Fareless Square Becomes the 'Free Rail Zone'

TriMet TV Episode 36 · January 4, 2010 · 1:31

It's the same area as Fareless Square and celebrates that nearly every downtown destination can easily be reached on a train.

Text transcript of this episode

When Fareless Square was created more than 30 years ago, buses ruled the Transit Mall. If you've been in downtown Portland lately, you've probably noticed there are trains everywhere.

Welcome to Portland's Free Rail Zone – it's the same area as Fareless Square and celebrates that nearly every downtown destination can easily be reached on the Green and Yellow MAX lines on the Transit Mall; the Blue and Red MAX lines on Morrison and Yamhill or on the Portland Streetcar.

We've changed the name of Portland's free transit area from "Fareless Square" to "Free Rail Zone" to help you remember that, as of Sunday, January 3rd, only MAX and the Streetcar will continue to be free in downtown Portland and the Lloyd District. You will need to buy a fare to ride a bus in these areas.

To help our Honored Citizen riders who live in downtown Portland, we're offering a new downtown-only bus pass at the downtown TriMet ticket office at Pioneer Square.

You'll know you're in the Free Rail Zone when you see the Free Rail Zone emblem at rail stations within the zone boundary. If you're traveling beyond the free zone, be sure to buy a ticket or pass before boarding MAX. There are no ticket machines on board the train.

To learn more about the Free Rail Zone, visit trimet.org.

Happy Riding!