Electrically powered by wires 16 feet overhead, light rail trains connect three of the Twin Cities most popular destinations; downtown Minneapolis, Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport, and the Mall of America in Bloomington.

Light Rail Stations
The primary University of Minnesota stop on the Hiawatha line (Route 55) is the Downtown East/Metrodome Station. Two other nearby stations are the Cedar Riverside and the Franklin Avenue Stations.

From the University to the Airport/Mall of America
Ride the free campus shuttle to the West Bank. Board the #3, 16, or 50 city bus in front of Willey Hall (heading westbound) to get to the Metrodome. Once there, board the light rail train to Lindbergh Terminal Station at the airport or on to the Mall of America.

From the Airport/Mall of America to the University
Ride the light rail train to the Metrodome Station. Metro Transit buses heading to the University arrive at the Metrodome every three minutes during peak travel times. Once on campus, the campus connector can be used to get to West Bank, East Bank or St. Paul.

Schedules
During rush hours, trains run every 7 1/2 minutes from 6 to 9 a.m. and 3 to 6:30 p.m. Between rush hours from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., trains run every 10 minutes. In the early evening, trains run every 15 minutes from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. In the late evening/ early morning, trains run every 30 minutes from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. and from 4 to 6 a.m.

Fares
The light rail fare is the same as a bus fare ($2.00 during rush hours, $1.50 at all other times). No express charges apply. Rush hour fares are in effect Monday through Friday (except holidays) from 6 to 9 a.m. and from 3 to 6:30 p.m. Transfers are valid between bus and rail if used within 150 minutes from boarding the initial bus or train.

There are no fareboxes on trains. Each person must pay for the ride before boarding the train. Ticket vending machines accept cash only. Be aware: these machines accept $1, $5, $10 and $20 bills, but cannot give more than $10 in change.

Individuals with U-Pass or Metropass must touch the pass to the Go-To circle on the reader next to the ticket machine at the rail station. When you ride, be ready to show your U-Pass and Student ID to the fare inspector if asked. There is a $180 fine for riding the train without paying.

Go-To cards and activated SuperSaver 31-Day Passes will also be valid, but SuperSaver Stored Value Cards are not.

Details
If you would like more information about the Hiawatha line, please visit (http://www.metrocouncil.org/transportation/lrt/lrt.htm).