Getting Around Portland
Efficient public transit and pedestrian-friendly city streets make navigating Portland a breeze.
Portland Airport (PDX)
Travelers have named Portland International Airport (PDX) the best airport in the nation 8 of the last 10 years in Travel + Leisure.
Why do they love PDX? An easy light rail connection to downtown, free Wi-Fi, great local food and drink (including microbrews, craft spirits, and even food carts) and tax-free shopping without airport markups are just a few of the reasons. That’s not to mention the superior guest experience travelers report having whenever they pass through PDX.
You can fly nonstop to PDX from nearly 60 cities, including Amsterdam, London, Frankfurt, Toronto, New York, Chicago, Atlanta, Dallas and Washington, D.C.
Why do they love PDX? An easy light rail connection to downtown, free Wi-Fi, great local food and drink (including microbrews, craft spirits, and even food carts) and tax-free shopping without airport markups are just a few of the reasons. That’s not to mention the superior guest experience travelers report having whenever they pass through PDX.
You can fly nonstop to PDX from nearly 60 cities, including Amsterdam, London, Frankfurt, Toronto, New York, Chicago, Atlanta, Dallas and Washington, D.C.
Portland Amtrak Train
This Amtrak train station with a 50-foot clock tower, cheerful “Go By Train” neon sign and red tile roof is a Portland landmark.
The station is located just minutes from the center of downtown. The Portland Transit Mall, which carries many bus lines, as well as the MAX light rail Green, Orange and Yellow lines, is one block from Union Station on Fifth and Sixth avenues.
Union Station is served by three Amtrak passenger trains:
With four daily departures between Seattle and Portland, as well as daily service to Vancouver, B.C., and two daily trips to Eugene, Ore., Amtrak Cascades is a convenient link to the Pacific Northwest and British Columbia.
The Coast Starlight operates daily, connecting the West Coast’s most popular destination cities, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Portland and Seattle.
Running daily, the Empire Builder begins in Portland and heads east to Chicago with stops at Whitefish, Glacier National Park, Minot, Minneapolis, Milwaukee and other locations.
The station is located just minutes from the center of downtown. The Portland Transit Mall, which carries many bus lines, as well as the MAX light rail Green, Orange and Yellow lines, is one block from Union Station on Fifth and Sixth avenues.
Union Station is served by three Amtrak passenger trains:
With four daily departures between Seattle and Portland, as well as daily service to Vancouver, B.C., and two daily trips to Eugene, Ore., Amtrak Cascades is a convenient link to the Pacific Northwest and British Columbia.
The Coast Starlight operates daily, connecting the West Coast’s most popular destination cities, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Portland and Seattle.
Running daily, the Empire Builder begins in Portland and heads east to Chicago with stops at Whitefish, Glacier National Park, Minot, Minneapolis, Milwaukee and other locations.
Portland Public Transportation
TriMet manages the city’s public transportation system, which includes bus service, the MAX light rail and the Portland Streetcar.
Public transit offers one of the best ways to get around Portland on a budget, as tickets/passes are interchangeable between all options.
The MAX light rail is the heart and soul of the city’s transit. It includes more than 90 stations, and 60 miles of track, connecting the city, airport and greater Portland region.
The MAX is a frequent service line, meaning it runs every 15 minutes or less. It's roll-on/roll-off for riders with wheels, and bicycles can also be stowed onboard.
The bus system covers the city and its suburbs thoroughly. Each bus has full wheelchair accessibility, and most come equipped with bike racks. Frequent bus service on more than a dozen bus lines keeps things moving. Buses on these lines come every 15 minutes or less most of the day, every day.
The Portland Streetcar's NS line travels downtown from Portland State University to the Nob Hill neighborhood. The line goes directly through the Pearl District, a popular shopping and dining area.
The A Loop and the B Loop provide service over Tilikum Crossing, the only bridge in the country dedicated exclusively to pedestrian, bicycle and public transportation traffic. The A Loop runs clockwise and connects the east and west sides of the city through the Pearl District, Broadway Bridge, Lloyd, OMSI, Tilikum Crossing and Portland State University. The B Loop passes through the same stops but moves counter-clockwise.
Public transit offers one of the best ways to get around Portland on a budget, as tickets/passes are interchangeable between all options.
The MAX light rail is the heart and soul of the city’s transit. It includes more than 90 stations, and 60 miles of track, connecting the city, airport and greater Portland region.
The MAX is a frequent service line, meaning it runs every 15 minutes or less. It's roll-on/roll-off for riders with wheels, and bicycles can also be stowed onboard.
The bus system covers the city and its suburbs thoroughly. Each bus has full wheelchair accessibility, and most come equipped with bike racks. Frequent bus service on more than a dozen bus lines keeps things moving. Buses on these lines come every 15 minutes or less most of the day, every day.
The Portland Streetcar's NS line travels downtown from Portland State University to the Nob Hill neighborhood. The line goes directly through the Pearl District, a popular shopping and dining area.
The A Loop and the B Loop provide service over Tilikum Crossing, the only bridge in the country dedicated exclusively to pedestrian, bicycle and public transportation traffic. The A Loop runs clockwise and connects the east and west sides of the city through the Pearl District, Broadway Bridge, Lloyd, OMSI, Tilikum Crossing and Portland State University. The B Loop passes through the same stops but moves counter-clockwise.
