News

Forest Park Trolley Service Officially Returns to Forest Park Starting on May 1

The Metro Forest Park Trolley will officially return to Forest Park for the fifth season on Friday, May 1, giving individuals visiting Forest Park a convenient method of navigating the Park, in addition to assisting to alleviate Park congestion.

The Metro Forest Park Trolley Service (MetroBus route #3) will operate daily between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. from May 1 through September 27, and will connect with all of the popular Park attractions, as well as the Forest Park-DeBaliviere MetroLink Station. The Metro #3 Forest Park Trolley will also provide service to select destinations within the Park between 6:30 a.m. and 8:30 a.m.

Trolley tickets are $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 valid Metro Reduced Fare permit is required for the Senior and Disabled discount. Two convenient Park N’ Ride options are available for visitors: the Twin Parking Lots across from the Dennis & Judith Jones Visitor and Education Center and the Festival & Parking Plaza at the Upper Muny. From these lots, visitors can hop aboard the Forest Park Trolley for a lift to their desired attraction.

The Metro #3 Forest Park Trolley is a partnership between Forest Park Forever, Bi-State Development Agency/Metro, Missouri History Museum, Saint Louis Art Museum, Saint Louis Science Center, Saint Louis Zoo and the City of St. Louis.

#3 Forest Park Trolley Hours and Timing:

• Daily service between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m., May 1 through September 27. From Monday through Friday, the trolley operates every 20 minutes between 9:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., and every 30 minutes before 9:30 a.m. and after 4:30 p.m. On Saturday and Sunday, the trolley operates every 15 minutes between 9:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., and every 30 minutes before 9:30 a.m. and after 4:30 p.m.

• Limited early service between 6:30 a.m. and 8:30 a.m., May 1 through September 27. The trolley will provide service every 30 minutes to select destinations within Forest Park, including the Dennis & Judith Jones Visitor and Education Center, Missouri History Museum, Saint Louis Art Museum and Saint Louis Zoo.

Forest Park Trolley Rider Tips:

• One-Day Trolley tickets can be purchased onboard the Trolley (exact change required), at 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 on & off privileges 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 single-day rides on MetroLink, MetroBus, the Forest Park Trolley and Downtown Trolley, and lets visitors easily 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 7th and Washington in downtown St. Louis. The MetroStore is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Due to construction from the Loop Trolley Project, passengers at the Forest Park-DeBaliviere MetroLink Station will need to board the #3 Forest Park Trolley at the corner of Pershing and DeBaliviere Avenues, just north of the station.
• Trolley Head Signs – #3 Forest Park Trolley vehicles coming from the Forest Park-DeBaliviere MetroLink station are identified as Southbound – To Science Center. Forest Park Trolley vehicles heading toward the Forest Park-DeBaliviere Station are identified as Northbound – To Forest Park MetroLink Station.
• The #3 Forest Park Trolley is fully accessible to persons with disabilities.

Information on Obtaining Senior 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:

• Apply in person at the MetroStore, located at 7th and Washington in downtown St. Louis, MetroStore hours: Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Show a government-issued picture identification card verifying age (age 65 and older). Acceptable forms of identification include a state vehicle driver’s license, state ID, passport or alien registration card.

Additional Traffic Support for Forest Park

While the #3 Forest Park Trolley will have a meaningful impact on alleviating traffic in Forest Park this summer, a Traffic Relief Route will again be implemented as an additional measure on especially busy days. When traffic congestion is particularly heavy at Forest Park’s popular Hampton entrance, the Park Rangers will put this Relief Route in motion. This effort is done in coordination with MoDOT as a means to reduce backups and closures on Interstate 64 at Hampton Avenue. To prevent traffic back-ups and highway closures, the Traffic Relief Route will direct drivers from Hampton on a circular path through the Park, past many available parking lots at the Festival & Parking Plaza at the Upper Muny, the Visitor Center and ultimately along Government Drive and the Saint Louis Zoo. After parking, visitors may then hop on the Trolley to reach their destination and navigate Forest Park.

Loop Trolley Construction

The Loop Trolley project will impact MetroBus routes serving Forest Park for the next several months. The changes are necessary to accommodate Loop Trolley construction work and the closure and demolition of the DeBaliviere Bridge at Forest Park Parkway.

Until September 27, the #90 Hampton will not provide service into Forest Park, and will instead reroute around Forest Park via Kingshighway Blvd. and Pershing Avenue. During this period, passengers connecting to the #90 Hampton from the Forest Park-DeBaliviere MetroLink Station will need to board the bus at the corner of Pershing and DeBaliviere Avenues, just north of the MetroLink station, due to the closure of the DeBaliviere Bridge. Passengers at the Forest Park-DeBaliviere MetroLink Station will also need to board the #3 Forest Park Trolley at the corner of Pershing and DeBaliviere Avenues.

Helpful Websites

• www.stladventurepass.com
• www.forestparkforever.org/navigation

About Bi-State Development Agency

The Bi-State Development Agency (BSDA) is the operator of the Metro public transportation system for the St. Louis region, which includes the 87 vehicle, 46-mile MetroLink light rail system; 379 MetroBus vehicle fleet that operates on 77 MetroBus routes; and Metro Call‑A‑Ride, a paratransit fleet of 120 vans.

BSDA also owns and operates St. Louis Downtown Airport and its surrounding industrial business park, and the Gateway Arch Riverboats, as well as operates the Gateway Arch Revenue Collections Center and Gateway Arch Transportation System. The region’s new freight district also will be operated by BSDA.

About Forest Park Forever

In 1986, Forest Park Forever, a private, not-for-profit organization, was founded to work 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 great urban public parks for the enjoyment of all – now and forever.