Owned by METRO Disabled access Yes Platform Island platform | Platforms Island platform Owner Metro Transit | |
Line(s) METRO Blue Line
METRO Red Line Connections Metro Transit routes 5, 54, 415, 515, 538, 539, 540, and 542
MVTA routes 444 and 495 Opened December 4, 2004 (Blue Line)
June 22, 2013 (Red Line) Address Bloomington, MN 55425, United States | ||
Mall of America Transit Station is the busiest transit hub/station in Minnesota, with bus and light rail service linking the Mall of America to many destinations in the Minneapolis – St. Paul metro. Public transit service is provided by Metro Transit and Minnesota Valley Transit Authority. The station is served by METRO Blue Line and Red Line. Many area hotels and Mystic Lake Casino offer free shuttles to their establishments.
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A $25 million upgrade to the station is proposed.
Location and design
The transit station for local bus/rail service is in the lower level of the eastern parking ramp. The station was built in the early 1990s.
It has a utilitarian design with basic finishes. Met Council member Steve Elkins said in a council meeting, “It’s just dark and dank, and not really safe or inviting.”
METRO service
The station is served by METRO Blue Line and Red Line. The mall is the nineteenth and final stop on the Blue Line and is the northern terminus of the Red Line.
METRO Blue Line light rail connects the mall to the Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport and downtown Minneapolis and terminates at Target Field, home of the Minnesota Twins.
METRO Red Line connects the mall to Eagan and Apple Valley.
Commuter traffic
The mall is not a park and ride facility. Overnight parking is banned to prevent passengers from parking to take the train to the airport. Commuters are encouraged to use the nearby 28th Avenue Station's parking ramp.
Proposed upgrade
The Mall of America Transit Station is undergoing a study to increase efficiency and capacities, and to provide a better experience for its users. A Minnesota Senate publication during the 2015-2016 legislative session called the station functionally obsolete.
The improvements will enable buses to enter the station more easily.
Prior to the renovation, the station has no external signage or identity. Renderings published by the Minnesota Senate show an external presence outside the parking lot.
The proposed station would improve station amenities, its aesthetic appeal, and the visitor experience. The upgrade also would provide clear and convenient pedestrian access.
Estimates for the upgrade are approximately $25 million. There is $8.77 million shortfall in the funding for the project.