Learn How to Ride Transit (Light Rail and Bus) Workshop

Learn How to Ride Transit (Light Rail and Bus) Workshop

Public Transit is an excellent and fun way to get around the Valley, but learning how to use it can be intimidating if you have little to no experience using transit. The Phoenix Urbanistas are happy to host this workshop to guide anyone who is interested in learning how to ride our local transit system, Valley Metro. We will start and end this workshop in Uptown Phoenix at the 7th Avenue and Camelback park-and-ride, where you can park for free to catch the light rail and multiple bus routes. We will take the light rail to Downtown Phoenix and return to the park-and-ride using a bus route 8.

We ask that anyone attending acquires transit fare before the event starts (see below for instructions on how to buy a fare card or use the Valley Metro mobile app to pay for your ride). We will show you how to scan your phone or tap your copper card on both the light rail and the bus. We will also show you how to plan a trip using the valley metro app, google maps, and the transit app. We will also explain how the new fare system works.

ITINERARY
- Meet up at 10 AM at the 7th Avenue and Camelback Park-and-Ride (located at 519 W Camelback Road)
- Catch the eastbound Light Rail at 10:20 AM
- Arrive at Van Buren and 1st Ave in downtown Phoenix at 10:39 AM
- Walk 2 blocks to Central Ave / Polk Street to the Route 8 bus stop.
- Catch the northbound Route 8 at 10:59 AM back to the 7th Avenue park and ride
- Arrive back at 7th Avenue and Camelback at 11:18 AM
- OPTIONAL: walk to grab coffee at Window Coffee Bar (903 W Camelback Rd) after the event

REQUIRED: Download the Valley Metro App or purchase a reloadable Copper Card before we begin our transit ride. Here are the payment options:
1. Mobile fare - you can use your phone to pay using the free Valley Metro app. the app is available on the app store and the google play store. Once you download it, you can add funds using apple pay or a credit card.
2. reloadable Copper Card - Copper cards cost $4 each and can be purchased and reloaded at many different retail locations throughout the valley. Check out https://valleymetrofares.org/retail-locations to find a retailer near you where you can buy a card. You can also arrive a little early and purchase one at the ticket vending machine at the 7th Ave and Camelback light rail platform.
3. bring $4 in cash. You will use the ticket vending machine at the light rail platform to buy a daypass for $4, which will work on bus and rail until the end of the day.
MAKE SURE YOU HAVE LOADED AT LEAST $4 ONTO THE MOBILE APP OR YOUR COPPER CARD. We will be charged $2 for our light rail trip and $2 for our bus trip.

Parking is free at the 7th Avenue and Camelback Park-and-Ride for valley metro passengers.

BE PREPARED TO SPEND SOME TIME OUTSIDE: bring water, wear comfortable shoes and sunscreen, and bring shade like a sun hat or umbrella if you have one. It’ll be hot outside and there won’t always be shade while we wait for the transit vehicles.

Who we are: The Phoenix Urbanistas are a newly formed community group aiming to elevate the perspectives and experiences of women, trans, femme, and non-binary folks in urbanism. Some of our events, like this one, will be open to everyone, but others will be reserved for women/femmes/trans/nonbinary people. To stay up to date with our events, follow @phxurbanistas on instagram.