# PDX Max Light Rail



## Rail Freak (Apr 18, 2019)

Airport to Union Station. What's the best Max connection?


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## AmtrakBlue (Apr 18, 2019)

TriMet.org has a trip planner.
Looks like Gateway is where you’d switch from the red line to the either the green or yellow line. Definitely switch before Rose Quarter


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## Seaboard92 (Apr 18, 2019)

You can walk to the red line Old Town stop as well. I want to say if I remember it’s a four block walk. Not the best area after dark.


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## Rail Freak (Apr 18, 2019)

Seaboard92 said:


> You can walk to the red line Old Town stop as well. I want to say if I remember it’s a four block walk. Not the best area after dark.


Not sure if I understand?


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## Bob Dylan (Apr 18, 2019)

Rail Freak said:


> Not sure if I understand?


Portland has Serious Crime problems, mostly involving drugs and runaways,not to mention the tent cities where many homeless people live on the sidewalks and parks.

Be careful at night when you get away from the Main tourist areas and downtown. I would ride public transit or Ride Share in lieu of walking in "iffy" areas.


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## Rail Freak (Apr 18, 2019)

Bob Dylan said:


> Portland has Serious Crime problems, mostly involving drugs and runaways,not to mention the tent cities where many homeless people live on the sidewalks and parks.
> 
> Be careful at night when you get away from the Main tourist areas and downtown. I would ride public transit or Ride Share in lieu of walking in "iffy" areas.


I understand that, but I'm not sure where old town is & I'll probably be taking the Max line to Union Station to catch the CS south, which means in the morning or mid day!


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## SP&S (Apr 18, 2019)

Catch the red line at the airport. It's the only one that stops there, so that's easy. At any one of a number of stops (I'd recommend Gateway/99th transit center) you need to transfer to the green line. Then get off at 5th and Glisan (pronounced Glee-Son) and it's a very short walk to the station. There may be some interesting people around but you'll be safe. Here's a map https://www.google.com/maps/dir/45....34dbfbcba!2m2!1d-122.6769905!2d45.5292711!5i2


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## Rail Freak (Apr 18, 2019)

SP&S said:


> Catch the red line at the airport. It's the only one that stops there, so that's easy. At any one of a number of stops (I'd recommend Gateway/99th transit center) you need to transfer to the green line. Then get off at 5th and Glisan (pronounced Glee-Son) and it's a very short walk to the station. There may be some interesting people around but you'll be safe. Here's a map https://www.google.com/maps/dir/45....34dbfbcba!2m2!1d-122.6769905!2d45.5292711!5i2


Thanx!!!


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## Chris I (May 2, 2019)

Portland does not have a "serious crime problem". We have a problem with homelessness, drugs, and property crimes. We are among the safest mid-sized cities in the US (look it up).

I wouldn't hesitate to just stay on the red line until Old Town and walk, even with my 2 and 3 year olds with me. If you do want to transfer to save a bit of walking, I would do it at the NE 7th MAX station, as it is a nicer place to wait. No freeway noise, and fewer sketchy people around in general.


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## Tadman (May 8, 2019)

I've done this ride a few times. Unless you have mountains of luggage, you're fine getting off the red line at Old Town (first station in downtown or west side of river) and walk a few blocks to Union Station. If you have a lot of time to kill, the museum with 4449 is easy to get to via transit and worth the time.


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## Matthew H Fish (Jun 7, 2019)

I lived in downtown Portland for a long time. 

All of the views above are valid. Oldtown/Chinatown to me is not "dangerous", in that I have not seen a lot of violence there (maybe like a shoving match or something?), but it is a place that might be the center for aggressive panhandling, or opportunistic theft. 

And when we are travellers, we are always targets, even when we are usually streetwise. 

I would normally say it is quite safe to walk the four blocks from Old Town to Union Station. But, if I wasn't familiar with the area, I might just transfer on to the Green or Yellow line and get dropped right off at the front of the station.


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