Getting Around Uptown

Gold Rush Trolley: If you are visiting Center City, one of your first moves should be to get a map of the Gold Rush trolley system. The trolleys run during daylight hours along three lines (red, blue, and orange) and are totally free. They are an excellent way to circulate around the center city without paying cab fares, and may even enable you to avoid parking fees. Unfortunately they only serve the Uptown area and do not run during evening hours (a nod to local cabbies), but are definitely a fun and relaxing way to avoid sore feet.

Taxis/Buses: You can rent a car or get a taxi in several places, but if you’re willing to take longer to get where you’re going, a bus ride is much cheaper. Most bus routes start at the Transportation Center, so if you want to go from, say, Independence Boulevard to Monroe Road, it is faster to walk. Bus fare is $1.20 for a one-leg or two-leg trip, $1.65 for an express bus (these run mornings and evenings and go to an outlying area without stopping), and 50¢ for a shuttle. Allow 45 minutes for a one-leg trip, 2 hours for a two-leg trip.

Streetcars: During the streetcar line’s suspension of service, the city is running a special Gold Rush trolley along its route, with the same fares and virtually the same stops. The Charlotte Streetcar is temporarily suspended due to construction of the Light Rail corridor, but is a charming way to travel between Uptown and South End. It costs only a dollar per passenger for each trip, and is a great way to experience the southern end of the center city. It’s also worth talking to the conductors, who are usually fountains of local trivia.

Light Rail: The Light Rail Southern Corridor is a rapid and efficient way to commute from Uptown to the edges of Mecklenburg County. It will include stops at Bobcats Arena, the Convention Center, and other major locations.

Driving Charlotte’s outer suburbs are often difficult to navigate. Most roads are built according to the natural lay of the land; once you leave the I-277 loop, you are likely to find it increasingly difficult to predict the direction (and often, the name) of the road you are travelling on. Therefore, it is a good idea to make certain your directions are specific and trustworthy before venturing into an unknown area. Otherwise, you will likely find yourself relying on the (usually) friendly natives for directions back to your starting point.