TECO Line Streetcar System

5 bucks round trip Downtown to Ybor City so I can travel with fun and style? I’ll take that action! The drivers are nice and skillful, the ride is comfortable, it’s not just fun for one time, it really means you don’t need a car when staying downtown.

Get the $ 5 for an all day ride from downtown to Ybor city. It comes every 20 minutes. The drivers are very friendly.

$ 5 for an all-​day pass on this really cool trolley is a super deal. Why worry about parking and how much you’ve had to drink when you can just hop on and hop off this super system that takes you from the Arena to Channelside and all the way through Ybor City to Centennial Park?
Yep, it’s air conditioned too. Plenty of seating and the train moves swiftly.
Tip: If you’re not sitting, make sure that you’re hanging on to something. There are idiots on the road and the trolley can’t swerve. All they can do is stop short.

Adorable, historic, charming street car system. My kids LOVE it! We make a point to ride the street car when we can drive just for the experience.
It’s not the most functional form of public transportation depending on where you live or considering the stops, but it is excellent entertainment for the kids and a great tourist attraction, even for locals. They stop at all the hot spots in downtown Tampa.
A fun day was driving to the aquarium, spending the morning there, buying tickets at the cute gift shop around the corner and then taking the trolley to Ybor for lunch and back again to the car.
The family pass is the best bargain or you can buy a day pass for $ 5 or pay per trip depending on your destination.

This system provides no real means of urban transportation, but is merely a Disneyesque attraction in downtown Tampa. Something you will ride once with your kids, but never again unless they expand it to Curtis Hixon Park and as far as Seminole Hieghts. I didn’t come here to bash The Teco street car just wish they would expand it so locals could really feel like the have a 2^nd option.
I really do love this street car! It reminds me of (New Orleans). The conductors are very friendly and helpful. They announce each stop clearly and are willing to share tourist information. This is an enjoyable ride for anyone of any age.
I strongly recommend the $ 5 all day pass. This way, you can ride from stop to stop getting off where it’s comfortable without having to pay again. The schedule is published and they run pretty close to schedule. Also if your a local and live in the area you can purchase a 20 for 20 pass, 20 rides for $ 20! You can get it at

We generally get on near the Kennedy and Channelside drive and ride to the end in Ybor City, have lunch at one of many great places out there, enjoy the Saturday market or street festival and return late in the afternoon.

We did not realize there was a pride event today. All the stops in Ybor were closed even though they did not interfere with the parade or crowds. That was frustrating so we called to see what the closest open stop is to walk there. We walked to the intersection provided and there was no stop there. The woman on the phone told us the stop was there on channelside and 2^nd. We stood literally 5 feet from the street sign and there was no streetcar stop sign there. While talking to the help lady, a streetcar actually came and drove past us up the street and stopped a few blocks away. We tried running to catch it but it took on passengers, closed it’s doors and drove right on past us again. I can’t remember the last time I was that frustrated. Walking for miles and mislead by the streetcar’s customer service

I love the trolley! Ok, perhaps it is because I am a stranger when it comes to public transportation like our Hartline buses. But, I enjoy the rides on the trolley!
We met a friend in Ybor for dinner prior to a Lightning game last week. It was agreed after dinner we would take the trolley to Amalie Arena instead of driving. It was not due to the fact we were imbibing, it was a matter of convenience.
Yes, the trolley is not the quickest way of transportation to your destination. But, if you plan accordingly and you are with a great group of people, it isn’t too bad. For me, it is all about the convenience of not dealing with the traffic and the idiots on the road.
Tim, our trolley operator was very friendly and actually seemed to be speeding as we were leaving after the Lightning game. He even got us back in time to watch the last quarter of the FSU game! I chuckled to myself as we passed all the cars that were gridlocked in traffic.
I will definitely ride the trolley again because it means no road rage and headaches for me!

Riding this trolley is so much fun! It is more of a tourist trap but I always take friends & family for a ride when they are in town for a visit. We typically start by Convention Center take a ride to Ybor for dinner at the Columbia and ride back.

I love the nostalgia of the streetcars we used them to go back and forth on News Years Eve from Ybor to Channelside back to Ybor worked like a charm for us. If you are wanting to get back and forth fast then drive but if you want a view without having to watch the traffic then take the streetcar. It cost 2.50 per ride or 5.00 for an all day ticket I vote the all day ticket. The conductors are very friendly and very helpful to the tourist. I say ride bet you will enjoy it.

Coming back to my hometown to visit family and see my Tampa Bay Lightning, I was looking for options to beat the downtown parking around the Ice Palace/​St. Pete Times Forum/​Tampa Bay Times Forum. I came across a suggestion somewhere to park in Ybor and try the trolley.
The game was a Saturday matinée (2pm). As of this review, parking in the three Ybor surface lots is free on Saturdays until 10pm, so the total cost was just the $ 5/​person for the 1-​Day Unlimited Ride Fare Card to get to and from the game. And I could explore Ybor a little bit (other than the Saturday Market, not a whole lot to see on a Saturday morning).
After lunch at Columbia Restaurant, I used the automated Ticket Vending Machine at Station 1, Centennial Park Station. Even though the website says, «You can use cash or credit cards anytime,» this one was accepting cash only. To add to the inconvenience, it dispensed change in dollar coins only. Maintenance of their TVMs doesn’t seem to be a big priority since I overheard another rider mention that the machine at another stop was completely inoperable. The trolley drivers already knew which were broken or had problems and they were nice enough to spot the passenger a ride down to the next working station/​machine.
The ride in the wooden street car is a pretty neat experience. You get to see various views of Tampa: Ybor City, maybe spot a cruise ship by Port of Tampa, Channelside, Tampa Bay Times Forum, downtown, etc. The trolley is parallel to the street for much of the way so it stopped more times than I expected, including at all red lights, but the ride was smooth and it took about 15 – 20 minutes to get from Station 1 to Station 9, HSBC Station. Station 9 is the stop for the Forum, and it drops you off just a staircase away from the front entrance of the arena (aka Thunder Alley). Perfect location.
After the game, the line back to Ybor was long, but reasonable. One trolley might fill up and leave without you, but overall I don’t think the wait seems too bad. What a lot of people did at HSBC Station was get on the nearly empty trolley heading toward downtown, ride out the remaining 2 stops, and stay on board to secure a spot for the return trip (same trolley, just reverse direction) back toward Ybor.
Overall, I think the streetcar is a cool idea. It was nice riding by the traffic after the game and seeing the mess I was avoiding (even though our trolley got caught up a few times with cars blocking intersections). If you can time everything properly, it’s a really great option to get to the Forum. The TVMs could be a little more reliable, but that’s a minor complaint offset by the niceness of the trolley drivers. I would definitely use it again and recommend it to newcomers and visitors to Tampa.

Clean, inexpensive, and on-​time! This was an easy way for us to get around Tampa during our recent vacation without having to drive. We didn’t move our car from the hotel parking lot the entire visit, it was great!

I’ve been avoiding this review for a while…
Let’s see… I do believe the Streetcar system it’s GREAT for Ybor, Channelside and Downtown residents. There are many stops along the route, it’s usually on time, friendly drivers, it runs until 2am on Fridays and Saturdays and if you buy from the machines a day pass is only $ 5.
Now the Teco website offers different options for residents you can buy a 20 rides card for $ 25. I think that’s a bargain at just $ 1.25 per ride.
What I’m not too happy about is that it connects to the In-​town trolley and those just run from 6a –8:30a and 3:30p-6p (Mon-​Fri) meaning business hours.
If your out on the weekend you get just down the street from the Convention and will have to take a taxi, the Hartline (not a fan) or walk. Also with special events like Gasparilla they closed down most of the stops and was used primarily for Ybor transport… many people waited at the stops not knowing that it had been closed for the event. Not fair at all for residents. I believe they should have used the buses at Ybor to transport the masses. I think with a few minor improvements (reinstating the In-​town trolley Fri-​Sat nights and promoting it’s service) this would be a great system all year round for many and avoid the terrible traffic in such a small area like Downtown.
Overall I’m a fan and hope it continues to provide service, expand it’s routes /​connections and hours.

I stayed in Downtown Tampa before departing on a cruise, and to my surprise there really isn’t all that much downtown during the weekends, thankfully the Teco Line Street Car offered me an option of making an easy trip to the Ybor District, which is s trendy neighborhood full of bars, restaurants, and other entertainment options. One piece of advice, while it looks like Ybor appears to be within walking distance to downtown, we were advised by the hotel that you would walk through a less than desirable area on the way, so the Street Car offered a solution. Prices were fair, and the drivers were friendly.
If you are staying in the area its a great option to get around, without having to mess with a taxi. I would have rated this higher, however your options are somewhat limited since the line isnt that long, this is mostly for visitors staying downtown looking for other options.

I love public transportation. We need more options here in Tampa. We live in Ybor CIty and use the trolley to go downtown. I would say we used it to go to Channelside too but there’s nothing left in Channelside. I would love to see the routes expanded and the hours as well. But we never stay out until 3 am so this works for us. We can head downtown, have our drinks, and trolley home without worrying about driving or parking. And I like talking to the other people on the trolley, it’s an opportunity to make new friends!

I used the «Teco Line Streetcar System» many times when I was staying in Ybor City (Tampa, FL) in 2011. It was great. I could easily go to downtown Tampa without a car and visit all the great restaurants in Ybor City as well. I even used them when I went to board my cruise ship (I never got to a cruise ship by streetcar before).

I have to disagree with Brett N. This streetcar is not just a novelty. It connects Ybor, Channelside, and Downtown Tampa. I used it when the circus was at the Forum, and I was able to bypass tons of traffic to get downtown close to Curtis Hixon Park.
Parking in Ybor with the flat day time fee of about $ 3.XX and the ride all day for $ 5, I was able to enjoy the day at the photography museum, food, and stroll downtown for less than $ 20.
The only complaint I have is that the drivers can be a bit on edge, but I’m chalking that up to the pressure of being on time and within the 15 min window for stops.
Overall, it’s nice for experiencing some great spots that Tampa has to offer in the downtown area.

I absolutely love the Streetcars. Whether you are a tourist or a local like me who wants to enjoy the local flavor, the Streetcar is a fun and convenient way to go from downtown Tampa to Ybor and enjoy everything in between. With stops at the Marriott/​Convention Center area, Channelside, the Aquarium, and Centro Ybor, the $ 5 for an all day pass is an excellent way to spend the day enjoying the best Tampa has to offer. I usually plan lunch, a movie, sightseeing and dinner over a six to seven hour period and make a fun day out of it. People pay good money to come see Tampa, so us locals would do well in taking advantage of this great opportunity. I’m a fan!

Why 2 stars? If you’re not a tourist, there is absolutely no point.
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The Trolley is a novelty, nothing more. In terms of practicality, it’s about as useless as can be.
Here are the drawbacks:
They are slower than a wagon being pulled by a group of sloths. In some situations, walking is a faster option than the Trolley.
The bars close at 3. The Trolley stops running at 2 on weekends. I think running them until 3:30 would really help in the battle against drunk driving.
The area they cover is very small. They only take you back and forth from Ybor to one corner of downtown. Obviously a route to Hyde Park would greatly increase ridership, but I’m sure there is no place to put a track, or any kind of budget for something like that.
Gasparilla, Lightning playoff games and other special occasions are the only time worth riding the Streetcar. It’s then and only then that they go from ghost town to party bus. But beware, at Gasparilla they will be so full that it’s hard to even get on.

A little nostalgia upon seeing these street cars plying Tampa’s street, being from San Francisco and all. Quite a history as well. Tampa’s first electric streetcar line was way back in 1892, connecting Ybor City, Ballast Point, Hyde Park, Sulphur Springs and beyond. Unfortunately the line ceased to be in 1946 and it wasn’t til 2002 that a 2.7 miles stretch of track came back into existence.
They operate three distinct cars, the Breezer, which is open-​aired, much like the trollies in S.F., the Standard and the Birney. Now, the Birney was saved from a Sulphur Springs backyard and lovingly restored through 10,000 volunteer hours. It’s a replica of the ones that were operated in Tampa from 1920’s-1946 and boasts cherry seats, oak frames and mahogany.
A nice way to tool through neighborhoods and not too expensive. Hope more lines will sring up here in Pinellas County.

Love the streetcar! Being a visitor to Tampa, it was a great way to see a few miles of town. We started at Whiting Station (the first stop on one end) and the streetcar goes about 3 miles. Most stops have a credit card machine to buy an all day pass ($ 5 per person), or $ 2.50 for a one-​way trip. If you want to pay cash, you’ll need to have exact change when boarding.
It goes through downtown, past the convention center, through the Channelside district, and ending in the Ybor district. The hubby and I did a pub crawl of sorts, having lunch and beers in Channelside, and continued onto the Ybor district. Don’t miss Tampa Bay Brewing in Ybor! After getting off at several stops and getting back onto the streetcar, we really never had to wait more than 10 minutes. We will definitely do it again!
One final note– there are several different routes and lines so be sure to check the map on their website!