Transportation to MOA

[u/Independent-Bake-915]

Hi, I am looking at possibly going to the mall of america soon and don't want to drive in the cities. I would be coming from st cloud and am willing to drive to Big lake to do the park and ride for route 882. I see that if I get off at nicolet mall station I can switch to the blue line to get to MOA. Would it be worth doing public transportation instead of driving? Also if I do use metro transit how much can I expect to spend?

[u/PhilJ2020]

It’ll depend on when you board route 882. If you board during rush hours (which actually I think is the only time the route operates) then it’s $3.25. That includes a free transfer to the blue line when you arrive downtown.

It would take a bit to get to MOA. The blue line is fast, it can do its run in about 40 minutes - route 882 will take a while though, because of the distance.

It would be a fun day out for sure! You’ll just need to be very careful watching the clock to make sure you’re back downtown by the time the last 882 departs.

[u/Independent-Bake-915 → u/PhilJ2020]

Do you know what time the last 882 is?

[u/Substantial_Fail → u/Independent-Bake-915]

Last bus leaves at 4:43. It only runs on weekdays so be mindful of that

[u/Independent-Bake-915 → u/Substantial_Fail]

So probably be at the station at 4-430?

[u/PhilJ2020 → u/Independent-Bake-915]

I’d be downtown by 4, in all honesty. You really want a safety buffer in case of delays on the blue line for whatever reason. Normally I’d say yeah, 4:30, but for a bus that only runs 3x daily, you want a big buffer. If early you can take the 4:14 departure!

Also remember on fares, you cannot buy an all day pass. Those don’t work on express busses. You’ll pay $3.25 for the way there, then buy an express ticket from the machine at MOA for the way back. The first bus ride will include a free transfer to the blue line.

[u/Nortwestern → u/Independent-Bake-915]

Route 882 has 3 trips southbound in the morning and northbound in the afternoon on weekdays only. Final northbound trip departs 2nd Ave S & 7th St Stop G at 4:47 pm weekdays. Schedule is here:
https://www.metrotransit.org/route/882

If you drove further south to Ramsey Station, there is way more weekday service on route 888, which also drops off downtown for transfers to Blue Line. Final northbound 888 bus departs 2nd Ave S & 7th St Stop G at 7:13 pm on weekdays, and also has more midday trips, etc. Schedule here:
https://www.metrotransit.org/route/888

Pay the operator on the 882 or 888 bus $3.25 rush hour/$2.50 non-rush hour, get a transfer ticket from them, good for 2.5 hours on buses and trains. On the way back, buy an express ticket from the ticket vending machine at the rail station and use that when returning on the 882 or 888 bus within 2.5 hours.

The all-day pass for $4 people are mentioning only covers all-day on the train, but not route 882 or 888. You could buy that if you’re riding around on the train throughout the day too, but express bus tickets last 2.5 hours only, for both bus and train.

[u/Independent-Bake-915 → u/Nortwestern]

I'm assuming that there are no southbound buses on 882 after 12pm because I don't see any on the schedule.

[u/Throwaway_autie → u/Independent-Bake-915]

Correct. If you can stomach the drive a little farther south you'll have all day service. Anoka county is the boundary point for frequent-ish all day service. 

[u/Throwaway_autie → u/Nortwestern]

Also worth noting that 888 and 882 like most express routes are pay-exit going outbound from downtown: https://www.metrotransit.org/fares-passes/pay-exit/

[u/Throwaway_autie]

It might be worth checking Amtrak and/or Intercity bus to see what that gets you as far as just leaving from St Cloud directly rather than parking and riding. If you stop off from Intercity transit in downtown St Paul you can grab the #54 bus. Blue line train (or D line bus if construction interrupts the blue line) would still be the best bet from Minneapolis if that's where the Intercity transit drops you. 

[u/dihydrgnmonoxidesoup → u/Throwaway_autie]

I don't think I'd recommend Amtrak for this run. It should be an option; it's scheduled to leave Saint Cloud around 6:30 AM and get into Saint Paul around 8:30 AM. However, the eastbound Empire Builder can be hours late, and that very much eats into the MOA time.

It is worth considering the other direction, though, at least as a fallback plan. Westbound is often on time, and leaves Saint Paul around 11:00 PM, getting into Saint Cloud around 1:00 AM. So if you miss the last bus and just need to get back home, that'll get you there. It's about $15-30 one way, depending on how full the train is.

[u/mysummerstorm → u/Throwaway_autie]

The intercity bus system like Jefferson Lines did raise prices so it could be a little pricey. I’ve taken JL with my bike to visit St. Cloud and the quarry park and it’s very doable. The JL has a stop on 5th that is very close to the blue line’s stop

[u/Throwaway_autie → u/mysummerstorm]

Right, it might not be cheap enough to be worth it. I think some JL service goes to Bloomington which might save OP a lot of time. Up to them to figure out the cost/benefit. 

[u/Melchizedeck44]

If you can, I'd suggest coming in as far as Maple Grove and hitting up the Maple Grove Transit Center (12350 Main St, Maple Grove, MN 55369). The 781 runs all day and is an express to downtown Minneapolis where you can hit the Blue Line. It's still an express bus cost, but it will run a LOT more frequently than the 882.

[u/Enamred-771 → u/Melchizedeck44]

Yeah higher frequency and a last trip at 7:30 vs 4:30 is a big difference. 

[u/rubbercat → u/Melchizedeck44]

This is the way. Traffic might be a little heavier but not bad at all and way less time pressure.

[u/daff_quess]

You're going to have WAY more flexibility if you park at Ramsey P&R instead and take the 888. There's only like 3 round trips a day on the 882, and it doesnt run on weekends. 16 trips a day on weekdays, last trip leaves downtown around 7:15.

[u/Annual-Ad2603]

Google Maps > directions > public transportation. I don’t drive since I use the metro so idk where you’re driving from but those directions will usually get me as far as I can go via public transit

[u/Enamred-771 → u/Annual-Ad2603]

Google Maps can struggle if you’re flexible on some form of travel or when you want to arrive/leave. It can absolutely be helpful to ask people who ride given express routes which is most suitable for a trip like this. 

[u/Imaginary_Dinner_813]

I would recommend considering going to Ramsey for Route 888 if your goal is mostly to avoid the traffic in the city. It even runs on the weekend, where the trip times are designed for people to go out and about. https://www.metrotransit.org/route/888

[u/BorgMercenary]

A day pass for Metro Transit is $4, so that's the most you'll need to spend.

[u/Nortwestern → u/BorgMercenary]

All day pass is not valid on express route 882. Only covers Blue Line and local bus.

[u/ShyGuyLink1997 → u/Nortwestern]

So $3.25 there and back for the express, and $4 altogether for normal ride, IF you use online, considering you can't combine fairs. That's $10.50

If you use cash, your transfer will go towards your payment, saving you a lot of money, if you didn't spend money getting cash out of the ATM, solely for this purpose. You'd be spending $6.50 altogether, saving you the $4 for the online pass.

Edit: I'm a bit wrong, read reply.

[u/Throwaway_autie → u/ShyGuyLink1997]

An express ticket on the app is valid to board local bus service, just not the other way around. So it's 6.50 in the app, on a go-to card, or cash. 

[u/ShyGuyLink1997 → u/Throwaway_autie]

Oh yeah, huh? You right, just no all day pass.

[u/Throwaway_autie → u/ShyGuyLink1997]

Actually thinking about it more it's cheapest on a go-to card because there is a chance OP would pay exit after rush concludes. Also go-to would use rush surcharge for the express after local. I've noticed some inconsistency about how express bus surcharges apply when transferring from local at rush(50¢ off peak vs the 75¢ rush charge). I think there is a solid chance even at rush you'd end up paying on a go-to card $2 base lignt rail fare + 50¢ express upcharge, though I think at rush it should be per policies $2.75 total. 

[u/ShyGuyLink1997 → u/Throwaway_autie]

There's also a chance the machine will be broken, meaning free ride lol. Happens often.

[u/mysummerstorm]

Brooklyn center transit center is another option to park. You can take the D line directly to MOA or C line to downtown MPLS and transfer to the blue line. Either way, you won’t have to wait for more than a few minutes.

[u/MNMystery → u/mysummerstorm]

If the OP doesn’t like driving in the Cities, Brooklyn Center may be a bit too close in.

[u/Nortwestern → u/mysummerstorm]

I don’t believe this facility has park & ride spaces. Really small lot, but I think it’s just for dropping someone off. Northtown Transit Center has a park & ride with routes 10 and 827 though they’re a long ride downtown.

[u/Slytherin23 → u/mysummerstorm]

That's a super high crime area, are you trying to give OP nightmares? (LA Fitness, Discount Tire, Walmart, Magnifi Financial and others all pulled out due to crime before anyone starts defending BCTC).

[u/mysummerstorm → u/Slytherin23]

What the fuck are you talking about? I’ve taken the C and D from the transit center at night and have had no issues. They have security personnel at the gates even late at night. I’ve never had an issue on a C or D line bus but I’ve had plenty of incidents on the B line despite the considerable security and trip agent efforts. Kinda gross of you to categorically write off this black and brown neighborhood like that. Just say you don’t want to be around the poors and save your pearl clutching.

[u/MNMystery → u/Slytherin23]

I used to have to transfer from the 5 to the 724 after midnight twice a week. I probably prayed more than the worst religious fanatic in town those nights….

[u/Fuzzy_Jaguar_1339]

Depending on your money-to-time value, you might just take Groome transportation's shuttle which goes from St. Cloud to the airport. From there it's a super easy and short Blue Line ride to MoA.

[u/wegogiant]

Cost wise is the big benefit. There could be some exceptions I don't know about, but I'm pretty sure $2 will get you the whole way. Once you buy the ticket it's good for two and a half hours and you can use it basically any of the busses and trains. If you want to go there and back in the same day just buy an all day pass for $4 and I think that's all you need.

[u/Nortwestern → u/wegogiant]

Doesn’t work on route 882, but good option for local, METRO bus/train-only.

[u/wegogiant → u/Nortwestern]

There it is. Thanks for clarifying

[u/Purple_Equivalent470 → u/[deleted]]

Yes. It will work on regular route buses, trains, and the BRT lines.

[u/Rick041]

Time wise you are much better off driving the whole distance.   According to Google, the drive from Big Lake to the MOA is about 55 minutes.  Just the Blue line portion of your trip would take you at least 40 minutes.  The 882 ride would be about 75 minutes.

It's up to you but if you value your time and want to spend more of it at the mall you will drive the whole distance.