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MARTA - a bit like the Piccadilly Line! - Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) Transport International
Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) 

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MARTA - a bit like the Piccadilly Line! (Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA))

timdouglas

Member Name: timdouglas

Product:

Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA)
Date: 07/04/01 (38 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Quick and cheap

Disadvantages: Unreliable, overcrowded and you wish it was more comprehensive

Atlanta is like most US Cities I've visited, where the car is king and everyone is supposed to have one. The public transport system consists of cabs, buses and a simple two-line light railway called MARTA, the Metro Atlanta Regional Transport Authority.

The north-south line links the airport in the south with residential areas in the north, travelling underground through downtown and out again to midtown areas, where the swish shopping malls are. On the way it passes by the Atlanta Braves baseball stadium - this was the main site for the 1996 Olympics, but there is little sentiment in corporate USA and that stadium was torn down immediately after the games. The shorter east-west line links residential and industrial areas.

For my stay to watch the Olympics, the organising committee recognised the shortfalls of their transport infrastructure and laid on 'park and ride' sites around the perimeter of the city, with buses running shuttles to the major Games venues and MARTA stations. Without these links, if you are not staying near a MARTA line you need a car. The locals regard MARTA in much the same way as a Londoner regards public transport - you're glad it's there but it isn't always reliable!

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Last comments:
timdouglas

- 11/04/01

Maybe they've sorted some of it then, Tony and, although the locals were complaining about it at the time, I think it was down to the Olympics! Now figure, Atlanta is not that much smaller than London and our transport systems are breaking down just with regular citzens going about their daily business - there's a huge investment needed if London thinks it can absorb an event like that without the entire network exploding!
cpf1993

- 11/04/01

Must have changed a bit between the time you were there and the time I visited (last summer). I certainly had no problems with overcrowding or unreliability, although the latter might have been more down to luck than anything else.
timdouglas

- 11/04/01

I always appreciate reading responses. This op was restricted to transportation in Atlanta simply because no one had written anyhting and I thought somebody might find my limited knowledge useful. Having re-read it, I could have put in some more about the routes, stations and interesting places along the way, but I see our great friends at dooyoo have added a link to MARTA's website.

For attractions, see my opinion in that category but, frankly, there aren't that many! For accommodation, well, I have to fess up - because I was attending the Olympics with a competitor my accommodation was provided free by local volunteer families - thanks again Steve and Weasy, if you ever stumble in here!

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