November 14, 2005

Red Line MAX heads into busiest season

Thanksgiving season is the Airport MAX Red Line's busiest time of year as holiday travelers find the trains an easy way to get to and from Portland International Airport.

TriMet's Red Line runs between PDX and Beaverton Transit Center. For other MAX riders, the Red Line is an easy transfer. Travel times to the airport station:

• About an hour from Beaverton Transit Center
• 38 minutes from downtown Portland

Red Line trains run every 15 minutes every day, from 5 a.m. until midnight.

Busiest season

The Wednesday before Thanksgiving is the busiest day of the year for the Red Line. Last year, ridership was 35 percent higher than on a typical weekday, with 3,440 people getting on or off at the airport.

Travel tips

• Head to the airport early to get through security and catch your plane
• Tickets can be bought at Ticket Vending Machines located in the airport lobby and at all MAX stations
• Parking at TriMet Park & Ride lots is limited to 24 hours

Plan your trip at trimet.org or call 503-238-RIDE weekdays between 7:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.

Fun Fact:

About 900,000 people rode MAX to or from the airport in the last fiscal year (ending June 30, 2005).