GT-How

A group of silver MARTA train-cars sit together in a large railway junction.

How to Take the MARTA Train System

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by

rkim326
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Authors: Rachel Kim and Benjamin Jin

Introduction

Are you one of the many students who does not have a reliable mode of transportation to travel anywhere around off campus of Georgia Tech? Or are you one of the students who does not have a car and cannot afford to Uber everywhere? We know that college is the time to explore and discover new places, but many students miss out because they don’t know how to use the MARTA Train System. While it may seem daunting at first, this guide on “How to Take the MARTA Train System” will offer an extensive guide on how to use MARTA as a viable, safe, and affordable transportation option. Our guide will help you figure out how to use MARTA trains to navigate Atlanta. It features sections on which stops are accessible from campus, how to plan a route, how to transfer lines, and more.

A silver train car with the MARTA insignia emblazoned on the side enters a station.
A typical MARTA train car.

Introduction
Step 1: Plan Your Trip
Step 2: Head to the Station
Step 3: Get a Breeze Card
Step 4: Find the Correct Platform
Step 5: Verify The Train Line
Step 6 (Optional): How to Transfer Lines
Step 7: Ride and Look at Announcements
Step 8: Exit
Conclusion

Step 1: Plan Your Trip

Use a Maps app. Switch to the public transportation tab after tapping “Directions” and pick a route.
Look at a physical map or the interactive map with the stations and routes. Find the station closest to your starting and ending points. You need to take the line(s) connecting those stations. You may need to transfer. Note which station to transfer at (where the lines intersect) and know you’ll have to get off the train there to catch another one.

A map of the MARTA train routes. It features red and yellow lines running North and South with green and blue lines running East and West.
Get familiar with this not-so-complicated map.

Step 2: Head to the Station

Within Georgia Tech Campus, there are two stations that are easily accessible: the North Avenue Station and Midtown Station. As long as you are within Georgia Tech Campus, it is easy to get to these stations whether it’s by bus, walking, or even scooter. Just lock your scooter somewhere and don’t forget it when you return! If walking or scootering, open Apple/Google Maps and search for the nearest station and head down to catch your train.

A copy of the MARTA train route map with the Midtown and North Avenue stations highlighted. The graphic reads “GT-adjacent stations”.
Plan ahead by knowing the station closest to you.

Step 3: Get a Breeze Card

To enter the station, you’ll need to pay the fare. This is $2.50 per ride. You can do this by either acquiring a physical Breeze card, which can hold a balance on it, or by getting a ticket through the mobile app.

To get a physical Breeze card: Find a Breeze vending machine near the gates at the entrance of the station. You will see a screen with some options pointing at physical buttons. Press the button next to the “New Breeze Card Ticket” option. Follow the directions on screen to pay, and then pick up your new card.
To pay through the app: Navigate to your app store and find the “Breeze Mobile 2” app. Tap the “Tickets” tab at the bottom, then tap the “Purchase Fare” button. Now, you’ll cycle through a few options. Select the “MARTA” agency, the “MARTA Bus or Rail” service, and then the type of ticket you want to purchase. In the following screen, hit “Checkout” and pay for your ticket. Once this process is complete, you can navigate to the “Tickets” tab once again and see your ticket. Tap it to use the ticket and open the associated QR code.

Congratulations! You’ve paid your fare. To enter the station, walk up to the gates and scan. There is a spot for physical cards, and a scanner for QR codes. If using the app, make sure to turn your brightness up.

If you plan to frequently take MARTA transportation, a valuable resource may be the University Pass program, which offers discounted monthly passes for students in Atlanta (including Georgia Tech students).

A graphic highlighting various areas on a photo of a physical Breeze card vending machine. The graphic highlights a large monitor on the top left of the machine with the caption, “Step 1: Choose one of the options”. A set of controls to the bottom right of the monitor is highlighted with the caption, “Step 2: Pay the fare”. Finally, a disposal box is highlighted at the bottom of the machine with the caption, “Step 3: Collect your ticket”.
A visualization of how to use the ticket vending machines.

Step 4: Find the Correct Platform

Once you’ve got your card, you’ll need to navigate to the correct platform to wait for your train. Luckily for you, MARTA handles this very simply. Take a look at your route and determine if you need to head North, South, East, or West. If you’re at a Georgia Tech-adjacent station, the only options will be North or South. Pay attention to the signage in the station and follow the ones that correspond to your direction. If you do this and end up by train tracks, you’re in the right spot.
There are monitors located at platforms with information on when the trains are expected to arrive. Use this information to gauge how long you’ll be waiting.

Step 5: Verify the Train Line

There are some stops (typically at the tail ends of lines) that are only accessible by a certain line, even if multiple run in the same North/South/East/West direction. For example, the Doraville stop is only accessible by the Gold line even though the Red line also runs North from campus. In order to avoid unnecessary transfers and wasted time, verify the line you’re riding.
The easiest way to tell which line is arriving is by checking the monitor on the platform with the train ETA times. This will show you the color of the train currently at the platform.
If you are already on the train, there are small screens above the windows that display scrolling text. These screens show the name of the final stop for the route. Use your best judgement (and a map) to determine if you should get off at the next station and wait for the correct train.

A thin, rectangular screen sits above the train window on the exterior of the train. The word “MARTA” is lit up on the screen.
Pay attention to these screens for relevant station names.

Step 6 (Optional): How to Transfer Lines

Transferring trains can seem difficult, but there’s one tip that will never let you down: follow the signage! Refer back to Step 4 and know which direction you’re heading in. There will be clear signs directing you to the escalators or halls that lead to the correct platform. When in serious doubt, head to an exit/entrance. From this point, it’s the same process you used to get on the first train.

Step 7: Ride and Look for Announcements

Phew! You are now on the way to your destination. HOWEVER, it is crucial that you make sure you’re getting off on the correct stop. Make sure to pay attention to the announcer when they are saying the name of the current stop you are at as well as the next stop. If you missed what the announcer is saying, don’t worry because when the train stops, the stations out the window of the train have signs with the name of the current station. In addition to that, it will be helpful to have the map handy and compare where the next stop is and where your destination stop is. Also important to note: lights will flash on the side of the train where the doors will open/close.

Step 8: Exit

Stations often have several exits-each to a different street/landmark. When it’s to exit, your phone and exit signs with street names will be your best friend. It’ll look something like “Exit → Forsyth St.” However, thanks to Google/Apple maps, they will normally tell you which exits to take and which exits are the most optimal so it’s completely viable to follow your phone.

Conclusion

Using the MARTA train system at first may seem confusing and scary. It may seem like a lot of things to consider in terms of stops, lines, etc. but it will get easier the more you use it. Following these simple, yet effective steps will successfully take you from your dorm/apt to wherever you wish to go around Atlanta. Next time you travel, consider using MARTA as a safe, viable, and money-saving option.

Any additional questions you have may be answered within the official MARTA website.

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