El Paso Streetcar Returns With Free Fares

The City of El Paso saw the return of its streetcar last weekend, reports Lisa Sanchez, "[e]xciting news for El Pasoans who have missed taking a ride down memory lane in our El Paso Streetcars." 

The historic trolleys date back to trolley carts first installed in 1902 to replace the city's mule car system, which then expanded into  a full streetcar system that served El Pasoans during the 1950s through 1970s. According to Destination El Paso, "[t]he project began with the construction of 4.8 miles of track, 27 stops, a maintenance and storage facility and associated infrastructure, along with the remanufacture of streetcars that used to serve El Paso." Today, six streetcars are back in service. 

"The Streetcar travels a 4.8-mile route in two loops through El Paso’s uptown and downtown areas. Both loops interconnect an international bridge, an array of businesses and restaurants, a baseball park, government buildings, historic neighborhoods, hospitals, and higher education institutions like the University of Texas at El Paso amongst many other prominent locations." Riders can also connect to other Sun Metro services. "The El Paso Streetcars will run Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 4 p.m. to midnight. The streetcar will be free during these times and for the first weekend, streetcar passengers can park for free the weekend of July 29th - July 31st at the Glory Road Transfer Center at UTEP."