Everything you need to know about getting around Portland, Oregon

11.11.2024 - 20:03 / lonelyplanet.com

Nov 8, 2024 • 5 min read

Portland is a Northwestern gem – packed with diverse and culturally rich neighborhoods, an incredible food scene and a thriving nightlife full of independent bars and venues. It's no wonder people flock from all over the US and the wider world to enter this beloved hipster bubble.

The downside to so many delights? All those visitors and things to do scattered around the city add up to a traffic problem that can be quite the buzzkill. Most locals get around the gridlock by cycling everywhere and exploring on foot when possible. Embrace two wheels and public transport options to avoid wasting your time in traffic – save the car for when you want to explore further afield on a day trip from the city.

We've got everything you need to know about getting around Portland without losing your cool.

Thanks to its plentiful bike lanes, a good bike-share system and respectful motorists, Portland is often named the most bike-friendly city in the USA. Many streets are geared specifically toward cyclists, indicated by figures on bicycles painted in white on the pavement and by green-painted zebra crossings at intersections. At some intersections, you'll find green "bike boxes" that are designed to prevent collisions with vehicles making right-hand turns. The city has an interactive bike lane map available online. You can pick up a print version at libraries and bike shops.

Portland's bike-sharing scheme is called Biketown and it has more than 3000 e-bikes and scooters available at over 240 stations across town. It’s a collaboration with Lyft, so you can use their app or the Biketown app to scan the code on a parked bike wherever you find one, ride it around, and then park and lock it to a rack when you’re done. 

If you're in town for a while, several companies offer longer bicycle rentals. Everybody’s Bike Rentals and Cycle Portland offer both rentals and guided tours. 

More of a novelty than a practical way to get around, the BrewCycle pub-cycle is always an option: a 15-seat bicycle-powered mobile hut that lets riders pedal their way from one brewpub to the next along a themed route.

TriMet operates 75 bus lines in the Portland metro area, most of which connect to light-rail lines for even greater reach. Interactive schedules and maps are available on the website, and TriMet's tracker app lets you see details for every bus stop in the city in real time.

If you plan on partying into the wee hours, be aware that there are fewer services at night, and most stop running at 1am (although there are some late-night buses). Pay for your ticket as you board the bus with a credit card or mobile phone wallet. Check the website for details on a specific line, and see the “Transport Passes” section below for