Getting Around

By Public Transportation

Free Rides -- Portland is committed to keeping its downtown uncongested, and to this end has invested heavily in its public transportation system. The single greatest innovation--as well as the best reason to ride the TriMet public buses, the MAX light-rail system, and the Portland Streetcar--is that they're free within an area known as the Fareless Square. That's right, free!

There are 300 blocks of downtown included in the Fareless Square, and as long as you stay within the boundaries, you don't pay a cent. The Fareless Square covers the area between I-405 on the south and west, Hoyt Street on the north, and the Willamette River on the east. The Fareless Square extension also makes it possible to take public transit (either the bus or the MAX light-rail trolley) between downtown Portland and both the Rose Quarter (site of the Oregon Convention Center) and the Lloyd District (site of the Lloyd Center Mall), which are both across the Willamette River in northeast Portland.

By Bus -- TriMet buses operate daily over an extensive network. You can pick up the TriMet Schedule Book, which lists all the bus routes with times, or individual route maps and time schedules, at the TriMet Ticket Office, behind and beneath the waterfall fountain at Pioneer Courthouse Square (tel. 503/238-7433; www.trimet.org). The office is open Monday through Friday from 8:30am to 5:30pm. Bus and MAX passes and transit information are also available at area Fred Meyer, Safeway, and most Albertsons grocery stores. Due to construction of new light rail lines on the Portland Mall (Transit Mall) along Fifth and Sixth avenues, buses now stop on Third and Fourth avenues and will continue to do so through at least spring 2009.

Outside the Fareless Square, adult fares on TriMet buses, MAX light-rail trains, and Portland Streetcars are $1.75 or $2.05, depending on how far you travel. Seniors 65 years and older pay 85¢ with valid proof of age; children 7 through 17 pay $1.40. You can also make free transfers between the bus and both the MAX light-rail system and the Portland Streetcar. All-day tickets costing $4.25 are good for travel to all zones and are valid on buses, MAX, and streetcars. These tickets can be purchased from any bus driver, at MAX stops, and on board Portland Streetcars.

By Light Rail -- The Metropolitan Area Express (MAX) is Portland's aboveground light-rail system that connects downtown Portland with the airport, the eastern suburb of Gresham, the western suburbs of Beaverton and Hillsboro, and North Portland. MAX is basically a modern trolley, but there are also replicas of vintage trolley cars (tel. 503/323-7363). Between March and December these operate between downtown Portland and the Lloyd Center on Sundays from noon to 6:30pm. One of the most convenient places to catch the MAX is at Pioneer Courthouse Square. The MAX light-rail system crosses the Transit Mall on SW Morrison Street and SW Yamhill Street. Transfers to the bus are free.

As with the bus, MAX is free within the Fareless Square, which includes all the downtown area. A Fareless Square extension also makes it possible to ride the MAX between downtown Portland and both the Rose Quarter (site of the Oregon Convention Center) and the Lloyd District (site of the Lloyd Center Mall). Both are across the Willamette River in northeast Portland. If you are traveling outside of the Fareless Square, be sure to buy your ticket and stamp it in the time-punch machine on the platform before you board MAX. There are ticket-vending machines at all MAX stops that tell you how much to pay for your destination; these machines also give change. The MAX driver cannot sell tickets. Fares are the same as on buses. There are ticket inspectors who randomly check to make sure passengers have stamped tickets.

The Portland Streetcar (tel. 503/238-RIDE; www.portlandstreetcar.org) operates from the new South Waterfront District (site of the Portland Aerial Tram) south of downtown, through Portland State University, downtown, and the Pearl District to Northwest Portland. The route takes in not only the attractions of the Cultural District but also all the restaurants and great shopping in the Pearl District and along NW 21st and 23rd avenues, which makes this streetcar a great way for visitors to get from downtown (where most of the hotels are located) to the neighborhoods with the greatest concentrations of restaurants. Streetcar fares for trips outside the Fareless Square are $1.75 for adults, $1.40 for youths, and 85¢ for seniors. Note that these fares are valid all day, so once you've paid your fare, you won't have to buy another ticket all day.

Hospitals aren't usually considered tourist destinations, but in Portland's case, one medical center, the Oregon Health & Sciences University Hospital has become something of an accidental destination. The hillside hospital is connected to the newly developed South Waterfront District by the Portland Aerial Tram (www.portlandtram.org), and this tram has become a popular Portland excursion. There may not be much to do once you get to the hospital, but the ride up and back sure is fun and provides great views over the city. The tram's silvery, egg-shaped gondolas operate Monday through Friday from 6am to 1pm and Saturday from 9am to 5pm, with departures every 5 minutes. The round-trip fare is $4 and children under 6 ride free. You'll find the lower terminal on SW Bond Street, 1/2 mile south of downtown. The Portland Streetcar stops at the tram station.

By Car

Car Rentals -- Portland is a compact city, and public transit will get you to most attractions within its limits. However, if you are planning to explore outside the city -- and Portland's greatest attractions, such as Mount Hood and the Columbia River Gorge, lie not in the city itself but in the countryside within an hour's drive -- you'll definitely need a car.

The major car-rental companies are all represented in Portland and have desks at Portland International Airport, which is the most convenient place to pick up a car. There are also many independent and small car-rental agencies listed in the Portland Yellow Pages. Weekly rates for an economy car in July (high-season rates) can run from $175 to $300 (with no discounts), so it really pays to shop around. Expect lower rates in the rainy months.

On the ground floor of the airport parking deck, across the street from the baggage-claim area, you'll find the following companies: Avis (tel. 800/331-1212 or 503/249-4950; www.avis.com), Budget (tel. 800/527-0700 or 503/249-6331; www.budget.com), Dollar (tel. 800/800-3365 or 503/249-4792; www.dollar.com), Enterprise (tel. 800/261-7331 or 503/252-1500; www.enterprise.com); and Hertz (tel. 800/654-3131 or 503/528-7900; www.hertz.com). Outside the airport, but with desks adjacent to the other car-rental desks, are Alamo (tel. 800/462-5266 or 503/249-4900; www.goalamo.com), National (tel. 800/227-7368 or 503/249-4900; www.nationalcar.com), and Thrifty (tel. 800/847-4389 or 503/254-6563; www.thrifty.com).

Parking -- Throughout most of downtown Portland and the Pearl District, you won't find any parking meters on the streets. However, in the middle of every block, you will find an electronic parking meter that takes coins, credit cards, and debit cards. These machines issue little parking receipts that you then have to tape in the curbside window of your car. Although a bit inconvenient, this system allows you to buy time while parked in one space and still use your remaining time if you move your car to another space. In most parts of town, you don't have to feed the meters after 7pm or on Sunday.

The best parking deal in town is at the Smart Park garages, where the cost is $1.25 per hour for the first 4 hours (but after that the hourly rate jumps to $3, so you'd be well advised to move your car), $2 to $6 for the entire evening after 6pm, or $4 to $5 all day on the weekends. Look for the red, white, and black signs featuring the image of a smart parking attendant. You'll find Smart Park garages at First Avenue and Jefferson Street, Fourth Avenue and Yamhill Street, 10th Avenue and Yamhill Street, Third Avenue and Alder Street, O'Bryant Square, Naito Parkway and Davis Street, and Station Place (in the Pearl District near Union Station). Hundreds of downtown merchants validate Smart Park tickets for 2 hours if you spend at least $25, so don't forget to take your ticket along with you.

Special Driving Rules -- You may turn right on a red light after a full stop, and if you are in the far left lane of a one-way street, you may turn left into the adjacent left lane of a one-way street at a red light after a full stop. Everyone in a moving vehicle is required to wear a seat belt.

By Taxi

Because most everything in Portland is fairly close, getting around by taxi can be economical. Although there are almost always taxis waiting in line at major hotels, you won't find them cruising the streets -- you'll have to phone for one. Broadway Cab (tel. 503/227-1234; www.broadwaycab.com) and Radio Cab (tel. 503/227-1212; www.radiocab.net) charge $2.50 for the first mile, $2.20 for each additional mile, and $1 for additional passengers.

On Foot

City blocks in Portland are about half the size of most city blocks elsewhere, and the entire downtown area covers only about 13 blocks by 26 blocks. This makes Portland a very easy place to explore on foot. The city has been very active in encouraging people to get out of their cars and onto the sidewalks downtown. The sidewalks are wide and there are many fountains, works of art, and small parks with benches.