Fares
The prices listed below are for one-way tickets. A general admission round-trip pass costs $3 and an all-day pass for Hampton Roads Transit services is $3.50. Parking at The Tide’s park-and-ride lots is free. Additional fees for multiple day passes and are available at the HRT website. or the complete fare schedule, visit www.gohrt.com/fares.
| Youth (under 18, ID may be required) |
$1.00 |
|---|
| Seniors and People with Disabilities |
$0.75 |
|---|
| Children less than 38" tall |
Free |
|---|
Light Rail Stations
Norfolk Currently Has 11 Light Rail Stations:
| · |
EVMC/Fort Norfolk |
| · |
York Street/Freemason |
| · |
Monticello |
| · |
MacArthur Square |
| · |
Civic Plaza |
| · |
Harbor Park |
| · |
NSU |
| · |
Ballentine/Broad Creek |
| · |
Ingleside Road |
| · |
Military Highway |
Tentative Plans Call for Eight Virginia Beach Stations:
| · |
Town Center |
· |
Birdneck Road |
|---|
| · |
Rosemont Road |
· |
Virginia Beach Convention Center |
|---|
| · |
Lynnhaven Parkway |
· |
The former Dome site |
|---|
Click for larger image
Estimates indicate that it would take about 55 minutes to travel from one end to the other, EVMS/Fort Norfolk to the oceanfront.
Land Acquisition for the Virginia Beach Tracks
The city of Virginia Beach already owns most of the land for the proposed light rail track. The city purchased the Norfolk Southern right-of-way in 2010. This is the railroad track that runs from Newtown Road to Birdneck Road. The city may have to buy additional land if the route is changed at Laskin Road and Hilltop.
Unfortunately, the existing track cannot be used as light rail requires a different type of track. Additionally, the existing track is only a single track. If light rail is built, it would require two tracks to allow for the train cars to pass each other. The existing track is also in extreme disrepair and, in its current state, would not be usable for cargo or passenger trains.
Routes
Road Crossings
Preliminary plans propose bridges for four major road crossings – Witchduck Road, Independence Boulevard, Rosemont Road and Lynnhaven Parkway. Other roads would be crossed at grade.
Extending to the Oceanfront
The train tracks currently end at Birdneck Road and early plans have the track running adjacent to Birdneck Road, 17th Street and 19th Street, with stops at the Convention Center and the Dome site. However, the exact location would be determined during the design phase of the project.
Click map to the right for a larger image. Adding Hilltop to the Route
On April 24, 2012, City Manager Jim Spore formally requested that HRT study alternative alignments for Hilltop.
Other Potential Light Rail Extensions
HRT will study an extension to the Navy base next, with possible links to ODU and potentially the airport. Other extensions, at this point, are merely speculative.
Click here to view the region's long range transit plan.
Ridership
HRT tracks daily ridership figures and on a typical weekday, about 5,000 trips are taken on The Tide. In The Tide’s first year, there were 1.6 million riders. HRT expects to welcome the 2 millionth Tide rider in November.
The Newtown Road station at the Virginia Beach city line is the busiest, with 22 percent of all riders. Many riders at the station come from Virginia Beach.
Schedule
A Virginia Beach light rail extension would mirror the Tide's schedule in Norfolk.
View the Tide's Norfolk schedule
here.
| From |
Until |
Every
|
| 6:00 am |
6:30 pm |
|
15 Minutes |
15 Minutes |
30 Minutes |
| 6:30 am |
9:00 am |
|
10 Minutes |
10 Minutes |
30 Minutes |
| 9:00 am |
10:55 am |
|
15 Minutes |
15 Minutes |
15 Minutes |
| 10:55 am |
3:30 pm |
15 Minutes |
15 Minutes |
15 Minutes |
15 Minutes |
| 3:30 pm |
7:00 pm |
15 Minutes |
10 Minutes |
10 Minutes |
15 Minutes |
| 7:00 pm |
9:00 pm |
15 Minutes |
15 Minutes |
15 Minutes |
15 Minutes |
| 9:00 pm |
9:30 pm |
|
15 Minutes |
15 Minutes |
15 Minutes |
| 9:30 pm |
10:00 pm |
|
15 Minutes |
15 Minutes |
30 Minutes |
| 10:00 pm |
11:00 pm |
|
30 Minutes |
30 Minutes |
30 Minutes |
| 11:00 pm |
12:00 am |
|
|
30 Minutes |
30 Minutes |