Lynx Blue Line for the APP State / UNCC Game

[WXAPP]

Here's the link for the light rail system. Might be worth a consideration, I'll be parking South and riding North. I want to see what a game day light rail experience is like for UNCC - probably the only time the system will be pushed for a UNCC game day.. just saying....

The JW Clay BLVD / UNC Charlotte station is the stop closest to the stadium. The last stop of the line is on campus, but, it will be a hike form their; FYI. Then again, we are Mountaineers, we don't really mind a hike. I could stand to lose a few hiking.... Just saying!

Here's the Blue line link for more information on parking along the line, and stops and such.. http://charlottenc.gov/cats/rail/lynx-b ... Rides.aspx

Lynx

[wncapp78]

I think were planning to park somewhere on the south end and ride the rail. Others have thoughts about trying this?

[Yosef84]

I think my son and I are going to try the light rail as well.

[McLeansvilleAppFan]

As the resident railfan I do have to say the light rail is great. The JW Clay stop is about a 3-5 min walk to the stadium. This parking deck is a pay lot and I think $10. There are only a few parking lots that are pay to park but this is one on the north end. The lot on the extreme south is also pay. And I think one or two more may be pay lots.

I did the entire line from JW Clay to the south end and then back north over the summer. I did not get the very last stop in as it was time to head back home. So I can't tell you walking time from the last stop. It may be worth getting on the last stop at the end of the game if only to make sure you get on as the JW Clay will certainly be loading up more riders. The trains run on a set schedule and I have no idea if they are planning to lengthen trains for more riders, but I doubt they add more trains. I am not sure if the headway between trains would allow it with their signaling system, but it may.

I have to pick up a daughter at Davidson before the game and I was going to park in the Sugar Creek lot as that is the closest coming in from Davidson/I-77 north side and it is free to park. I have no idea how crowded it may get on a Saturday.

However my App grad daughter just told me that her SO has a friend that lives close to campus and he is offering us free parking and it is about a mile walk so I think we may be doing that now. This might make a tailgate a bit easier or we might haul food and have a picnic now on campus under a tree on a blanket or something. I bought the tickets and my daughters SO family is bringing the food the last I heard.

I was looking forward to the ride and I might just still do that if only to the north end of the line.

DO BUY A TICKET to ride. There are no gates and one can easily hope on the train, and the only way to check for payment is random checks. The first time is a warning from what I was told but they may crack down hard on this day so word does not get out that it is easy to do on their game days. I think the fine is over $100 for a $2.50 one way ticket.

[beav910]

I think my girlfriend and I are going to park uptown to have some drinks/lunch and then take the light rail from there to UNCC. Only thing I’m concerned about is it running after the game since it’s such a late kickoff.

[CharlotteApp05]

Not sure I am clear on the parking.

For free parking do you need to get on in south end? Like Scaleybark or something?

Also is it all one train or do you have to actually get off of the southern train and then board the northern train?

Are there any safe free parking stops on the new northern section?

Thanks!!!

[Gnomeneer]

We are meeting some friends at Haberdish in NODA for lunch, then hit the light rail to the University of North Carolina Cabarrus County, home of Norm - to crash some tailgates prior to kickoff.

[AtlantaMountaineer]

Have friends in Charlotte who are going to the game with me and they say the train is the way to go. Apparently you can park free at some of the South stations.

[McLeansvilleAppFan]

One train goes from the south end near the Charlotte loop (I-485) and runs to the UNCC campus or the best station for the game, get off at the JW Clay/UNCC station. No transfers needed and I think it takes 50 minutes to run from one end to the other. With lights and traffic I assume this is about driving time or maybe a bit faster.

I did not take the gold line but it seems to be a much shorter loop around the downtown area that based on what I can tell connects with the Blue line at the downtown transit station (I think it is called CTC-Charlotte Transit Station.) It would be possible to take a bus from other parts of Charlotte into CTC and pick up the Blue line, but not being from Charlotte I have no idea if there are park and ride lots near bus-only stops. I am not sure if every Blue line stop has a bus stop near-by but most seemed to have a bus stop fairly close.

I also think the blue line runs very late as in into the early morning.

I am not sure how transfers from bus to light rail work. There are some options on a day pass but that may be for light rail only and bus is an extra cost.


The following link should answer all the questions about the Charlotte Lynx
http://charlottenc.gov/cats/bus/Documen ... -Guide.pdf

[McLeansvilleAppFan]

Have friends in Charlotte who are going to the game with me and they say the train is the way to go. Apparently you can park free at some of the South stations.

That is true for about all the park and ride lots, either north or south of downtown. I am pretty sure Sugar Creek is free to park and Old Concord Rd. is free as well-but check and don't hold me to that.

The last parking lots on each end are certainly not free and that makes sense as they are going to be high demand since they are the end of the line.

[NattyBumppo'sRevenge]

I’d recommend somewhere between Scaly Bark and East to park and ride. Southend has tons of breweries in the area and could be a great place for post game celebrations. I stay away from Uptown these days, but I am also 41, so that might factor into my weariness of Uptown.

[WXAPP]

Could have sworn I read some place that they stopped charging on weekends for JW Clay and Sugar Creek parking decks. I know that last few weekends, back in July, I rode, it was free. Can't find the darn article.

[McLeansvilleAppFan]

Sugar Creek is free all the time from what I read. But I am not a resident of Charlotte so I only read a bit about park and ride for my fun ride across the entire line but I was planning on the game so I did look into it a bit.

If I get a chance tomorrow I may give CATS a call and get the low down from the source.