The Downtown to Defiance Trolley will begin service for the summer Friday, June 1 and operate through Sept. 2.
The Downtown to Defiance Trolley will run between the Tacoma Dome Station and Point Defiance, with stops along the way in downtown Tacoma, along Ruston Way, in Old Town and Point Ruston, and in Point Defiance Park. Based on customer feedback following the 2017 service, the Downtown to Defiance Trolley will have an expanded route this year, including going into the Point Ruston development and Old Town, and to the Tacoma Dome Station (last year the route ended in downtown Tacoma). There are many recreational opportunities available along the route, including parks, museums, shopping, restaurants, beaches, fishing, bike riding, the Point Defiance Visitors’ Center and Zoo & Aquarium, and more.
The Trolley costs $1 for adults and youth to ride, or $.50 with a Regional Reduced Fare Permit (RRFP). Daily passes are $5 for adults or $2.50 for youth and those with a RRFP. Children age 5 and under ride free with a fare-paying passenger, and ORCA cards are accepted. The Trolley runs on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, with the first run leaving the Tacoma Dome Station at 10 a.m. and the last run wrapping up there at 9:23 p.m.
The 2018 Downtown to Defiance Trolley is a partnership jointly funded by Pierce Transit, Metro Parks, the City of Tacoma, Point Ruston and Travel Tacoma+Pierce County. The service is being offered as a pilot for a second summer to gauge interest and ridership. Goals for the Downtown to Defiance Trolley service include drawing people to the area’s businesses and attractions; strengthening awareness of Tacoma/Pierce County as a desirable place to live, work and recreate; and increasing transit ridership.
For more information on the Downtown to Defiance Trolley, visit piercetransit.org/DowntowntoDefiance.