MARTA/ airport (Atlanta, Decatur, Washington: house, live, law)

[NewGeorgian]

I have just moved to Atlanta and the Marta schedule leaves me a bit confused.
Scenario: I need to get home (Avondale) from the airport on Friday. My plane gets in at midnight (so basically between Friday and Saturday).
The general hours of operation are until 1 am -> bad.

I have looked at the schedule. The northeast-south line schedule lists am hours, then pm hours, and then goes back to am. Are these then the train times for early the next day? Route NE Weekday Schedule -MARTA

(so I could actually still get a train from the airport, say, at 00.27 am on the Saturday morning?)
And then change trains at Five Points (for example at 1.03am on Saturday morning)

I am really confused. I hope somebody can help me figure this out. It's not the first time I rely on public transport, and I've never had any problems back home in Washington ...

[wxjay]

Yes, you are reading the schedule correctly, as far as I can tell.

But, word of advice, I would plan on a cab to take me back to Avondale. How are you going to get back to your house once you get off at the Avondale Estates stop?

Plus, riding MARTA that late is not really advisable (I hate having to say that, but it is true unfortunately - trust me, I am the biggest supporter of public transit, but this is the common perception).

[NewGeorgian]

I wouldn't be on my own, two of my friends would be going with me. The point about Avondale is true, though. Well, I could also get off at Decatur.

[atlantagreg30127]

With contruction, repairs, "single tracking", etc., if you can't be on the train by around midnight at the latest, I'd follow that advice on taking a cab. Even with a couple of people with you, you never know. There has been more than one incident of someone getting mugged later at night going to/from the airport by "a group of young males" - so my guess is that some of these "groups" may not be turned back by a couple of friends with you.

[NewGeorgian]

thank you for the advice. i thought it was relatively safe being in a group of four, but then again, i have only been here for a few weeks! a cab it is, then

[atlantagreg30127]

Originally Posted by NewGeorgian

thank you for the advice. i thought it was relatively safe being in a group of four,

Well, 9 out of 10 times you probably are, but, if one of those overhyper teens has a gun, you can be in a group of 15 and it wouldn't matter. Cabs are relatively cheap when compared to personal safety, especially if you only use them rarely like that. During the day MARTA is just fine from the airport, and even many times at night, too. Still - better safe than sorry. There are "just enough" instances that in my own case being Murphy's Law on two legs, I choose the safe over the possible sorry. LOL

[NewGeorgian]

Originally Posted by atlantagreg30127

being Murphy's Law on two legs

Oh yes. That could be me

[gottaGetOut]

More than the safety issue, MARTA is pretty unreliable, and if you're flying in, there's too much chance of flight delays. MARTA is not a good option for arriving after 10pm, seems to me . . .

[rackensack]

Originally Posted by gottaGetOut

More than the safety issue, MARTA is pretty unreliable, and if you're flying in, there's too much chance of flight delays. MARTA is not a good option for arriving after 10pm, seems to me . . .

Didn't comment earlier as this was mainly directed at getting to Avondale Estates, but I've definitely found that to be the case. I live off Holcomb Bridge Road, and frequently get back into Atlanta on evening flights. I used to take MARTA to North Springs as long as I could reasonably expect to be able to get on the train before midnight, but I found that with the single-tracking north of Lindbergh after 9 pm, it takes forever to get home, and shuffling everything off one train and onto another one partway through doesn't do it for me either. And as you say, if you're delayed, there's a chance of not making it in time for the last train. I've reached the point where I usually just take a cab if I decide not to park at the airport for whatever reason. It's about $80 including tip, but when I've been on the road at client sites all week, have just gotten off a flight that's three hours late and sat on the tarmac at EWR for two hours before taking off, the decision between $80 and the extra hassle of taking MARTA is pretty clear for me.