Traveling by Metro Light Rail in Phoenix

The Metro Light Rail is the newest public transportation in Phoenix, it just opened in 2009, and I was able to use it instead of getting a rental car for my business trip. You take a shuttle bus from the airport to the Metro stop, and then you buy a ticket. The 3 day pass was $7.50 for unlimited use, or you can get 1 day pass for $2.50. The machine gave change in $1 coins! It was the first time in a long while that I even saw a $1 coin, I got rid of them as soon as I could.

Nobody ever checked the tickets for all the 4 days of traveling on it, so it's the honor system, and there are no gates or other things either. When I arrived on a Sunday, the metro was FULLY PACKED! amazing, because local people were trying it out! But the rest of the week it was not so bad.

Due to the newness I suppose, I saw within the first day, 2 people falling! One big guy fell when he left the train on the platform, and another lady fell in the train car when it started moving and she wasn't holding onto anything. So that was kind of interesting. I never saw anybody fall in New York!

I suppose rental car companies are not too happy about it, since most people who travel on business to conventions downtown don't need a car any more! I think the trains can come more frequently than it did, it seemed a long wait at times (20 minutes).

I chose it based on the location (near the new metro light rail, so no rental car is needed) and convenience to the downtown convention center. I read a review which said it's not in a safe location, but it turned out just fine. There was an dubious store at the corner but it may not be open for business since I never saw anyone near it. The hotel is behind the Holiday Inn, but has a very tiny sign on the street declaring the hotel is down this street. It's an easy 5 minute walk to the metro station at Osborne and Central Ave. The hotel itself has been renovated and looked new and clean. It had free wi-fi in the room. I never got to eat at the restaurants due to the schedule of the business meetings. Overall, a pretty decent 3 star hotel I wouldn't mind staying again.

A Staples store is near by, as well as a Walgreen's pharmacy at the corner for the late night or early morning snack.