Getting around Charlotte: the 26-station LYNX Blue Line, the free Gold Line streetcar, the Sprinter bus to the airport and Uptown meters at $1.50 an hour.

Last checked Oct. 11, 2026. Facts on this page come from the Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS), the city’s Park It parking program and NCDOT’s DriveNC.

Charlotte’s roads belong to NCDOT and the city; its buses, light rail and streetcar are run by the city’s transit agency, CATS. Here is how the pieces fit.

Who to call

Main roads

NCDOT runs the interstates and numbered highways through the city: I-77, I-85, I-277 and the I-485 loop, whose lanes NCDOT labels “Inner” and “Outer” in its traffic listings, plus US 74 (Independence Boulevard) and state routes such as NC 24 and NC 51. NCDOT’s I-485 Express Lanes project adds an express lane in each direction between I-77 and US 74, according to its project page.

Road work changes week to week; see our road construction and closures page, refreshed weekly.

LYNX Blue Line light rail

The Blue Line is Charlotte’s light rail spine. It has 26 stations, from I-485/South Boulevard (9508 South Blvd.) in south Charlotte through South End and Uptown to UNC Charlotte Main in University City. Ten stations have park and ride lots, and parking there is free, according to CATS’ stations page.

Stations from south to north: I-485/South Boulevard, Sharon Road West, Arrowood, Archdale, Tyvola, Woodlawn, Scaleybark, New Bern, East/West Boulevard, Bland Street, Carson, Brooklyn Village, Third Street, Charlotte Transportation Center, Seventh Street, Ninth Street, Parkwood, 25th Street, 36th Street, Sugar Creek, Old Concord, Tom Hunter, University City Boulevard, McCullough, JW Clay and UNC Charlotte Main.

Schedules are on CATS’ rail routes page. On New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, the day after Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve, CATS runs a Saturday schedule; Thanksgiving and Christmas run on a Sunday schedule.

CityLYNX Gold Line streetcar

The Gold Line runs 4 miles with 17 stops, from French Street in the Historic West End through Uptown to Sunnyside Avenue in Elizabeth, connecting with the Blue Line at the Charlotte Transportation Center and with Charlotte Gateway Station. It is fare-free until further notice, CATS says. Streetcars run every 30 minutes: weekdays 6 a.m. to 11:26 p.m., Saturdays 8 a.m. to 11:26 p.m. and Sundays 8 a.m. to 10:36 p.m. Since Aug. 31, 2026, the streetcars stop on request: press the onboard “Stop Request” button or wait on the platform. Details: Gold Line page.

Buses

CATS runs bus routes across Charlotte; schedules are on its bus routes page, and CATS made its annual service change on Oct. 5, 2026. CATS sells fares through its CATS-Pass mobile ticketing app.

Getting to the airport

Charlotte Douglas International Airport is served by two CATS routes, according to the agency’s airport routes page:

  • Sprinter, Route 5 Airport: from Uptown to the airport every 30 minutes, with stops near several Uptown hotels and a connection to the Blue Line.
  • Route 60 Tyvola Road: from the LYNX Tyvola Station to the airport, every 30 minutes every day.

Bikes and trails

The county’s greenways, including the 17-mile Little Sugar Creek Greenway and the Cross Charlotte Trail, double as bike routes; see parks and trails. In Uptown, Charlotte B-cycle offers bike share, which Thanksgiving Eve Parade organizers suggest as a way into the center on busy nights.

Parking in Uptown

The city’s Park It program, run for the Charlotte Department of Transportation by SP+, manages more than 1,800 on-street spaces Uptown, according to the city’s parking page:

  • Rate: $1.50 an hour for most Center City spaces. Meters take quarters, dimes and nickels.
  • Enforced: 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., Monday through Saturday. Meters are free on city holidays. Park It agents also enforce parking rules weeknights, weekends and during special events.
  • Broken pay station: call 704-432-7275 with the street name and pay station number.
  • Tickets: pay online, by phone at 980-270-2129 (a $3 service charge per ticket), by mail to Park It or at the drop boxes at the Government Center, 600 E. Fourth St. Appeals go through an administrative review, then a hearing, then Mecklenburg County Superior Court.

Uptown also has decks and lots run privately; Charlotte Center City Partners lists options on its getting-here page.

What this means for you

  • Going Uptown for a game or show? The Blue Line’s park and ride lots are free.
  • The Gold Line costs nothing to ride for now.
  • Feed the meter until 10 p.m. Uptown, except Sundays and city holidays.

Related: moving to Charlotte and who to call at City Hall.

Frequently asked questions

How do I get from Uptown Charlotte to the airport by bus?

Take CATS’ Sprinter, Route 5 Airport, from Uptown to Charlotte Douglas International Airport; it runs every 30 minutes. Route 60 Tyvola Road also reaches the airport from the LYNX Tyvola Station.

Is the Charlotte Gold Line streetcar free?

Yes. CATS says the CityLYNX Gold Line is fare-free until further notice. It runs 4 miles from French Street in the Historic West End through Uptown to Sunnyside Avenue in Elizabeth.

Where does the LYNX Blue Line go?

The Blue Line runs from the I-485/South Boulevard Station in south Charlotte through Uptown to UNC Charlotte Main Station, with 26 stations. Ten have free park and ride lots.

When are Uptown Charlotte parking meters enforced?

Meters are enforced 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and are free on city holidays. Most Center City meters cost $1.50 an hour.

How do I check traffic and road closures in Charlotte?

Use DriveNC.gov or dial 511 for interstates and state roads, and the city’s street closure map for city streets.