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List of Metro (Minnesota) light rail stations

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Metro is a public transportation network consisting of light rail and bus rapid transit services covering the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area. The light rail portion of the network, managed by Metro Transit, has 37 light rail stations in operation across two lines: the Blue Line, running from downtown Minneapolis to the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota, and the Green Line, connecting downtown Minneapolis to downtown Saint Paul.[1] In 2016, the Blue and Green lines respectively provided approximately 10.3 million and 12.7 million rides for a total of 23 million rides across both lines.[2] By ridership, it is the ninth-largest light rail system in the United States.[3]

A simple transit diagram with a green line stretching roughly left to right (west to east) and a blue line stretching roughly top to bottom (north to south). A light blue river runs from the top right to the bottom right, roughly following the shape of a ladle. Another thinner waterway runs straight from center-left to connect with the river near the center of the image.
Map of the Metro system as it stood in September 2017, showing the Blue and Green lines

Construction on the Blue Line, which was initially known as the Hiawatha Line, began in 2001.[4] The line opened in two phases in 2004, beginning with a 12-station stretch from the Warehouse District/Hennepin Avenue station through the Fort Snelling station in June. In December, five more stations were opened, continuing service south of Fort Snelling to the Mall of America station.[5] Two additional Blue Line stations opened in late 2009: a new northern terminus at Target Field and the American Boulevard station in Bloomington.[6][7] Construction on the Green Line, which was initially designated as the Central Corridor, began in 2010.[8] The line opened in its entirety in June 2014.[9]

Fares for Metro light rail service are the same as those for most Metro Transit bus services and include unlimited transfers to other light rail and bus routes within 2.5 hours from the time a fare is paid.[10] Two exceptions exist for Metro light rail services: fares within (but not between) downtown zones[nb 1] are less expensive than regular fares but may not be transferred; and there is no cost to ride between terminals 1 and 2 at the Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport (MSP).[13][14] Many stations connect with rail or bus routes. The Target Field station provides a connection to the Northstar commuter rail line, while the Mall of America station allows for transfers to the Metro Red Line bus rapid transit service. The A Line bus rapid transit line connects with the 46th Street Blue Line station and the Snelling Avenue Green Line stop.[1] Two Metro light rail stations – 30th Avenue and Fort Snelling – have designated park and ride lots.[15]

Extensions to both Metro lines are planned as of 2023. The Blue Line extension will branch northward from the Target Field station, adding 11 stations to the line: two more in Minneapolis, two in Golden Valley, one each in Robbinsdale and Crystal, and five in Brooklyn Park.[16] The Green Line extension will branch west from Target Field station and include 16 new stations: five in Minneapolis, three each in Saint Louis Park and Hopkins, one in Minnetonka, and four in Eden Prairie.[17] The Green Line extension was originally intended to open in 2018 but, as of 2022, was delayed until 2027.[18] Passenger service was planned to begin on the Blue Line extension in 2023, but an issue with securing right-of-way resulted in the need to rework the line's route, resulting in a new estimate of 2028.[19][20][21][22]

Stations

A light rail train with overhead electrification rolls toward the camera in an at-grade rail station.
Target Field station is the northern terminus for both the Green and Blue lines.[1]
An elevated train station crosses a busy road in the background; in the foreground, a silver SUV is parked.
The elevated Lake Street/Midtown station on the Blue Line
An underground center-platform railway station with sandy colored walls and people getting on and off a train on the right side of the image. Taken from the top of an escalator looking down.
The underground Terminal 1–Lindbergh station on the Blue Line
A train sits in a modern railway station in front of a stately stone railway depot on a clear day.
Saint Paul Union Depot, the Green Line's southern terminus
Legend
* Downtown fare zone stations
† Terminal stations
*† Terminal / downtown fare zone stations
Fare-free airport zone Free airport zone
Lines
More information Station, Lines ...
Extant Metro light rail stations
Station Lines Locality Opened Ref(s).
10th Street* Saint Paul June 14, 2014 [12][23]
30th Avenue Bloomington December 4, 2004 [24][25]
38th Street Minneapolis June 26, 2004 [26]
46th Street Minneapolis June 26, 2004 [26]
50th Street/Minnehaha Park Minneapolis June 26, 2004 [26]
American Boulevard Bloomington December 12, 2009 [27]
Bloomington Central Bloomington December 4, 2004 [25]
Capitol/Rice Street* Saint Paul June 14, 2014 [12][23]
Cedar-Riverside Minneapolis June 26, 2004 [26]
Central* Saint Paul June 14, 2014 [12][23]
Dale Street Saint Paul June 14, 2014 [23]
East Bank Minneapolis June 14, 2014 [23]
Fairview Avenue Saint Paul June 14, 2014 [23]
Fort Snelling Fort Snelling June 26, 2004 [26][28]
Franklin Avenue Minneapolis June 26, 2004 [26]
Government Plaza* Minneapolis June 26, 2004 [26][11]
Hamline Avenue Saint Paul June 14, 2014 [23]
Lake Street/Midtown Minneapolis June 26, 2004 [26]
Lexington Parkway Saint Paul June 14, 2014 [23]
Mall of America† Bloomington December 4, 2004 [25][29]
Nicollet Mall* Minneapolis June 26, 2004 [26][11]
Prospect Park Minneapolis June 14, 2014 [23][30]
Raymond Avenue Saint Paul June 14, 2014 [23]
Robert Street* Saint Paul June 14, 2014 [12][23]
Saint Paul Union Depot*† Saint Paul June 14, 2014 [12][23]
Snelling Avenue Saint Paul June 14, 2014 [23]
Stadium Village Minneapolis June 14, 2014 [23]
Target Field*† Minneapolis November 14, 2009 [6][11]
Terminal 1–LindberghFare-free airport zone Fort Snelling December 4, 2004 [14][25][28]
Terminal 2–HumphreyFare-free airport zone Fort Snelling December 4, 2004 [14][25][28]
U.S. Bank Stadium* Minneapolis June 26, 2004 [26][11]
VA Medical Center Fort Snelling June 26, 2004 [26][28]
Victoria Street Saint Paul June 14, 2014 [23]
Warehouse District/Hennepin Avenue* Minneapolis June 26, 2004 [26][11]
West Bank Minneapolis June 14, 2014 [23]
Western Avenue Saint Paul June 14, 2014 [23]
Westgate Saint Paul June 14, 2014 [23][30]
Close

Planned stations

A carless road run approximately perpendicular to another carless road, separated by a boulevard with trees on a sunny, clear day.
The site of the planned Royalston Avenue/Farmers Market station on the extended Green Line in Minneapolis[31]
On an overcast day, two cranes and several other construction vehicles work in a mostly empty worksite between some one-story buildings, a road, and a lake.
Work underway in 2019 on the SouthWest station, part of the extended Green Line to Eden Prairie
More information Station, Lines ...
Planned Metro light rail stations
Station[16][17] Lines Locality[16][17] Planned opening[32][33]
63rd Avenue Brooklyn Park 2028
85th Avenue Brooklyn Park 2028
93rd Avenue Brooklyn Park 2028
Bass Lake Road Crystal 2028
Bassett Creek Valley Minneapolis July 12, 2027
Beltline Boulevard Saint Louis Park July 12, 2027
Blake Road Hopkins July 12, 2027
Brooklyn Boulevard Brooklyn Park 2028
Bryn Mawr Minneapolis July 12, 2027
City West Eden Prairie July 12, 2027
Downtown Hopkins Hopkins July 12, 2027
Eden Prairie Town Center Eden Prairie July 12, 2027
Golden Triangle Eden Prairie July 12, 2027
Golden Valley Road Golden Valley 2028
Louisiana Avenue Saint Louis Park July 12, 2027
Oak Grove Parkway Brooklyn Park 2028
Opus Minnetonka July 12, 2027
Penn Avenue Minneapolis 2028
Plymouth Avenue/Theodore Wirth Park Golden Valley 2028
Robbinsdale Robbinsdale 2028
Royalston Avenue/Farmers Market Minneapolis July 12, 2027
Shady Oak Hopkins July 12, 2027
SouthWest† Eden Prairie July 12, 2027
Van White Boulevard Minneapolis 2028
West 21st Street Minneapolis July 12, 2027
West Lake Street Minneapolis July 12, 2027
Wooddale Avenue Saint Louis Park July 12, 2027
Close

Deferred/cancelled stations

Along the Green Line extension, two additional stations, both in Eden Prairie, were originally included in plans for the Green Line extension. One, Mitchell Road, was cut entirely from plans while another, Eden Prairie Town Center, was deferred until a later date. In October 2018, Eden Prairie Town Center received a full funding grant agreement and will open with the rest of the line when it is complete.[34][35] Along the Metro Blue Line Extension, four planned stations (Van White Boulevard, Penn Avenue, Plymouth Avenue/Theodore Wirth Park, and Golden Valley Road) were abandoned after BNSF Railway refused access to their Monticello Subdivision, forcing Metro Transit and the Metropolitan Council to find an alternative alignment. Three other stations (Robbinsdale, Bass Lake Road, and 63rd Avenue) also along the Monticello Subdivision are still being pursued, albeit outside the railroad corridor.[36]

Notes

  1. Minneapolis's downtown zone includes stations from Target Field to U.S. Bank Stadium.[11] Saint Paul's downtown zone consists of stations from Capitol/Rice Street through Saint Paul Union Depot.[12]

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