How Useful is Houston's Light Rail (MetroRail) (Center: live, costs)

[bbd]

I'm looking at a possible move to Houston to take a job in the downtown core.
Freeway traffic is (obviously) not appealing, so I would like to make use of the MetroRail by using a park and ride near the south end.

Question: How effective is the MetroRail for commuting between the south end and downtown? (How full does the train get, say at 6:30 am and 4:30 pm? How often does it run during the rush hour? ...)

I asked some Houston colleagues about it and they described it as a "toy train". Anything that could get me to the downtown core on a regular, reliable and relatively swift basis would be good enough for me. Does anybody on this forum have firsthand experience with the MetroRail?

[Vicman]

Houston's light rail is great for:
* People who live along or close to the rail line (the Red Line stretches from Fannin South to Downtown Houston)
* Medical students
* People who work in the Texas Medical Center or Downtown

Remember that a single 24-hour pass costs 2 dollars, and there are places where people may park for free.

[Guerilla]

Houston's light rail has some of the highest ridership numbers in the U.S. (for light rail systems). You have to remember it is barely 8 miles long. Expansions are underway, though.

[DJboutit]

Metero Rail comes by every 15 min if you were to take metero park in ride it comes by every 45 min after 6pm there is only one bus which is normaly 15 min late so you will have to wait 1hr.

[AK123]

I use it to get to work because parking in the Medical Center is crazy and $$$.

I'm in the 'burbs and drive most of the way into town, then park at a park-and-ride at the southern end of the line. The train comes every 5-6 minutes. There's a stop across from the building where I work. Very convenient. People calling it a toy train probably don't ride it and just think it gets in the way of traffic, but it's been great for me and lots of other Medical Center people.

It does get pretty crowded sometimes, and has lots of stops. I'm not on it that long because I don't go all the way into downtown for work.

I know other people who use buses or vanpools.