Getting Around: Portland, OR

The light rail stops a few blocks from the Amtrak station, which was inconvenient while dragging luggage, but not terrible. In the evening on a Saturday, it came every 15 minutes or so, which wasn’t great but was manageable. There was no clear signage about whether I should be tapping or not. I asked a person waiting for the train, and he said he thinks so, so I did.

Seems like it was the right thing.

I had to wait about 10 minutes, so I didn’t really save time over walking (my hotel wasn’t super far), but it did save me from a heavy schlep.

I’m from out of town and appreciate transit, so I tapped every time I boarded. Some trips, I was charged $2.80, others $2.00. I think it depends on whether I’m riding the streetcar, or the light rail, which is slightly larger and a bit faster.

There are some ticket machines, but they’re often broken or disused. It feels like they’re being phased out since everything is tap-based now.

Hopping on and off is easy, and the streetcars and light rail come fairly often. You do have to be careful to get on the right train. Most tracks downtown serve two different trains (e.g. red and blue). While you’re downtown, it doesn’t matter which you’re on, but if you’re leaving downtown they’ll go different places. The train shows pretty clearly which you’re on.

Unfortunately, trains stop for red lights and don’t seem to have much special priority. This makes them take longer than they ideally might. But Portland isn’t that big and the lights change quickly, so it’s all right.

Be sure to double-check the route name (A, B, NS) or color on the train itself as you board. Sometimes there are service changes, and the train that arrives may not be the one you expect or the one indicated on the countdown clock or app.

I thought I was pretty diligent about this, but I missed once and didn’t realize my error until we started going over a bridge in the wrong direction. “There’s not a bridge where I’m going.” Indeed…

By the time I backtracked, I had missed my 2:00 meetup, but I found a great Burmese restaurant, so all’s well that ends well.

Portland has multiple rail agencies. TriMet are larger light rail vehicles that move faster and provide a smoother ride and have longer routes. The Portland Streetcar is an older, slower, kinda bumpier system, but still perfectly pleasant to ride.

On my second visit, the streetcars didn’t come very often. Information displays suggested this was due to a driver shortage. A local told me that TriMet pays significantly better than the Portland Streetcar, and as such the streetcar has trouble keeping enough drivers on staff.

Both the Portland Streetcar and TriMet trains have automatic ramps. Push a button as you approach your stop, and a ramp will extend from the side of the train. I saw several people using these for wheelchairs and walkers. They were pretty efficient. Not every door has them, so you do need to position yourself appropriately.

The bus was a standard, well-functioning bus with modern features. Nothing super remarkable, no complaints. Got me where I needed to go. Yes to the bus.

Portland also has an aerial tram. It takes you up to a medical college. There is nothing for a visitor to do up there; you’ll probably come right back down.

The view is gorgeous, though, and the ride is fun. It’s pretty quick, and sways back and forth.

You need to buy a separate pass for this; you can’t tap your card. There are machines next to the entrance. It was $8.50 for a round trip.

There’s also a bike valet next to the station.