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MetroLink (St. Louis)
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MetroLink (St. Louis)
MetroLink (reporting mark BSDA) (commonly referred to as "Metro") is the light rail system that serves the Greater St. Louis area. It is operated by Metro Transit in a shared fare system with MetroBus. Currently, it is a two-line, 46 mile (74 km) system serving 38 stations operating primarily on separate grade with subway sections in downtown St. Louis and near Forest Park and Washington University in St. Louis.
Unlike the majority of LRT systems in the United States, St. Louis MetroLink shares more characteristics of a rapid transit service, including a largely independent right-of-way, a higher top speed, and level boarding at all platforms. In 2025, the system had an annual ridership of 7,665,000.
Construction on the initial 17-mile (27 km) MetroLink line from St. Louis Lambert International Airport to the 5th & Missouri station in East St. Louis began in 1990. The first 13.9-mile (22.4 km) segment opened on July 31, 1993, with 16 stations between North Hanley and 5th & Missouri. The extension to Lambert Airport Main opened on June 25, 1994. Three infill stations have since been added to this alignment: East Riverfront in 1994, Lambert Airport East in 1998, and Cortex in 2018.
About 14 miles (22.5 km) of the original 17-mile (27 km) alignment reused existing railroad right-of-way including historic downtown tunnels. The capital cost to build the initial phase of MetroLink was $465 million, including $348 million from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA).
Construction on the St. Clair County MetroLink extension from the 5th & Missouri station to the College station in Belleville began in 1998 and opened in May 2001. The extension added eight stations and seven park-ride lots. The total project cost was $339.2 million with $243.9 million paid by the FTA and $95.2 million paid by the St. Clair County Transit District (via a 1/2 cent sales tax passed in November 1993).
In May 2003, a 3.5-mile (5.6 km) extension from the college station to the Shiloh-Scott station opened. This $75 million project was funded by a $60 million grant from the Illinois FIRST (Fund for Infrastructure, Roads, Schools, and Transit) Program and $15 million from the St. Clair County Transit District.
The 8-mile (12.9 km) Cross County Extension opened on August 26, 2006, and added nine stations from Forest Park-DeBaliviere to Shrewsbury, Missouri. Intermediate stops include service to Washington University, Clayton, the Saint Louis Galleria and Maplewood. The entire project was funded by a $430 million Metro bond issue. Citing repeated delays and cost overruns, Metro fired and then sued its general contractor, Cross County Collaborative, in the summer of 2004. Metro sought $81 million in damages for fraud and mismanagement while the Collaborative counter-sued for $17 million for work that Metro hadn't paid for. On December 1, 2007, a jury awarded the Collaborative $2.56 million.
On October 27, 2008, Metro renamed the Lambert Airport branch the Red Line and the Shrewsbury branch the Blue Line. Blue Line service was also extended from its former terminus at Emerson Park to Fairview Heights. All trains have signs on the front and side that identify the train as a Red or Blue line train, and operators make live announcements identifying lines and stations.
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MetroLink (St. Louis)
MetroLink (reporting mark BSDA) (commonly referred to as "Metro") is the light rail system that serves the Greater St. Louis area. It is operated by Metro Transit in a shared fare system with MetroBus. Currently, it is a two-line, 46 mile (74 km) system serving 38 stations operating primarily on separate grade with subway sections in downtown St. Louis and near Forest Park and Washington University in St. Louis.
Unlike the majority of LRT systems in the United States, St. Louis MetroLink shares more characteristics of a rapid transit service, including a largely independent right-of-way, a higher top speed, and level boarding at all platforms. In 2025, the system had an annual ridership of 7,665,000.
Construction on the initial 17-mile (27 km) MetroLink line from St. Louis Lambert International Airport to the 5th & Missouri station in East St. Louis began in 1990. The first 13.9-mile (22.4 km) segment opened on July 31, 1993, with 16 stations between North Hanley and 5th & Missouri. The extension to Lambert Airport Main opened on June 25, 1994. Three infill stations have since been added to this alignment: East Riverfront in 1994, Lambert Airport East in 1998, and Cortex in 2018.
About 14 miles (22.5 km) of the original 17-mile (27 km) alignment reused existing railroad right-of-way including historic downtown tunnels. The capital cost to build the initial phase of MetroLink was $465 million, including $348 million from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA).
Construction on the St. Clair County MetroLink extension from the 5th & Missouri station to the College station in Belleville began in 1998 and opened in May 2001. The extension added eight stations and seven park-ride lots. The total project cost was $339.2 million with $243.9 million paid by the FTA and $95.2 million paid by the St. Clair County Transit District (via a 1/2 cent sales tax passed in November 1993).
In May 2003, a 3.5-mile (5.6 km) extension from the college station to the Shiloh-Scott station opened. This $75 million project was funded by a $60 million grant from the Illinois FIRST (Fund for Infrastructure, Roads, Schools, and Transit) Program and $15 million from the St. Clair County Transit District.
The 8-mile (12.9 km) Cross County Extension opened on August 26, 2006, and added nine stations from Forest Park-DeBaliviere to Shrewsbury, Missouri. Intermediate stops include service to Washington University, Clayton, the Saint Louis Galleria and Maplewood. The entire project was funded by a $430 million Metro bond issue. Citing repeated delays and cost overruns, Metro fired and then sued its general contractor, Cross County Collaborative, in the summer of 2004. Metro sought $81 million in damages for fraud and mismanagement while the Collaborative counter-sued for $17 million for work that Metro hadn't paid for. On December 1, 2007, a jury awarded the Collaborative $2.56 million.
On October 27, 2008, Metro renamed the Lambert Airport branch the Red Line and the Shrewsbury branch the Blue Line. Blue Line service was also extended from its former terminus at Emerson Park to Fairview Heights. All trains have signs on the front and side that identify the train as a Red or Blue line train, and operators make live announcements identifying lines and stations.
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