Phoenix area light rail -- useful for short-term visitor?

[NW cannonball]

Will be in Phoenix area - despite bad Amtrak connections -

Is the local light rail useful for getting around?

 

[Tracktwentynine]

That depends very much on where you want to go. (That's sort of like asking, "Is Amtrak useful for getting around?")

There's not a whole lot to do in Downtown Phoenix. Tempe, on the other hand, is very nice. And it is on the light rail.

I was in Phoenix for a weekend back in 2012. I stayed in Tempe, and used the light rail to get to and from the Airport, to and from Tempe Town Center, and I did venture into Downtown Phoenix once, but I didn't stay long because it was basically devoid of people and things to do.

 

[battalion51]

If you're a sports fan both Chase Field (home of the Diamondbacks) and the US Airways Centre (home of the Suns) are in Downtown Phoenix. Light Rail is nearby at the 3rd Street/Jefferson Street stop.

 

[calwatch]

You can get downtown to the ball park, Downtown Tempe and ASU, and the big mall on the north end that has a Target, WalMart, and Costco in the same center. Quite frankly Phoenix, as a major city, is quite boring and lacking in traditional tourist attractions - instead more of a destination type place where you play golf or watch spring training baseball or some convention.

 

[fairviewroad]

You can get downtown to the ball park, Downtown Tempe and ASU, and the big mall on the north end that has a Target, WalMart, and Costco in the same center. Quite frankly Phoenix, as a major city, is quite boring and lacking in traditional tourist attractions - instead more of a destination type place where you play golf or watch spring training baseball or some convention.

Agreed. I was in Phoenix for a convention in 2010 and used light rail to get to/from the airport. It helped that my downtown hotel was across

the street from a light rail stop. Being a rail enthusiast, I [did not in any way whatsoever skip afternoon breakaway sessions in order to] traveled

the entire light rail "system" from end-to-end. Definitely not the most scenic run in the world, though the section through ASU is kind of interesting.

In short, I was a "short-term" visitor and it worked quite well for me, but other than the joy-ride I took, I didn't have any need to go anywhere or

do anything save get to/from the airport. Everything else I needed to do was downtown within walking distance of the hotel.

 

[Bob Dylan]

You can get downtown to the ball park, Downtown Tempe and ASU, and the big mall on the north end that has a Target, WalMart, and Costco in the same center. Quite frankly Phoenix, as a major city, is quite boring and lacking in traditional tourist attractions - instead more of a destination type place where you play golf or watch spring training baseball or some convention.

Being a rail enthusiast, I [did not in any way whatsoever skip afternoon breakaway sessions in order to] traveled

the entire light rail "system" from end-to-end. Definitely not the most scenic run in the world, though the section through ASU is kind of interesting.

It's my Story and I'm sticking to it! (None of us ever sneak away from Afternoon Sessions for any Reason! :giggle: )