Portland, Oregon is a city known for being easy to get around. Not only does its compact, dense layout allow you to cover most of the central districts on foot, but Portland's abundant transit options also allow you to venture across the river without running yourself ragged.
Getting To:
If you're coming from Washington, California, or Vancouver, BC, you can catch one of many daily trains that arrive at Portland Union Station. The train station is conveniently located in the Pearl District, close to downtown as well as a streetcar line.
Most major airlines service PDX, so you shouldn't have trouble getting there via the friendly skies.
Don't forget the venerable Greyhound when you're considering your travel options. The bus station is situated right next to the train station, so you can take advantage of the same convenient location.
Getting Around:
Portland and its surrounding areas are supported by a tremendous transit system, ranging from streetcars to an aerial cable car system.
The light rail (MAX) crosses the entire length of the city, taking you from Hillsboro in the west to Gresham in the east. The MAX system consists of three differnt lines:
- The Red Line basically gets you to/from the airport and the city center.
- The Blue Line is the longest line, spanning a majority of the city from east to west.
- The Yellow Line goes north-south from Expo Center to the city center.
The streetcar covers much of the city center, criss-crossing several districts from the Pearl District in the north to south of downtown.
The bus system covers practically every inch of the city, so if all else fails, hitch a ride on an old standby.
If you want to get from the waterfront to the Marquam Hill Campus of Oregon Health and Science University, the Portland Aerial Tram is the way to go. Out of all the transit options in Portland, the aerial tram is probably the most fun. You'll get a great view of the city, as well as a sneak peak into some folks houses.
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