The New Orleans Streetcar
Taking a ride on the streetcar in New Orleans is like taking a step back in time. The open-air cars of the St. Charles Avenue line give riders a feel of what it was like to ride the streetcar as far back as the 1920s. But, there’s still a lot most don’t know about this staple of the Crescent City, from how it was started to how it got to its current operating status to how to hop on and enjoy a ride.
Streetcars By the Numbers
There are some pretty astounding numbers about the streetcar in New Orleans. Our streetcars make up to 300 trips a day. There are about 35 miles of tracks in the city, with the St. Charles line making up 13.2 miles of that and being able to carry up to 52 passengers! A one-way ride on that St. Charles line should take riders about 40 minutes.
Taking a look back, there are 24 historic lines that are no longer in operation, including the famous Desire line. Tourists and even some locals may not know that the streetcar wasn’t always an Orleans Parish only mode of transportation—between 1915 and 1931, the O.K. line once connected New Orleans with the suburb of Kenner, LA, where the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport is located today.
A Timeline of the New Orleans Streetcar
New York may have its subway, but New Orleans is in the history book for the oldest continuously operating streetcar line in the world, the St. Charles line, which has been operating since 1835. That line ran on steam instead of the electric lines we have today. Steam was replaced by horses after the Civil War, and eventually electricity replaced the horses in 1893, giving us the same method of propulsion that is used today. By the 1920s, the city formed New Orleans Public Service Inc. (NOPSI) to bring together multiple transit and energy industries into one central company. In its former headquarters, you can find the recently refurbished NOPSI Hotel.
We love our Po-boys here, but many may not actually know how they came to be. In 1929, there was a widespread strike by transit workers demanding better pay. Sandwiches on baguettes were given to the “poor boys” on strike, thus marking the start of the Po-boy.
In the early 20th century, the transit system adapted to significant cultural shifts in New Orleans. Racial segregation was peacefully ended on streetcars and buses in 1958 with a court-ordered mandate. Prior to this, signs were used on all public transit vehicles to separate the races. Also, in an effort to increase traffic on streetcar lines with more people using city buses, local preservationists worked to get the St. Charles line listed on the National Register of Historic Landmarks in 1973. In 1979, the Louisiana State Legislature formed the RTA (Regional Transit Authority) to assume control of the operations and maintenance of all streetcars after NOPSI began to shift their focus toward energy rather than public transportation. NOPSI would go on to become Entergy. With a growing popularity of the streetcar, the Regional Transit Authority (RTA) established the Riverfront line in 1988 and revived the Canal St. line in 2004.
With the damaging effects of Hurricane Katrina to the RTA’s vehicles and facilities, major improvements and developments were subsequently made, including the introduction of the Rampart/St. Claude line in 2016, opening up accessible public transportation to the growing art, music, and boutique scene on St. Claude Avenue.
When Do the Lines Run?
Looking to take a ride on one of New Orleans’ streetcars? Passengers should be aware that all lines have different operating times, and only one line operates 24/7.
- The St. Charles line runs all day and night, seven days a week.
- The Riverfront line runs from 5:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m., seven days a week.
- The Canal St. - Cemeteries line runs from 5:15 a.m. to 3:00 a.m., seven days a week, with special hours on holidays and parade days like during Mardi Gras.
- The Canal St. - City Park/Museum line runs from 6:15 a.m. to 1:00 a.m., seven days a week.
- The Rampart/St. Claude line runs from 6:00 a.m. to 12:00 a.m., seven days a week.
How to Ride a Streetcar in New Orleans
Riding the streetcar in New Orleans has never been easier. There are three easy ways to pay. If paying by cash or change, fares cost just $1.25 each way, and an additional $0.25 to transfer to another line. But, make sure to bring exact change—any change due will be printed on a ticket card that you can use on your next ride. Discounts are available to seniors, disabled riders, Medicare & Medicaid riders, and Paratransit riders.
Jazzy Passes give locals and tourists an economical, easy way to ride. Choose from one, three, five, and 31-day unlimited ride passes available for $3, $9, $15, and $55 respectively. Simply dip your Jazzy Pass into the fare machine and you’ll be good to go!
The RTA’s new GoMoible App, available from the Apple Store or Google Play is a convenient option for those who prefer to use their smartphones. Just download the app, prepay for your ride, and scan your e-ticket while boarding.
See New Orleans Through the Seat of a Historic Streetcar
Sure, the streetcar will get you from A to B, but there are so many fun things to do along the way to make purchasing an unlimited ride pass a smart choice. Make sure to visit these fun locations along different lines.
The Canal St. - Cemeteries line starts at Harrah’s Casino by the Mississippi River. If you’re feeling reflective afterward, take it all the way to its end to visit the Hurricane Katrina Memorial.
Want to see some world-renowned art? Ride the Canal St. - City Park/Museum line all the way to its end to view hundreds of pieces of classical and modern art at the New Orleans Museum of Art. Don’t forget to check out the adjacent City Park once you’re through, one of the largest metropolitan parks in the nation.
The recently opened Rampart/St. Claude line takes passengers right by St. Louis Cemetery No.1, where Voodoo Queen Marie Laveau’s tomb can be found.
Hop on and off the Riverfront line to visit Audubon Aquarium of the Americas to see some bubbly friends up close. Afterward, you could take a stroll to Jackson Square and the French Market to find some unique art pieces to add to your collection.
Taking the St. Charles line? Make sure to stop by The National WWII Museum. Ride Uptown and enjoy a stroll through beautiful Audubon Park, right across the street from Tulane University. Or, simply hop on for a ride and take in the majestic Live Oaks and historic homes that line St. Charles Avenue. The St. Charles line features the only green cars you’ll find in the city. All of the other red cars throughout the city are wheelchair accessible.
Make Your Trip Easier With the RTA GoMobile App
The RTA wants your trip to New Orleans to be as carefree and fun as possible. With their GoMobile app, you can track buses and streetcars in real time, check the schedule right in the app, purchase your fare ahead of time, get services alerts, favorite your most used routes, and store your fares in your ticket wallet up to 12 months. They truly want to help you find the experience all the fun and unique things to do in New Orleans.
Try the 202 - Airport Express
Arriving at New Orleans Louis Armstrong International Airport? Hop on the 202 - Airport Express bus to get from the airport to downtown in no time. It operates every 70 minutes and stops in the city at Elk Place at Cleveland and the Union Passenger Terminal Bus Bay 2. Fares are just $1.50 each way, and to make it even easier, you can use to GoMobile app, cash, or your handy Jazzy pass.