RTA - Streetcars

We were originally attracted to give the streetcars a try based upon their unique look and the feel of stepping back into history. The cost was relatively low at $3/day which pays for itself if you avoid just a single Uber drive.

The cars were all clean and well maintained. I noticed that the windows were all fixed completely shut with screws, which was unfortunate. It would have been nice to ride with the window open to feel the breeze from the River.

We used the app to book and would recommend others follow suit. It's easy to navigate, reload your ticket, and is fast when boarding versus feeding cash in holding up the line. There's no discount for buying tickets for an extended period, so I would recommend just buying 1 day pass at a time.

In the French Quarter where we stayed and used the streetcars the most, they run every 30 minutes which requires some pre-planning if you have somewhere you need to be at a certain time.

Must do if you are visiting New Orleans!
We greatly enjoyed our ride on the street cars as they noisily rumbled along. Also, with traffic and expensive parking, this is definitely the way to get around and get a cheap sightseeing tour and experience some of local culture.
Riding is easy, even if you aren't used to taking public transit. There are maps on the RTA website and also a very detailed map on Wikipedia. The map on the RTA website shows the cars moving around in real time, it's kind of cool to watch. I would recommend looking at the map before you ride to figure out where you need to get off and on. There are five lines, color coded on the map with street cars in a matching color. Stops are close together, basically on every street corner of Canal and St Charles streets and along the riverfront. Just look for the colored street car stop signs. Once the car approaches you can also see the endpoint of the line on a sign in the window.
No need to buy tickets ahead of time, just hand exact change to the driver. Make sure to have your money ready, since the streetcars don't have time to stop and wait for you to find your money. An unlimited pass costs 3 dollars. Hold on to the pass and show it for subsequent rides. Cars run literally every few minutes, although they may operate on a weekend schedule during covid and you may experience a few minutes longer wait, but there are still lots of cars operating around the clock.
Cars looked clean, masks are required even when windows are open. Cars were not crowded. We felt very safe.
We did get confused once and got off too early, but since we had a day pass we just waited for the next one. On the St Charles line coming from the garden district, the French quarter stop is Canal at Condolet not Condolet at Gravier. We know that now!
The only problem we had was that on our first ride, my daughter sat in front of a clearly intoxicated man who was yelling loudly and made them uncomfortable. If the driver had enforced "civil" behavior on the car, it would have been perfect. I realize that is hard while also trying to drive. We eventually just got off and took the next car. If I had realized how close cars follow each other, I would have got off sooner. We would definitely ride again though, don't let me scare you off. We had no further issues the rest of our trip.

The streetcars themselves are charming but the services unreliable. There is no schedule maintained and the app is useless. We waited for upto 45 mins for a team even when the app showed due, due, due. In many parts of the city, buses run instead of the trolley because of construction. Most drivers are soooo cool and friendlyone even gave me a ride for free till I could reach Wallgreens to buy the Metro pass. There is a lady driver in the riverfront tram who is rude as hell, won't answer queries and even stopped the trolley at Harrah's to put something in her car. Unfortunately, we had her 3 times out of the 4 we took that route. Be ready for chaos, no schedules, buses passing you by without stopping if they're slightly full but once you're on the tram it's the best way to see the city

If you're buying a day pass in the tram make sure you have exact change. No change is given and no cards accepted. Most trolley drivers don't check the validity of cards so many people just show them an old card they tell them to get on without asking them to screen it through the machine nor check the date.

Loved riding this trolley from the base of Bourbon St. through the Garden District and back. These old trolleys amble along past stately mansions, Loyola University, Audubon House, etc. for only $1.65 (exact change). Or you can buy an RTA Jazzie ticket for $6.00 to travel on all the city bus transport for the day. A must do!

Quite a time consuming effort to actually get in, lots of people and having to feed in 1 dollar note at a time into the machines added to the delay. Very cheap way of travelling, if a little slow but when on holiday this wasn’t important. The drivers were excellent and so hslpful.

For an unbelievable $0.40 per trip (transfers are free and good for up to 2 hours from time of issue) the seniors rate for riding the RTA is the best bargain for tourists visiting New Orleans. I rode the streetcars and buses all over the city and in two weeks here I was only asked to show proof of age once, so have it ready. A passport is suggested on the RTA website but not required: Anything with D.O.B. on it is good. The streetcars are CLEAN and move slowly, so an excellent way to see the sights.
The streetcars seem to be more dependable and prompt than the buses, and hopefully break down less frequently, but it must be known that the R in RTA does NOT stand for RAPID.

Without doubt, one of the best, not necessarily the quickest, ways to get around, and especially, when you are on a tight schedule. It allows you to get a preview of diffrent neighborhoods so you could plan the rest of your New Orleans’ experience. There are several lines with the most popular being Canal and St. Charles but they are often overcrowded during rush hours.

It’s a piece of history still on the tracks and it costs only $1.25 per ride or $3.00 for the entire day so even if you don’t need to get anywhere in particular, pop on one up and enjoy.

Took the St Charles street car a few times on our visit to New Orleans. The cars are vintage with windows that passengers are allowed to open for themselves! Imagine that in 2020! The interiors are beautifully finished in ungraffitied wood and comfortable enough for a trip of 30 minutes or less. At only $1.50 to ride (or $3.00 for 24 hours) it's a bargain. The fact that it will actually get you somewhere in a very reasonable amount of time while saving you from the cost and hassle of parking is a very big bonus and worth the time you will have to spend to figure out where to board and to exit.

If you have ever used mass transit in a large city before then this is a piece of cake. The streetcars have screens that tell you were you are going and are easy to read. Their app is what really sold me. You can purchase Jazzy Passes on their app. I bought the 1 day pass for $3 and was good to go for the whole day.Just scan your phone when you get on and have a seat.

If you are staying in the Quarter you really don’t need a car. Truth is getting around the quarter in a car is a pain & parking expensive. If you can get to the quarter (Lyft or Uber), I would recommend that you utilize the RTA street cars (I call them trolleys).

When you get on the Streetcar the driver will ask you for a pass. If you don’t have one he “/she can sell you one, but you need exact change - no debit or credit accepted.

A 24 hour pass is $3 per person . There maybe an APP for it but because I don’t live here, using cash is easy enough. The pass for the day is good for any & all Street cars for the day so you only need 1 pass to ride any of them.

Google the routes to figure out where you want to go, the routes are color coded to match the street car (green street car is the St. Charles route).

These are not subways, these are clean & we took our kids on them & had no problems. Just a request from me to you. If you are a man or teenage boy, please stand & let the ladies & elderly take your seat!