METRO GRAND OPENING

The grand opening of METRO light rail is Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 27 and 28, with all train rides free until 2009, including new year’s eve! Click here to link to our Grand Opening Guide for an overview of the festivities and information on the system. Or get a list of locations where you can get a hard copy.

For details on what’s happening at each of Saturday’s major station celebrations, visit our Station Celebrations page.

Saturday - Dec. 27

Trains will run from 10 a.m. - 8 p.m. Station celebrations will run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. with free music, giveaways and activities at most park-n-ride and station locations. Free shuttle buses will be available for those who don’t want to wait in line to reboard a train; buses will run every 10 minutes to and from all light rail stations, with express bus service to major park-and-rides. Ambassadors will be on hand to guide you. Please note: in order to provide rides to as many people as possible, all riders will be required to exit the trains at the end-of-the-line stations at 19th Avenue/Montebello and Sycamore/Main.

Dec. 27 Grand Opening street closures and durations
PHOENIX
Third Street between Monroe and Jefferson streets - 7 p.m. on Dec. 26 through midnight Dec. 27  
Washington Street between 2nd and 5th streets - 7 p.m. on Dec. 26 through midnight Dec. 27  
TEMPE  
Third Street between Mill and Ash avenues - 6 a.m. on Dec. 26 to midnight Dec. 27  
College Avenue between 6th Street and Stadium Way - 6 a.m. on Dec. 26 to midnight Dec. 27  
Forest Avenue between Fifth and Sixth streets - 6 a.m. on Dec. 26 to midnight Dec. 27  
Fifth Street between Mill Avenue and Sixth Street - 6 a.m. on Dec. 26 to midnight Dec. 27  
MESA
Westbound Main Street between Sycamore and Dobson Road - Dec. 27, 7 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Sunday - Dec. 28

Ride METRO free from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. There are no station celebrations on Sunday, but we’ll still have free shuttle bus service just in case the trains get crowded.

Dec. 29-30

Free rides continue. METRO runs regular service hours on Dec. 29 and 30.

Dec. 31 New Year’s Eve

Free rides continue with extended service for New Year’s Eve party-goers. The last full trip of the day occurs at 2 a.m. on January first, arriving at the opposite end-of-the-line station at 3 a.m. Fares are required on METRO beginning at 4:40 a.m. on Jan. 1, 2009. Learn how to ride—including how to buy and use a transit pass—on our How to Ride page.

If you are a METRO Preview Pass holder, please METRO-Preview-Pass-Event-Map for a map of available public parking opportunities in downtown Tempe.  If you have any more questions related to this event, call 602-322-4468 or email (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).