Tucson, AZ

We recently spent some time in Tempe and got to see firsthand their new light rail system. It got me to thinking about how neat something like that would be in Tucson. I guess the closest thing we have by comparison is the Old Pueblo Trolley and truly that is not really a fair comparison. However, this past weekend my husband and I decided to take the kids downtown for a ride. Amazingly, in all the years I have lived in Tucson, it is something I have never done.

The trolley runs along 4^th Avenue between 4^th and 8^th Streets. You can hop on the trolley essentially in front of O’Malley’s along 4^th or in front of Gentle Bens on University. The route runs an L-shape along the two streets leading up to the main University of Arizona entrance. It’s actually a pretty nice little ride, especially with the weather being so beautiful. I’m not sure how nice a ride it would be in July when it’s 112 degrees outside, though as I am fairly certain it is not air conditioned

The trolley only runs Friday, Saturday, and Sunday so it appears to be more a service for fun rather than for practicality, but it was exciting nonetheless. On Friday it runs from 6:00 p.m. until 10:00 p.m., on Saturday from noon until midnight, and on Sunday from noon until 6:00 p.m. On Friday and Saturday the cost is $1 per person each way and 50 cents for children ages 6 to 12. On Sunday everyone can ride for 25 cents each way. They charge for all children on Sunday as well.

Along the ride you are given a brief lesson in history about the trolley. It’s really informative. The original trolley was pulled by horses in the late 1800’s. It became electric in 1906. The particular “car” that runs now was purchased from Japan in 1952. Ironically, it cost only $800 to purchase, but $25,000 to ship to the United States. There are still engravings and signs in the trolley that bear the language of its origins. I also learned that the trolley is run strictly by volunteers. Probably the best part, though, was to just be able to sit there, relax, and take it all in. You certainly see the area from a different perspective than you would driving your own car or even walking along 4^th and/or University.

We rode the trolley down to University where we hopped off and decided to walk around a bit. When the trolley came back through a while later we boarded again to take us back to 4^th Avenue to where we had parked. It is certainly easier than trying to find parking along University, so it was worth it and definitely something to keep in mind for future trips downtown.

For more information visit their website at http://www.oldpueblotrolley.org.