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RTA - Streetcars

RTA - Streetcars

RTA - Streetcars
4.5
About
Get wherever you want to go in New Orleans with the Regional Transit Authority (RTA). Our extensive network of buses and streetcars winds throughout every neighborhood of the Crescent City. From Uptown to Downtown, from Lakeview to the Lower Nine, from Mid-City across the Mississippi River and to the parish lines, the RTA goes there.As streetcars glide underneath grand live oaks and past stately mansions, they offer up relaxing views of the beauty, charm and history of New Orleans for little cost. When riders board these historic vehicles they are boarding a piece of movable New Orleans history. The RTA operates three streetcar lines: the famous, historic St. Charles line, the Canal Street line, and the Riverfront line. All lines either run along or intersect with Canal Street in the area between the French Quarter and the Central Business District (CBD) connecting Uptown/Garden District, Carrollton, Mid-City, City Park and the Marigny. The RTA is currently adding more Streetcar lines.
Duration: < 1 hour
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The area

Neighborhood: Central Business District
Compared to the more evocative monikers of some other parts of New Orleans, the downtown’s humdrum title might suggest that this area is all about business and little else. But don’t let the bland name keep you away from the Central Business District. The CBD offers a wide range of fun things to do that would be touted as exceptional in less jubilant corners of the world. Bordered by the French Quarter, the Arts District and Tremé, with the river at its eastern extreme, this hub for sports, gaming, shopping, theatre, family-friendly activities, and amazing regional cuisine makes a smart base wherever your interests lie.
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See what travelers are saying

  • Deborah K
    Saint John, Indiana510 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Away We Go
    Took the St Charles Route Street Car, admired all the mansions along the route in the Garden District. Great way to see the area & also taking us past Loyola & Tulane. The cost is 1.25 each way & seniors are 40 cents each way, best deal in town! We really enjoyed the Streetcar & recommend it to everyone visiting New Orleans.
    Visited November 2023
    Traveled with friends
    Written November 16, 2023
  • Agoedike
    5 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Take a ride! You will love it.
    The street cars were so easy to use and a great way to see the city. We rode several. You need the app to buy a pass but it’s only $3 for a 24 hour pass. You can take them to most places around down down French quarter. Not only was it a quick easy way to travel but we got to see more areas. We did have one breakdown and had to figure out our way back. But things happen.
    Visited November 2023
    Traveled with family
    Written November 26, 2023
  • mwhamburger
    Seattle, Washington849 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    the streetcars are the best deal in town
    get a map to know where the various line will take you. For seniors it cost 0.80 cents for a day pass. Incredible bargain. We took it all over the place and it's obvious that it's very popular, also by locals. You have to have exact change; put the coins in one at a time; don't rush it.
    Visited December 2023
    Traveled with friends
    Written December 17, 2023
  • medoodle
    West Milford, New Jersey66 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Entertaining traveling from poudras to Audubon Park. The fare is $3 for all day on and off and the driver was engaging.
    This was an entertaining transport across NOLA for $3 all day. The driver was very engaging and the ride was unique. Nice way to go from Canal to the Audubon Park/zoo. We saw lots of football fans use it to attend the sugar bowl game.
    Visited January 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written January 1, 2024
  • Smokin Joe
    42 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A streetcar I desire!
    Clean, beautiful and well kept, these Streetcars are inexpensive, clean and affordable. The St Charles Line (the green streetcars) is the oldest and longest continually working streetcar line in the world. Love em!
    Visited January 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written January 12, 2024
  • Linder24
    Ridgeley, West Virginia232 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Definitely the way to go.
    The streetcars run all day, so you won’t be left stranded somewhere. The cars do get crowded, so if you don’t like close quarters, this is not for you. If you think you’re going to ride more than once, buy the one day pass. It’s good for 24 hours, so if you buy it at 4pm today, it’s good until 4pm tomorrow.
    Visited March 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written March 15, 2024
  • RuSaBu
    Pikeville, Tennessee122 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    GOOD TRANSPORTATION
    A fun, cheap way to get around the city—$3 for an all-day pass. The only downside was that the cars were so crowded we ended up standing most of the time, but that wasn’t a problem for us. Download the app and you’re good to go—you can even see where the cars are in real time. The only suggestion is to post a better explanation of how to actually use the system.
    Visited April 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written April 3, 2024
  • 6_Speed_Automatic
    Covington, Louisiana298 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Pleasant Break from the Hustle and Bustle of the French Quarter
    For a ride on the St Charles Line (#12) , pick up the street car at St Charles and Camp street. The street car will run down St Charles thru the business district, then past Lee circle, then on to the medium of St Charles Ave. The medium shares both the in-bound and out-bound tracks. As you progress, the area moves from commercial (restaurants, hotels, etc) to residential (homes, apartment, mansions, etc). Keep riding to enjoy one of the oldest and most prestigious neighborhoods (uptown) in New Orleans. Either get off at Audubon Park (across from Tulane University and Loyola University) and return to the city, or continue to the end of the line (more historic neighborhoods) at Carrolton & Claiborne. At either location, board the return street car back to downtown. The return street car will drop you off on Canal and Claiborne which is across the street from Bourbon Street. Fare is $1.25 per person each way.
    Visited April 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written April 21, 2024
  • Sabra W
    Seattle, Washington246 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Best way to get around Nola
    I cannot recommend the street cars enough to get around NOLA. They're so convenient and cheap to navigate the city and outskirts. With the app it's so easy to navigate and purchase passes or single use tickets. I will never visit New Orleans without being walking distance from the street car line.
    Visited April 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written April 21, 2024
  • mtt1220
    Oviedo, Florida193 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Loved it.
    Great value for the money if you're going to be in town for a few days and want an easy way to get around. Get the app for sure. The schedule was always accurate. The drivers are true experts....but know and follow the rules the first time. Passengers are a mix of tourists and locals getting to and from work.
    Visited May 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written May 19, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

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Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles16,325 reviews
Excellent
9,742
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4,597
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347
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Wes A
4 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2021
We were originally attracted to give the streetcars a try based upon their unique look and the feel of stepping back into history. The cost was relatively low at $3/day which pays for itself if you avoid just a single Uber drive.

The cars were all clean and well maintained. I noticed that the windows were all fixed completely shut with screws, which was unfortunate. It would have been nice to ride with the window open to feel the breeze from the River.

We used the app to book and would recommend others follow suit. It's easy to navigate, reload your ticket, and is fast when boarding versus feeding cash in holding up the line. There's no discount for buying tickets for an extended period, so I would recommend just buying 1 day pass at a time.

In the French Quarter where we stayed and used the streetcars the most, they run every 30 minutes which requires some pre-planning if you have somewhere you need to be at a certain time.
Written April 17, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

California_momofsix
Fairfield1,123 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2020
Must do if you are visiting New Orleans!
We greatly enjoyed our ride on the street cars as they noisily rumbled along. Also, with traffic and expensive parking, this is definitely the way to get around and get a cheap sightseeing tour and experience some of local culture.
Riding is easy, even if you aren't used to taking public transit. There are maps on the RTA website and also a very detailed map on Wikipedia. The map on the RTA website shows the cars moving around in real time, it's kind of cool to watch. I would recommend looking at the map before you ride to figure out where you need to get off and on. There are five lines, color coded on the map with street cars in a matching color. Stops are close together, basically on every street corner of Canal and St Charles streets and along the riverfront. Just look for the colored street car stop signs. Once the car approaches you can also see the endpoint of the line on a sign in the window.
No need to buy tickets ahead of time, just hand exact change to the driver. Make sure to have your money ready, since the streetcars don't have time to stop and wait for you to find your money. An unlimited pass costs 3 dollars. Hold on to the pass and show it for subsequent rides. Cars run literally every few minutes, although they may operate on a weekend schedule during covid and you may experience a few minutes longer wait, but there are still lots of cars operating around the clock.
Cars looked clean, masks are required even when windows are open. Cars were not crowded. We felt very safe.
We did get confused once and got off too early, but since we had a day pass we just waited for the next one. On the St Charles line coming from the garden district, the French quarter stop is Canal at Condolet not Condolet at Gravier. We know that now!
The only problem we had was that on our first ride, my daughter sat in front of a clearly intoxicated man who was yelling loudly and made them uncomfortable. If the driver had enforced "civil" behavior on the car, it would have been perfect. I realize that is hard while also trying to drive. We eventually just got off and took the next car. If I had realized how close cars follow each other, I would have got off sooner. We would definitely ride again though, don't let me scare you off. We had no further issues the rest of our trip.
Written October 7, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

solotraveller
Glasgow, UK228 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020 • Friends
The streetcars themselves are charming but the services unreliable. There is no schedule maintained and the app is useless. We waited for upto 45 mins for a team even when the app showed due, due, due. In many parts of the city, buses run instead of the trolley because of construction. Most drivers are soooo cool and friendly...one even gave me a ride for free till I could reach Wallgreens to buy the Metro pass. There is a lady driver in the riverfront tram who is rude as hell, won't answer queries and even stopped the trolley at Harrah's to put something in her car. Unfortunately, we had her 3 times out of the 4 we took that route. Be ready for chaos, no schedules, buses passing you by without stopping if they're slightly full but once you're on the tram it's the best way to see the city

If you're buying a day pass in the tram make sure you have exact change. No change is given and no cards accepted. Most trolley drivers don't check the validity of cards so many people just show them an old card... they tell them to get on without asking them to screen it through the machine nor check the date.
Written January 12, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

agt33
Winnipeg, Canada460 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020
Loved riding this trolley from the base of Bourbon St. through the Garden District and back. These old trolleys amble along past stately mansions, Loyola University, Audubon House, etc. for only $1.65 (exact change). Or you can buy an RTA Jazzie ticket for $6.00 to travel on all the city bus transport for the day. A must do!
Written January 29, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

PaulMaryRC
Eastbourne, UK213 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2020
Quite a time consuming effort to actually get in, lots of people and having to feed in 1 dollar note at a time into the machines added to the delay. Very cheap way of travelling, if a little slow but when on holiday this wasn’t important. The drivers were excellent and so hslpful.
Written March 5, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Michael S
Toronto, Canada308 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020
For an unbelievable $0.40 per trip (transfers are free and good for up to 2 hours from time of issue) the seniors rate for riding the RTA is the best bargain for tourists visiting New Orleans. I rode the streetcars and buses all over the city and in two weeks here I was only asked to show proof of age once, so have it ready. A passport is suggested on the RTA website but not required: Anything with D.O.B. on it is good. The streetcars are CLEAN and move slowly, so an excellent way to see the sights.
The streetcars seem to be more dependable and prompt than the buses, and hopefully break down less frequently, but it must be known that the R in RTA does NOT stand for RAPID.
Written February 14, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

LewMonika
New York City, NY56 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020 • Friends
Without doubt, one of the best, not necessarily the quickest, ways to get around, and especially, when you are on a tight schedule. It allows you to get a preview of diffrent neighborhoods so you could plan the rest of your New Orleans’ experience. There are several lines with the most popular being Canal and St. Charles but they are often overcrowded during rush hours.

It’s a piece of history still on the tracks and it costs only $1.25 per ride or $3.00 for the entire day so even if you don’t need to get anywhere in particular, pop on one up and enjoy.
Written February 4, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Sam_I_Am_11
Broomfield, CO5 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020 • Family
Took the St Charles street car a few times on our visit to New Orleans. The cars are vintage with windows that passengers are allowed to open for themselves! Imagine that in 2020! The interiors are beautifully finished in ungraffitied wood and comfortable enough for a trip of 30 minutes or less. At only $1.50 to ride (or $3.00 for 24 hours) it's a bargain. The fact that it will actually get you somewhere in a very reasonable amount of time while saving you from the cost and hassle of parking is a very big bonus and worth the time you will have to spend to figure out where to board and to exit.
Written January 11, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Daniel H
4 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2020
If you have ever used mass transit in a large city before then this is a piece of cake. The streetcars have screens that tell you were you are going and are easy to read. Their app is what really sold me. You can purchase Jazzy Passes on their app. I bought the 1 day pass for $3 and was good to go for the whole day.Just scan your phone when you get on and have a seat.
Written March 4, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Dominic V
North East, PA93 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020 • Family
If you are staying in the Quarter you really don’t need a car. Truth is getting around the quarter in a car is a pain & parking expensive. If you can get to the quarter (Lyft or Uber), I would recommend that you utilize the RTA street cars (I call them trolleys).

When you get on the Streetcar the driver will ask you for a pass. If you don’t have one he “/she can sell you one, but you need exact change - no debit or credit accepted.

A 24 hour pass is $3 per person . There maybe an APP for it but because I don’t live here, using cash is easy enough. The pass for the day is good for any & all Street cars for the day so you only need 1 pass to ride any of them.

Google the routes to figure out where you want to go, the routes are color coded to match the street car (green street car is the St. Charles route).

These are not subways, these are clean & we took our kids on them & had no problems. Just a request from me to you. If you are a man or teenage boy, please stand & let the ladies & elderly take your seat!
Written January 26, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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RTA - Streetcars - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

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