Championship Ride fro Airport Hotels

[idahorobot]

Are there any teams staying near the airport in St Louis willing to share bus transportation to Edward Jones Dome?

I am assuming that the Metro Link will be a much longer ride.

[MrTechCenter]

Originally Posted by idahorobot

Are there any teams staying near the airport in St Louis willing to share bus transportation to Edward Jones Dome?

I am assuming that the Metro Link will be a much longer ride.

It's not that bad. It usually only takes around 30min to get to the dome. It can be less depending on what time you go. We used the MetroLink to get between our hotel by the airport and the Dome and it was just fine, but all of our students had to buy week passes.

[The other Gabe]

Originally Posted by MrTechCenter

It's not that bad. It usually only takes around 30min to get to the dome. It can be less depending on what time you go. We used the MetroLink to get between our hotel by the airport and the Dome and it was just fine, but all of our students had to buy week passes.

I'll second this: getting a bus is not worth it, Metrolink's not a bad ride

[Alex2614]

We've been thinking about renting a couple vans to transport between the hotel and the dome (and to transport from home to STL as well). While the metroLink is not bad, it makes logistics a bit easier, and our hotel is not an "easy" walk to the metro station (lack of sidewalks and traversing the highway underpass).

We did this before when we stayed at Union Station, which helped tremendously. And it's much, much cheaper and logistically easier than having a bus.

[Jacob Bendicksen]

We usually have most of the team take MetroLink to the dome/hotel, then rent a van to transport the stuff (totes, tool boxes, etc.). This works well, since we don't have to take all our tool boxes on MetroLink, but we don't have to deal with the logistics and cost of a bus or more vans.

[idahorobot]

Originally Posted by MrTechCenter

It's not that bad. It usually only takes around 30min to get to the dome. It can be less depending on what time you go. We used the MetroLink to get between our hotel by the airport and the Dome and it was just fine, but all of our students had to buy week passes.

Oh good, I was thinking an hour. With the early starts on game day it was looking grim.

We stayed at Union Station on our last adventure and it was an easy walk.

BTW there is a pass if you have not seen the post $ 20 for the week unlimited access trains, trolleys and buses.

http://www.metrostore.org/product/first2015

[nuclearnerd]

Originally Posted by The other Gabe

I'll second this: getting a bus is not worth it, Metrolink's not a bad ride

Be aware that several of the FIRST housing-booked airport hotels are a good ways West, and across the I70 from the closest Metrolink stop. Just getting to the train would add an hour long walk, or a half-hour connecting bus ride:
https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Lamb...d38.741833!3e2

[MrTechCenter]

Forgot to mention this before, but a lot of the hotels near the airport have complimentary airport shuttles. Since pretty much everybody staying at those hotels were there for Champs, the shuttle wasn't being used in the morning much (or even really at night for that matter) so we just took the MetroLink to Terminal 1 and called the shuttle to pick us up and take us back to the hotel and vice versa in the morning. Luckily, the airport is the last stop on the line, so the trains are empty when they get there and you don't have to worry about finding room for everybody.

EDIT: The shuttle thing will only work if you have a smallish team there.
Also, you have to be a little careful when coming back at night, especially if you're coming back later after doing stuff downtown after the dome closes. There are some VERY shady characters on the Metro if you're riding late. When we were coming back from RoboProm, one of our kids was offered drugs. Yes, he declined.

[The other Gabe]

Originally Posted by nuclearnerd

Be aware that several of the FIRST housing-booked airport hotels are a good ways West, and across the I70 from the closest Metrolink stop. Just getting to the train would add an hour long walk, or a half-hour connecting bus ride:
https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Lamb...d38.741833!3e2

I had not considered that...

[idahorobot]

Originally Posted by MrTechCenter

Forgot to mention this before, but a lot of the hotels near the airport have complimentary airport shuttles. Since pretty much everybody staying at those hotels were there for Champs, the shuttle wasn't being used in the morning much (or even really at night for that matter) so we just took the MetroLink to Terminal 1 and called the shuttle to pick us up and take us back to the hotel and vice versa in the morning. Luckily, the airport is the last stop on the line, so the trains are empty when they get there and you don't have to worry about finding room for everybody.

EDIT: The shuttle thing will only work if you have a smallish team there.
Also, you have to be a little careful when coming back at night, especially if you're coming back later after doing stuff downtown after the dome closes. There are some VERY shady characters on the Metro if you're riding late. When we were coming back from RoboProm, one of our kids was offered drugs. Yes, he declined.

I called all of the airport hotels on our Experient list to find out which was closest and had a quick shuttle.
Like you said their shuttle is small and there will be other teams probably as well.
30 minutes for metro 15 minutes for shuttle for each group.
More fun logistics.