A Great Intro of Metropolitan Area Express: A Light Rail System in Portland

Getting in and around Portland is fun and easy with different transport options present in the city. Visitors can also take the Metropolitan Area Express (MAX) transit system for reaching their desired destination. The light rail system has been in existence since the early 1980's and has been servicing people efficiently till now. It is currently operated by TriMet and there are only four lines.

Initially, the Metropolitan Area Express was designed as a rail system to service passengers traveling to and from Gresham to downtown Portland. However, gradually the system was extended to Hillsboro and airport. An extension to the Northbound towards the Expo Center, across the river from Vancouver was also opened much recently. The Green Line is the latest route, helping people to make use of the MAX light rail system to reach important parts of the city. An extension into the Vancouver, Washington and into Milwaukee is also being planned.

MAX's light rail system as those operating in central Portland and Hillsboro runs on surface streets, while the rail system servicing the Portland Transit Mall runs in reserved lanes. The system also uses cars designed by Siemens and Bombardier. In the downtown area, light rail system operates on city streets with cars.

The light rail system is quite efficient, although it has its own set of limitations. MAX's light rail also allows for cross-connections with the bus lines and the Portland Trolley, thereby making it a favorable mode of transport for getting in and around the city. You can park your car outside the city for free and then ride the train into the town for reaching your destination.