Macalester College - Transportation - Transportation

C

Where does this grade come from?View all Transportation rankings Review this school to add your opinion

Comparable Schools' Transportation Grades:

Quick Stats

Best Ways to Get Around Town		If you’re going to explore downtown Minneapolis, be sure to try the skyways. You’ll get some great views, and you won’t have to step foot outside for about five miles. The Twin Cities area is home to the longest skyway system in the world. Invest in a motor vehicle. Ride the Hiawatha light rail! Ride your bike! The Twin Cities are very biker-friendly. You can either find a bike trail or make your own to get to nearly any given destination. Beware, however, the Minnesota weather isn’t always accommodating. Take a taxi—it’s the next best thing to having a car in the winter months. Take the bus, but be sure you’re up-to-date on fares and schedules. Sign up for, or organize, a van trip at Macalester.
Best Ways to Get to the Airport		A cab ride to the airport costs $15 or less. For $1.75, you can take the Metro Transit bus straight to the airport. The bus stops right in front of campus, and if all goes as planned, the bus should get you to the airport in just under 25 minutes. If you have many suitcases or do not want to deal with the possible uncertainty of public transportation, either have a friend drive you to the airport, or better yet, arrange for a taxi pickup ahead of time.

Student Author OverviewWhat's This?

Getting around the Twin Cities is a cinch, even if students don’t own cars. The Metro Transit system offers an easy and convenient bus and light rail system that stretches all over Minneapolis and St. Paul. The bus system stops at different intersections all over town, with numerous bus stops near campus, which make for easy transportation to places like downtown St. Paul, Minneapolis, and the Rosedale Mall. The light rail brings people from Target Field all the way to the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport and even to the Mall of America. Taking the Metro makes traveling around hassle-free, and with the Metro Transit website’s Trip Planner, students can type in different locations and get specific directions for which bus lines/light rail stops to use. It should be noted that although the buses are pretty reliable, they can sometimes be late or not come at all when the weather gets really bad during the winter. There are a lot of bus shelters with heaters that make waiting in the bitter Minnesota wind a little less unpleasant, though.

There are also several taxi companies around the Metro that are more than happy to pick people up and drop them off at their desired destination. Calling in advance to reserve a cab for a predetermined time ensures students will get going on time, as the taxi companies sometimes hit extremely busy periods where waits will be long.

Macalester Student ReviewsWhat's This?

Sort by:

Transportation at Macalester College

JYuan

Theatre, Arts, and Media Management '15

B

For International Students

As an international student myself, I was disappointed to find that the American standard for good public transportation is far from what it is in my country (because everyone has a car). The buses are hardly as convenient as they make it seem.

Jan 31, 2012

Comment actions: Rate

Report as inappropriate/inaccurate

Transportation at Macalester College

Brandini

Philosophy '11

B-

The Missing Link

The poor public transportation around Macalester makes it difficult to take advantage of all that the twin cities have to offer. A 40 min bus ride will usually get you about as far as a 10 min car ride could have taken you. Bus service also becomes more irregular later at night.

Apr 19, 2011

Comment actions: Rate

Report as inappropriate/inaccurate

Transportation at Macalester College

ewestras

Hispanic American Studies '13

A-

Most People Don't Have Cars

Most students don't have cars, so there isn't a ton of parking on campus, but anyone that needs a free spot can find one. Metro Transit is really easy to use, and buses come frequently. Lots of students use the ACTC bus between different college campuses in the area, or use the HourCar, a shared car (has monthly fee)

Apr 07, 2011

Comment actions: Rate

Report as inappropriate/inaccurate

What do you think of your school? Register to submit reviews to let others know what it's really like »

First

User rating for Macalester College - Transportation is 3.5 out of 5 based on 18 user reviews.

Student Survey Poll ResultsWhat's This?

Rate the cost of the following transit options

Rate the convenience of the following transit options

Rate the convenience of long-distance transportation to travel between home and school

How convenient is the campus-provided transportation?

How necessary is it to have a car on campus?

How easy is it to get around town?

Facts

Did You Know?

If students do own cars, they should prepare themselves to be asked to chauffeur their unfortunate and car-less friends around—obviously they don’t have to comply, but the nagging will always be there.
Finally, if traveling on a popular night (e.g., Halloween, New Year’s Eve), students should be sure to plan transportation ahead of time. Often when people swarm the streets when bars are closing, cabs and buses are either full or refuse to pick up large groups of people. Be careful you don’t get stranded in the cold.

Safety Escort ServicesWhat's This?

SAFEwalk
(651) 696-6699
Daily 9 p.m.–1 a.m.

Campus ShuttleWhat's This?

ACTC (Associated Colleges of the Twin Cities) Bus

The ACTC is a consortium of private colleges. With this bus system, students can travel within these colleges in the Twin Cities area: Augsburg College, Hamline University, Macalester College, The College of St. Catherine, and the University of St. Thomas.

(651) 556-1863

Daily 7 a.m.–10 p.m.

Public TransitWhat's This?

Metro Transit

Pick up a route map at the info desk in the Ruth Stricker Dayton Campus Center.

(612) 373-3333

(612) 341-4287 (NexTrip info)

(612) 341-0140 (route and schedule info)

560 Sixth Ave. N, Minneapolis

www.metrotransit.org

Hiawatha Light Rail Transit (LRT)

Twelve-mile Hiawatha line stops at 17 stations between downtown Minneapolis, the airport, and the Mall of America.

(651) 602-1000

(651) 291-0904 TTY

390 Robert St. N

www.metrocouncil.org/transportation/lrt/lrt.htm

Nearest AirportWhat's This?

Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP)

The Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport is only about seven miles and just about a 15-minute drive away from the Macalester College campus.

6040 S. 28th Ave., Minneapolis

(612) 970-9524

www.mspairport.com

Nearest Passenger BusWhat's This?

Greyhound

The nearest Greyhound bus lines and Charters terminal are located only three miles from campus.

166 W. University Ave.

(651) 222-0507

www.greyhound.com

Nearest Passenger TrainWhat's This?

Amtrak

The Amtrak train station is just under two miles from campus.

730 Transfer Rd.

(651) 644-6012/(800) 872-7245

www.amtrak.com

Become a Contributing Author Learn more »

Most Recent Student Author View all

Name: Tatiana Craine
Hometown: Eden Prairie, MN
Major: English with emphasis on Creative Writing

College Prowler is seeking talented student authors to assist with writing and updating the College Prowler guides to their schools. This is a great opportunity for a student to gain experience and tremendous exposure, utilize new media techniques, and share advice with high school students about what life is really like at your college.

Download a FREE Printable Summary (PDF)

Macalester College
- Transportation

Yes

Maybe

No

Jump to a section:

Transportation

Comparable Schools' Transportation Grades:

Quick Stats

Student Author OverviewWhat's This?