RTA Rapid Transit

Public transit network in Cleveland, Ohio

RTA Rapid Transit

Overview
Owner| Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority
Locale| Cuyahoga County, Ohio
Transit type| Rapid transit
Light rail
Number of lines| 1 rapid transit: Red
3 light rail: Blue, Green, Waterfront[1]
Number of stations| 18 rapid transit
34 light rail[1]
Daily ridership| 9,300 (rapid transit, weekdays, Q1 2025)
2,300 (light rail, weekdays, Q1 2025)[2]
Annual ridership| 3,151,500 (rapid transit, 2024)
808,100 (light rail, 2024)[3]
Operation
Began operation| October 25, 1859; 165 years ago (1859-10-25)
(first streetcar line);
December 17, 1913; 111 years ago (1913-12-17)
(current lines);
March 15, 1955; 70 years ago (1955-03-15)
(rapid transit);
October 11, 1980; 44 years ago (1980-10-11)
(light rail)
Ended operation| October 30, 1981; 43 years ago (1981-10-30)
(last streetcar use)
Number of vehicles| 40 rapid transit cars
34 light rail cars[1]
Technical
System length| 19 mi (31 km) rapid transit
18 mi (29 km) light rail[1]
Track gauge| 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
| System map

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Legend

Red

Airport |  |

|  |

|
|
|
|

Brookpark |  |

|  |
Puritas |  |

|  |
West Park |  |

|  |  | South

Harbor

Waterfront

Triskett |  |

|  | E. 9th–North Coast
W. 117th–Madison |  |

|  | Amtrak
West Blvd.–Cudell |  |

|  | West 3rd–Stadium
West 65th–Lorain |  |

|  | Flats East Bank
W. 25th–Ohio City |  |

|  | Settlers Landing
|  |

|  |

Blue Green

Waterfront

|  |

|  | Tower City
|  |

|  | Tri-C–Campus District
|  |

|  | East 55th
|  |

|  |
East 79th |  |

|  | East 79th
Buckeye–Woodhill |  |

|  | East 105th–Quincy
E. 166th–St. Luke's |  |

|  | Cedar–University
Shaker Square |  |

|  |  | Little Italy–

University Circle
|  |

|  | Superior
|  |

|  |  | Louis Stokes–

Windermere

Red

Drexmore |  |

|  | Coventry
South Woodland |  |

|  | Southington
Southington |  |

|  | South Park
Onaway |  |

|  | Lee–Shaker
Ashby |  |

|  | Attleboro
Lee–Van Aken |  |

|  | Eaton
Avalon |  |

|  | Courtland
Kenmore |  |

|  | Warrensville–Shaker
Lynnfield |  |

|  | Belvoir
Farnsleigh |  |

|  | West Green

Blue

| Warrensville-

Van Aken

|  | Green Road

Green

|  |  |  |  |  |

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RTA Rapid Transit (generally known as The Rapid) is a rapid transit and light rail system owned and operated by the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (GCRTA). The system serves Cleveland and surrounding areas in Cuyahoga County. The system currently consists of four total service lines: one rapid transit rail line and three light rail lines.

## Rail lines

[edit]

The four rail lines join at Tower City Center in downtown Cleveland, on the platform level of the former Cleveland Union Terminal.

Three rail lines share their tracks at Tri-C–Campus District and East 55th stations. This sharing of one route by light and heavy rail trains is quite unusual. The shared stations have connected platforms of two heights to accommodate the two kinds of trains. And the two types of trains both use the same maintenance facility since they both use the same track gauge and same source of power (overhead catenary).

### Red Line

[edit]

Main article: Red Line (RTA Rapid Transit)

The Red Line, a heavy-rail route, runs in both directions on fully grade-separated rights-of-way built from 1955 to 1968. It serves Cleveland's southwest suburbs, with its southwestern terminus at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport. Heading northeast, the Red Line serves University Circle before heading to its northeastern terminus at the Louis Stokes Station at Windermere in East Cleveland.

### Blue, Green, and Waterfront Lines

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Main articles: Blue Line (RTA Rapid Transit) and Green Line (RTA Rapid Transit)

The Blue and Green light-rail lines (alternatively known as the RTA Shaker Rapid) were built from 1913 to 1936 as grade-separated lines closer to downtown and surface lines along street medians in the streetcar suburb of Shaker Heights.

The two lines part ways at Shaker Square, a historic mixed-use community in Cleveland proper, just west of the Shaker Heights border. The Blue Line veers southeast along Van Aken Boulevard until reaching its terminus near the intersection of Warrensville Center Road and Chagrin Boulevard (U.S. Route 422 and State Route 8). The Green line continues due east along Shaker Boulevard (State Route 87) until reaching its terminus at the intersection of Green Road.

Light rail vehicle on the Waterfront Line

Main article: Waterfront Line

The Waterfront Line, opened in 1996, extends the Blue and Green Lines from Tower City north through The Flats. It then travels northeast along the shoreline of Lake Erie, servicing the local Amtrak station and terminates at the Lakefront Municipal lot. The Waterfront light rail line provides access from Tower City Center to the Flats, Cleveland Browns Stadium, the Great Lakes Science Center, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and Burke Lakefront Airport.

## Stations

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Cleveland Rapid Transit, 1913–present

The RTA Rapid Transit system consists of a total of 47 stations.[4] The stations are fully or partially within the city limits of Cleveland, Shaker Heights, East Cleveland, and Brook Park.

Tower City on the Red, Blue, Green, and Waterfront Lines Coventry on the Green Line West 25th on the Red Line Lee-Van Aken on the Blue Line Settlers Landing on the Waterfront Line Airport on the Red Line Belvoir on the Green Line †*  | Terminus and transfer stations

|

†  | Terminal stations
*  | Transfer stations
| Closed stations
Station  | Rapid Transit lines  | Jurisdiction  | Opened  | Rebuilt  | ADA access

|
|
|
|
|

Airport† | Red | Cleveland | 1968 | 1994 | 1994
Amtrak | Waterfront | Cleveland | 1997 |  |
Ashby | Blue | Shaker Heights | 1920 | 1981 |
Attleboro | Green | Shaker Heights | 1913 | 1980 |
Avalon | Blue | Shaker Heights | 1920 | 1981 |
Belvoir | Green | Shaker Heights | 1936 | 1980 |
Brookpark | Red | Cleveland / Brook Park | 1969 | 2017 | 2003
Buckeye–Woodhill* | Blue Green | Cleveland | 1920 | 1981, 2012 | 2012
Cedar–University | Red | Cleveland | 1955 | 2014 | 2002
Courtland | Green | Shaker Heights | 1915 | 1980 |
Coventry | Green | Cleveland / Shaker Heights | 1913 | 1980 |
Drexmore | Blue | Cleveland | 1948 | 1981 |
East 9th–North Coast | Waterfront | Cleveland | 1996 |  | 1996
East 55th* | Red Blue Green | Cleveland | 1920 | 2011 | 2011
East 79th | Red | Cleveland | 1955 | 2021  | 2021
East 79th* | Blue Green | Cleveland | 1920 | 1981 |
East 105th–Quincy | Red | Cleveland | 1955 | 2005 | 2005
East 116th–St. Luke's* | Blue Green | Cleveland | 1920 | 1981, 2019 | 2019
Eaton | Green | Shaker Heights | 1915 | 1980 |
Euclid–East 120th | Red | Cleveland | 1955 |  |
Farnsleigh | Blue | Shaker Heights | 1930 | 1981, 2019 | 2019
Flats East Bank | Waterfront | Cleveland | 1996 |  | 1996
Green Road† | Green | Shaker Heights | 1936 | 1980, 1988 | 2001
Kenmore | Blue | Shaker Heights | 1920 | 1981 |
Lee–Shaker | Green | Shaker Heights | 1913 | 1980, 2017 | 2017
Lee–Van Aken | Blue | Shaker Heights | 1920 | 1981, 2015 | 2015
Little Italy–University Circle | Red | Cleveland | 2015 |  | 2015
Lynnfield | Blue | Shaker Heights | 1920 | 1981 |
Onaway | Blue | Shaker Heights | 1920 | 1980 |
Puritas–West 150th | Red | Cleveland | 1968 | 2011 | 2011
Settlers Landing | Waterfront | Cleveland | 1996 |  | 1996
Shaker Square* | Blue Green | Cleveland | 1920 | 1986 | 2006
South Harbor† | Waterfront | Cleveland | 1996 |  | 1996
South Park | Green | Shaker Heights | 1913 | 1980 |
South Woodland | Blue | Cleveland / Shaker Heights | 1920 | 1981 |
Southington | Blue | Shaker Heights | 1920 | 1980 |
Southington | Green | Shaker Heights | 1913 | 1981 |
Superior | Red | East Cleveland | 1955 | 1996 | 1996
Tower City†* | Red Blue Green Waterfront | Cleveland | 1930 | 1990 | 1990
Tri-C–Campus District* | Red Blue Green | Cleveland | 1930 | 2003, 2018 | 2018
Triskett | Red | Cleveland | 1958 | 2000 | 2000
Warrensville–Shaker | Green | Shaker Heights | 1928 | 1980, 2016 | 2016
Warrensville–Van Aken† | Blue | Shaker Heights | 1930 | 1981, 1999 | 1999
West 3rd | Waterfront | Cleveland | 1999 |  | 1999
West 25th–Ohio City | Red | Cleveland | 1955 | 1992 | 1992
West 65th–Lorain | Red | Cleveland | 1955 | 2004 | 2004
West 117th–Madison | Red | Cleveland | 1955 | 2007 | 2007
West Boulevard–Cudell | Red | Cleveland | 1955 | 1999 | 1999
West Green | Green | Shaker Heights | 1936 | 1980 |
West Park | Red | Cleveland | 1958 | 1996 | 1996
Windermere†* | Red | East Cleveland | 1955 | 1997 | 1997

Note: Euclid–East 120th Street station closed in 2015 and was replaced by Little Italy–University Circle station.

## See also

[edit]

* List of metro systems
* List of light rail transit systems
* List of rail transit systems in the United States
* List of Ohio train stations

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d "Overview: Facts about the Greater Cleveland RTA". Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority. November 29, 2014. Retrieved January 3, 2018.
2. ^ "Transit Ridership Report First Quarter 2025" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association. May 15, 2025. Retrieved July 12, 2025.
3. ^ "Transit Ridership Report Fourth Quarter 2024" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association. February 19, 2025. Retrieved February 25, 2025.
4. ^ RTA system maps

## External links

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Cleveland RTA.

* Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority – Maps and Schedules
* Historic American Engineering Record (HAER) No. OH-4, "Shaker Heights Rapid Transit Line, Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, OH", 18 photos, 15 data pages, 2 photo caption pages
* Jon Bell – Cleveland, Ohio: Transit Links
* Cleveland, Ohio – Rapid Transit (RTA)
* nycsubway.org – Cleveland, Ohio
* RTA Rapid Transit Locations
* Northern Ohio Railway Museum

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Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority

RTA Rapid Transit (The Rapid)|

* Red Line
* Blue Line (light rail)
* Green Line (light rail)
* Waterfront Line (light rail)

Bus rapid transit (BRT)|

* HealthLine
* Cleveland State Line

* v
* t
* e

Currently operating heavy rail rapid transit systems in the United States

| California|

* Bay Area Rapid Transit
* Los Angeles Metro Rail
* B and D lines

|

DC–MD–VA|

* Washington Metro

Florida|

* Miami Metrorail

Georgia|

* Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority

Hawaii|

* Skyline

Illinois|

* Chicago "L"

Maryland|

* Baltimore Metro SubwayLink

| Massachusetts|

* MBTA subway
* Blue, Orange, and Red lines

|

New York|

* New York City Subway
* Staten Island Railway

New York/New Jersey|

* PATH

Ohio|

* Cleveland RTA Rapid Transit Red Line

Pennsylvania|

* SEPTA Metro
* L, B, and M

Pennsylvania/New Jersey|

* PATCO Speedline

Puerto Rico|

* San Juan Tren Urbano

Other transit in the United States:

* Light rail/Streetcar
* People mover & monorail
* Trolleybus
* Commuter rail

* v
* t
* e

Currently operating light rail and streetcar systems in the United States

| Arizona|

* Phoenix Valley Metro Rail
* A Line
* B Line
* S Line
* Tucson Sun Link

|

Arkansas|

* Little Rock Metro Streetcar
* Fort Smith Trolley

California|

* Los Angeles Metro Rail
* A, C, E, and K Lines
* Sprinter
* Sacramento RT
* San Diego Trolley
* San Francisco Muni
* Cable Cars
* E Embarcadero
* F Market & Wharves
* Muni Metro
* Santa Clara VTA

Colorado|

* Denver
* RTD light rail
* Denver Trolley
* Fort Collins Municipal Railway

District of Columbia|

* DC Streetcar

Florida|

* Tampa TECO Line Streetcar

Georgia|

* Atlanta Streetcar

Illinois|

* MetroLink (shared with Missouri)

Louisiana|

* New Orleans streetcars

Maryland|

* Baltimore Light RailLink

Massachusetts|

* Boston
* MBTA Green Line
* Mattapan Line
* Lowell Park Trolley

Michigan|

* Detroit QLine

Minnesota|

* Minneapolis-St. Paul Metro
* Blue Line
* Green Line
* Como-Harriet Streetcar
* Excelsior Streetcar
* Lake Superior Railroad Museum

| Missouri|

* KC Streetcar
* St. Louis
* Loop Trolley
* MetroLink

|

New Jersey|

* Hudson–Bergen Light Rail
* Newark Light Rail
* River Line

New York|

* Buffalo Metro Rail

North Carolina|

* Charlotte
* Lynx Blue Line
* CityLynx Gold Line

Ohio|

* Connector (Cincinnati)
* Cleveland
* RTA Blue, Green, and Waterfront Lines

Oklahoma|

* Oklahoma City Streetcar
* El Reno Heritage Express

Oregon|

* Portland
* MAX Light Rail
* Portland Streetcar
* Willamette Shore Trolley
* Astoria Riverfront Trolley

Pennsylvania|

* Philadelphia SEPTA Metro
* T, G, and D
* Pittsburgh Light Rail

Tennessee|

* Memphis MATA Trolley

Texas|

* Dallas
* DART light rail
* Dallas Streetcar
* M-Line Trolley
* El Paso Streetcar
* Houston METRORail
* Galveston Island Trolley

Utah|

* Salt Lake City
* TRAX
* S Line

Virginia|

* Norfolk The Tide

Washington|

* Seattle
* 1 Line
* 2 Line
* Seattle Streetcar
* T Line

Wisconsin|

* Milwaukee The Hop
* Kenosha Transit

Italics denote non-transit streetcar lines, operating only on limited dates and usually not year-round, for tourism or educational purposes.

Other transit in the United States:

* Rapid transit
* People mover & monorail
* Trolleybus
* Commuter rail

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