City Editor Maria, here. I did something many Charlotteans, new residents, and visitors should try — ride the Charlotte Area Transit System Light Rail across town.

Was I nervous? Yes. I'd only ever ridden the Blue Line from the Parkwood Station (NoDa/Optimist Park area) to Uptown. That's only two stops.

A glance at the routes + times didn’t ease my anxiety. However, this New York Subway pro felt confident to conquer this. Downloading the CATS-Pass app helped. And thanks to a CLTtoday reader's suggestion, here's everything I learned so you can blaze your own path.

🚊 Riding the Light Rail

The LYNX Blue Line takes travelers from University City (UNC Charlotte) to Pineville (I-485/South Boulevard) — about 20 miles.

I started at the southernmost stop to see how long it would take to get to NoDa/Optimist Park (or the Parkwood Station).

After waiting about 10 minutes, the train was off, stopping every two-to-three minutes at stations in LoSo, South End, Uptown, and NoDa.

After eight stops, I got off at the East/West Boulevard station, walked to Hawker's for lunch, and plannedthe route to NoDa. Total travel time before lunch: ~20 minutes. Continuing to NoDa, ~30 minutes.

The return trip to I-485/South Boulevard took ~34 minutes. Yes, I used a stopwatch.

The LYNX Blue Line provides a near-360° view of Uptown. | Photo by CLTtoday

💵 Cost

Riding the light rail is cost-effective, offering affordable fares compared to driving or parking. Most stations have a ticket vending machine accepting cash + credit cards.

One-way ticket: $2.20

Round-trip ticket: $4.40

Weekly unlimited: $30.80

Pro tip: The rail system usually provides free rides on major holidays + Election Day.

Key takeaways

CATS has 26 stations, including ten park and ride locations. Hello, free parking.

Download the CATS-Pass app for real-time service changes and route notifications.

Each station is within walking distance of restaurants, coffee shops, cocktail bars, offices, entertainment venues + bus system connections.

Fun fact: Colorful artwork decorates stations across the city. Twenty-seven artists incorporated masterpieces along the nearly 20-mile corridor.