Submitted by Chipmunks95 t3_ychyed in pittsburgh
Hi all, what do I need to know about the T’s free fare zone? Girlfriend is going to school downtown and parking in a garage is expensive. Does she need a connect card? Are there any free or cheap lots near a T station? What should we know about the T?
I thought Station Square was free as well? Or have I been skipping paying fares like the 3 times I’ve gone that far on it.
I take the T every morning for work. If you're coming from south of Pitt, pay when you get on. When leaving Pitt, pay when you leave. Also check your employer benefits page - they may have a way to use pre-tax money for your train fare.
T is free until you cross south of the Mon
However you don't need a connect card at all these days, you can purchase fares on the transit app on your phone if/when you leave the fare free zone or ride the bus
T isn't able to use mobile ticketing (transit app) for payment yet. Supposed to be "coming soon" with no actual date from PRT.
It’s been “coming soon” since 2019 so I’m not holding my breath on that being ready any time soon.
Wow was not aware, haven't ridden the T in a long time just assumed the whole system was up to date
My husband and I usually park at the casino and take the T in from the Allegheny station. You don't need a connect card if your departing station and arriving station are in between the Allegheny and First Street stations. For example, we went to the night market in Market Square, just hopped on at Allegheny and got off at Gateway no cost. Unfortunately, I don't know about coming in from the south side for parking lots....
They'll get annoyed with you eventually.
We don't go that often so I don't think they would remember us. I get it though, if we go to a game or a concert we usually go to one of the lots/garages closer.
What’s it cost at the Casino to park? She’s cool with driving to whatever lot is most cost effective, even if she has to drive more. She’s just trying to avoid paying to park downtown
I’d be very careful parking every day at the casino. Rumor has it they pay attention to cars who park there on a regular basis. I think someone on Reddit here mentioned it awhile back?
Yeah I tried this about five years ago and they put a large and very difficult to remove sticker on my windshield letting me know they’d be towing me next time
Curious how often you were parking there for them to notice. Every day for work?
Yep, I’d park and walk to the T and ride it to First Ave. I want to say I got away with it for three days before they stickered me? Definitely less than a full week.
Wow they’re not kidding around! I figured you meant weeks, not days.
It would still be cheaper to park there and gamble $5
Pretty sure it’s free unless there is an event going on like a Steelers, Pitt, pirate game, or big concert. Not 100% tho.
its free for "casino customers". aka just park and walk through the building and out the front door
The West General Robinson Street garage, the one right on top of the North Side station, always used to be the cheapest garage in that vicinity. It's $9/day now. Not sure if anything is cheaper now. A lot of people also park in the War Streets because they don't have permitted parking, but then you gotta walk like 15 minutes to the T station and some days it's basically impossible to find a spot, I wouldn't recommend that.
Thought this said fart free zone at first
Where is your girlfriend commuting from? If she’s somewhere in the South Hills it’ll probably be cheaper to park at a T station (parking is free at most of them) then pay the fare to ride into and out of town, but if she’s commuting from somewhere else (such as Coraopolis where your flair says you’re located) she’s best off parking in one of the garages on the North Side near the T there and then riding the rest of the way. Alternatively she could take a chance on one of the buses that passes near where she lives on the way into town and bypass both parking garages and riding the T entirely.
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The science center parking lot used to be $7 or $8 bucks a day if you got in before 9am. Not sure about cost after 9. Also the other garages and lots on the north shore would work for her. The science center lot is just below allegheny station so its an easy park, walk up, get on situation.
You aren't charged anywhere between Station Square and the science center (end of the line.) I don't think there's anything free that close to the city, but there are a bunch of lots on the North Side that run between $6-$9. Here's most of the parking on the north side: North Side Parking
Actually its First Ave and Allegheny (Science Center/Heinz) .... Station Square is Fare Required, just to clear that up...
I never get on at station square. The map was misleading--thanks.
Definitely just keep in mind events in the north side and the possibility of being charged event rates!
Oh, yeah--no connect card needed within the free zone.
mcvoid1 t1_itmjvc4 wrote
As long as you stay in the zone you can just get on and off no ticket or anything. Just like an escalator in a building or something. The free zone is everything north of the Mon, so the first stop that needs a pass is Station Square, and the last stop that's free is the First Avenue station.
Here's the list of stops in the free zone:
The inbound/outbound charge thing is confusing, so I think of it like this: You're charged to enter or exit the T at a station south of the Mon. You're not charged north of the Mon.
At least, last time I used the T, this was the case.