them both up before someone got hurt...the tension in the air was thick the whole way back to Tempe where the Cub fan got off and punched the window. The friends of the other guy had to hold him back...I mean come on!! Okay, then I had the pleasure of using the light rail to go to the Circus. Again I was headed to Phoenix but this time I got on at the Washington stop. It was again a fun ride, but I couldn't say that it was a relaxing ride...there was this bum who was asking people for money and I think it would be better with some music playing in the background...any ways the ride home wasn't as eventful as the baseball game crowd, but again, there was another bum asking for money...can people just ride in peace? I like the light rail - I really do...it's always an interesting experience, but I just don't feel safe on it. I used to take the metro bus from Gilbert to Mesa every day for a while and I felt safer on that then I do on the light rail and the bums who ride the bus don't ask me for money either. read more

They never run on time, there usually are no available seats, and no late night trains! FAIL

When I give a star rating, I give 5 stars when I feel that there's nothing to improve on. The light rail is clean, efficient and it stops right at my building. Yes, there are scary passengers, but those people are just my crazy neighbors. read more

ride it every day. it's still clean. i like it a lot. & of course i think it should run later, and i wish there was a lot more bars within walking distance of the stations. i think i like the camelback station the very most. read more

I've taken the light rail a handful of times, alway one shot from mesa to downtown Phx. Its nothing exciting and can get packed at times, but if your deciding between this or a bus, hands down I say light rail, especially for the same price of an all day pass. read more

Ahh the valley metro, so far so good, and ridership seems unusually high....maybe a little too high? Due to hardly anyone checking to see if you bought the right ticket, much less have one at all, everyone from the homeless man that decides he needs to move back to downtown to teenagers out for a jig are on this thing. I have taken this thing from the start on 19th and Glendale, to the end in Mesa, I've taken it from work to the airport and back, and out partying. So I know what I am talking about here that more ticketeers need to check people! Well I once got checked but that was about 11:30PM at the Roosevelt station from what appeared to be the Senior Citizen Police Brigade, seriously about 5 of them, checking all tickets of those who were on platform or who got on and off, it was rather hillarious... Oh light rail, symbol of a sprawling metropolitan area out of control, new, but still insufficient to get people where they need to go. read more