Transportation

How to Get Around Portland

Portland is a leader in green technology and is rated number 1 for walk-ability and public transit in the whole U.S! Getting around the city without a car isn't a problem.

Portland Public Transit

In Portland, we have an exceptional bus and train system. You can get almost anywhere in the city by riding the bus. There are a few different methods of public transit listed below with schedule and pricing details.

The MAX
Featured in the map above, MAX is a light rail train that connects Portland to suburb cities Gresham, Beaverton, Hillsboro, and Clackamas. MAX runs every 15 minutes or better most of the day, every day. Service is less frequent in the early morning, mid-day and evening. There are four lines, coded by the colors above. From Columbia School of English, you can use the MAX Green line to get to downtown. Adult tickets cost $2.50 for a two-hour pass, and $5 for an all-day pass. 

TriMet Buses
Where the MAX doesn't go, buses do. TriMet connects the city to downtown, Milwaukie, Gresham, Beaverton, Hillsboro, Clackamas, Tigard, Aloha and Lake Oswego. Almost anywhere you need to go in the Portland area can be reached on the bus. Frequent service stops run every 15 minutes during high-volume hours. The bus near Columbia School of English is one of these, and runs to downtown, North Portland and east to Gresham. Adult tickets cost $2.50 for a two-hour pass, and $5 for an all-day pass. 

Portland Street Car
In downtown and inner SE/NE areas, Portland also offers a Street Car. The two lines run between 14 - 20 minutes apart at any stop, and are great for traveling within the downtown area if you want to explore without a lot of walking. This allows you to park on the east side of the city and still travel comfortably to downtown. Adult tickets for the streetcar are $1 for a two-hour pass, but MAX and TriMet passes are also valid.  


Freeway Systems and Traveling by Car

Locals primarily travel by car or public transit. Though they are available, Portland does not have a lot of taxis. Our freeway system is fairly sophisticated, and as a result, we have better traffic than most large US metropolises. Having a strong public transit system also helps cut down on traffic. 

At our location at Columbia School of English, we are right next to the I-205, which runs north/south dividing the inner and outer SE/NE areas. By this strategic location, you're able to access almost any part of the city within 15 - 20 minutes in a car. 

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