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The St. Louis MetroLink is a light rail line which runs on independent right-of-way for all of its alignment, although with several level crossings. The original line, which opened it 1993 (27 km), starts in East St. Louis, Illinois, and crosses the river Mississippi on the historic Eads Bridge built in 1874. After Laclede's Landing it enters a former railway tunnel which hadn't been used since 1974. It continues partly undergroud on a new alignment to Union Station (former railway station - now a shopping centre) and finally along the former Wabash railroad towards the northwest and into the Lambert airport grounds.

In 1994 an extension was approved through Saint Clair County in Illinois. The first 28 km stretch from 5th & Missouri to Southwestern Illinois College in Belleville opened in May 2001, followed by a 5.6 km stretch up to Shiloh-Scott in June 2003. Apart from some new stretches the former CXS rail alignment is used.

The next extension was a 12.8 km branch off Forest Park station towards the southwest through Clayton to Shrewsbury, the so called Cross County Extension. It includes some underground sections (inkl. Skinker, University City/Big Bend and Forsysth stations). With construction having started in April 2003, regular service on this branch began on 28 Aug 2006. Trains from Shrewsbury normally operate through the city centre and terminate at Emmerson Park in Illinois.

MetroLink is operated by Bi-State-Development-Agency, now simply 'Metro', and has a total length of 73.3 km. One light rail car has a capacity of 72 passengers seated and 106 standing.

31 July 1993 - 5th & Missouri - North Hanley

1994 - Airport Main Terminal station and East Riverfront station

1998 - Airport East Terminal station

5 May 2001 - 5th & Missouri - Southwestern Illinois College

23 June 2003 - College - Shiloh-Scott

28 Aug 2006 - Forest Park-DeBaliviere - Shrewsbury Lansdowne I-44

 Projects

In December 1999 a further 14.3 km extension was approved from Belleville to Scott Air Force Base and Mid-America Airport.

Photos © Mark Michalovic | More MetroLink photos by Ralph Moran

- OPERATION

04:30 until midnight

Forest Park-DeBaliviere - Emmerson Park: every 5 minutes during peak hours, and every 7.5 minutes at other times;

on outer branches very 10 minutes during peak hours, every 15 minutes at other times

- FARES (2006)

All tickets are valid on MetroLink and buses:

Single Ride - $2.00 (no transfer)
2-Hour Pass - $2.25
10-Ride Adult 2-Hour Ticket Book - $20.00 (including transfer)
2-Hour Pass purchased at Lambert Airport stations - $3.50

One-Day Pass - $4.50
Weekly Pass - $19.00 (Monday-Sunday)
Monthly Pass - $60.00

MetroLink (Official Site)

Crosscounty Extension Project

MetroLink at New York City Subway Resources

Jon Bell's St. Louis Page

Citizens For Modern Transit

MetroLink photos by Ralph Moran

More pictures at lightrail.com