Norfolk Light Rail (how much, house, transfer)

[VA7cities]

Has anyone rode the light rail in Norfolk yet?

I have rode the light rail a total of four times!!! Its really nice, clean, and fast. I enjoy being able to sit back, relax and socialize with friends and other riders. I took the tide from Newtown Road down to MacArthur Mall to go shopping and to the movies and it was very convenient. I plan on riding as often as I can. Norfolk really has something special on its hands. Hopefully they can expand and keep the trains clean and safe. I recommend all to give it a try. Kids really enjoy the train also.

**Oh, and the train even has police officers/transit cops

[UHgrad]

Originally Posted by VA7cities

Has anyone rode the light rail in Norfolk yet?

I have rode the light rail a total of four times!!! Its really nice, clean, and fast. I enjoy being able to sit back, relax and socialize with friends and other riders. I took the tide from Newtown Road down to MacArthur Mall to go shopping and to the movies and it was very convenient. I plan on riding as often as I can. Norfolk really has something special on its hands. Hopefully they can expand and keep the trains clean and safe. I recommend all to give it a try. Kids really enjoy the train also.

**Oh, and the train even has police officers/transit cops

I've taken it twice, once to go to the Chrysler Museum and once to check out a Tides game... I enjoy it and I think it is a good value for what they are currently charging. It makes me much more likely to attend a ballgame because it is cheaper than parking and I don't have to deal with that waterside/st paul intersection nonsense. It also makes me a lot more likely to attend things like Harborfest, JazzFest, 4th of July fireworks, or Admirals games where parking/driving into downtown is a real headache.

[citydweller]

I rode it recently and really enjoyed it also. I just wish the line went more places.

[Boxter01]

Yep used it from Newtown to go to the mall last weekend. Seemed like its easy for anyone to get on without paying - Perhaps they will have some way of collecting the tickets from passengers soon?

Hadnt thought of the Harborfest/ Bayou Bugaloo/ etc. The rail is definitely better option there.

[Coconut1]

Have taken it a few times around downtown and then to EVMS where I got off and walked in to Ghent.

I'm puzzled as to why VA Beach wouldn't just look at repairing the NS tracks that they now own and at least have some diesel trains on that track. Yes, you'd have to transfer at Newtown, but it would certainly be an improvement over nothing.

Even with track improvements and the trains I couldn't imagine it topping $10M or so.

The two things I don't like about The Tide: 1) It doesn't have the right of way. Stopping at intersections and waiting is absurd. The train should always be given the right of way and shouldn't have to stop. Going across Boush Street takes a very long time and 2) The Tide cars themselves are lousy. I don't know why they ordered the stock they did because many of the seats (unless you're a small child) and not even accessible. Additionally the seats are very narrow. I'm also not sure why there is cloth on them. Plastic would have been more economical in terms of cleanliness and wear and tear.

I've taken the ferry in conjunction with The Tide and am also puzzled as to why they don't have a small boat to transport passengers during non-rush hour times. Running that big boat seems wasteful.

[Spazkat9696]

We rode it tonight from Newtown to MacArthur, and back. It was nice, and crowded. I hope they are making money off of it. Things were perfect on the way there, but on the way back they kicked everyone off the train at NSU, and we had to wait 10 minutes for the next one ugh... Also at 5'11" I have to say leg room in the seats was an issue. Also you have to hope no one spills something on your seat because they're cloth?? We had fun walking around downtown Norfolk, and Granby Pizza is really good!!!! All in all it was fun, but driving is still cheaper, and I wouldn't want it in my neighborhood.

[DarkWolf]

Originally Posted by Spazkat9696

We rode it tonight from Newtown to MacArthur, and back. It was nice, and crowded. I hope they are making money off of it. Things were perfect on the way there, but on the way back they kicked everyone off the train at NSU, and we had to wait 10 minutes for the next one ugh... Also at 5'11" I have to say leg room in the seats was an issue. Also you have to hope no one spills something on your seat because they're cloth?? We had fun walking around downtown Norfolk, and Granby Pizza is really good!!!! All in all it was fun, but driving is still cheaper, and I wouldn't want it in my neighborhood.

Why not?

[Statz2k10]

Originally Posted by Spazkat9696

We rode it tonight from Newtown to MacArthur, and back. It was nice, and crowded. I hope they are making money off of it. Things were perfect on the way there, but on the way back they kicked everyone off the train at NSU, and we had to wait 10 minutes for the next one ugh... Also at 5'11" I have to say leg room in the seats was an issue. Also you have to hope no one spills something on your seat because they're cloth?? We had fun walking around downtown Norfolk, and Granby Pizza is really good!!!! All in all it was fun, but driving is still cheaper, and I wouldn't want it in my neighborhood.

How much is a ticket? I don't see how driving could be much cheaper if it's only 2 dollars a ride.

If you're getting on at newtown and going all the way to McArthur Mall you're spending 4 dollars.

That's almost a gallon of gas and between driving, stopping and driving it would come close to 4 dollars in gas. If anything less wear and tear on your wheels and car will add up sooner than later. Plus less chance of getting in an accident.

Benefit of getting more exercise too of haivng to walk a little more.

[JeffConn]

Originally Posted by Spazkat9696

We rode it tonight from Newtown to MacArthur, and back. It was nice, and crowded. I hope they are making money off of it. Things were perfect on the way there, but on the way back they kicked everyone off the train at NSU, and we had to wait 10 minutes for the next one ugh... Also at 5'11" I have to say leg room in the seats was an issue. Also you have to hope no one spills something on your seat because they're cloth?? We had fun walking around downtown Norfolk, and Granby Pizza is really good!!!! All in all it was fun, but driving is still cheaper, and I wouldn't want it in my neighborhood.

I'm going to have to call him out on this one too. Consider that gas is $3.50 a gallon, plus you have to pay for parking when you get downtown. That is definitely more expensive than the Tide. It's $1.50 one way, $3.50 for an all day pass which works on the buses and the ferry too. And why wouldn't you want it in your neighborhood? It's quiet, that's why they had to add the bells and horn. The Tide is going through neighborhoods that have had Norfolk Southern trains running through them. A lot noisier than the Tide.

[Spazkat9696]

Originally Posted by Nexis4Jersey

Why not?

Because I live in a suburb, and I don't want the increased traffic of people in and out. We bought here because it is a nice quiet neighborhood.

Originally Posted by Statz2k10

How much is a ticket? I don't see how driving could be much cheaper if it's only 2 dollars a ride.

If you're getting on at newtown and going all the way to McArthur Mall you're spending 4 dollars.

That's almost a gallon of gas and between driving, stopping and driving it would come close to 4 dollars in gas. If anything less wear and tear on your wheels and car will add up sooner than later. Plus less chance of getting in an accident.

Benefit of getting more exercise too of haivng to walk a little more.

It's 1.50 each way. It doesn't take a gallon of gas from my house to MacArthur. I have an SUV with a 19.5 gallon tank. I drive approximately 400 miles per tank which never gets all the way empty. So I get about 21 miles per tank. I'm an in home counselor, so I'm very sure about my mileage because I turn it in for reimbursement. Also I said I went with my family 2 adults and 1 child. The child's ticket was less, but it was still 7.75$ for transportation.

We went down there to walk around to a restaurant to eat anyway, so even if we had drove we would have walked around after we parked.


FYI per mapquest the Newtown rd station and MacArthur are about the same distance from our house.

Originally Posted by JeffConn

I'm going to have to call him out on this one too. Consider that gas is $3.50 a gallon, plus you have to pay for parking when you get downtown. That is definitely more expensive than the Tide. It's $1.50 one way, $3.50 for an all day pass which works on the buses and the ferry too. And why wouldn't you want it in your neighborhood? It's quiet, that's why they had to add the bells and horn. The Tide is going through neighborhoods that have had Norfolk Southern trains running through them. A lot noisier than the Tide.

Call her out!!!! You can read my previous post for answers to your questions.