Planning a trip using the trimet.org Trip Planner

  • Updated

You can plan a trip from the trimet.org homepage by clicking or tapping the “Planner” tab. Tell us where you’re starting and where you want to go, and we’ll give you step-by-step directions and show your itinerary on a map. The Planner will tell you where and when to board the bus or train, when to get off and how to pay. Your Trip Itinerary will also show any active Service Alerts that might affect your trip. Plan a trip now

 

Getting started 

Begin by clicking or tapping on the “Planner” tab on the trimet.org homepage. This opens the main Trip Planner screen where you can enter your starting point and destination. (Note: If you use the Trip Planner frequently, you can bookmark this page or link to it directly from https://trimet.org/planner.) 


Entering your starting point and destination

  1. Tap or click into the “To” or “From” field to enter your starting point and destination. 
  2. Type in the first few letters of a location, and you’ll see search results appear below, based on what you typed. You can then tap or click on a search result to select that location (you don’t need to finish typing all of it in). If you don’t see the result you want, keep typing until it appears. 
  3. You can type in a street address, Stop ID number, stop or station name, business name, or intersection. 
  4. There are a few other ways to enter a location, if it’s more convenient:
    • Use your current location: If you’re on a phone and you just want to plan a trip from or to your current location, select “Use current location” to use your phone’s GPS. If you get an error trying to use your GPS location, here are some tips for enabling GPS on your device. Note: GPS location access is not an option when using desktop PC or laptops, because location accuracy varies widely and can often be misleading.
    • Select from Favorites, Recents or Nearby Stops: The To and From screens also let you select from previously favorited stops, recently searched locations and nearby stops and stations. 
    • On the map: Right-click (on a desktop or laptop) or tap-and-hold (on a phone or tablet) on the map to select a location. You can tap or click “Go here” or “Start here” to plan a trip to or from that location. You can also drag the map pointer on the map to change the location as well.  
    • Using the Search box: Click or tap on the Search box at the top of the page to enter a location and view it on the map. You can type in a street address, Stop ID number, stop or station name, business name, or intersection. Then, select “Go here” or “Start here” to plan a trip to or from that location.


Selecting time and day of travel

By default, the Trip Planner is set to “Depart at” the current time and day, so you don’t need to change anything if you are planning to leave now. For all other future trips, here’s how to change the time and day of travel: 

  1. First, choose whether you want to “Depart at” or “Arrive by” the specified time by clicking or tapping the buttons at the top. 
      • If you select “Depart at,” the Trip Planner will show you the next buses and trains that are departing at the specified time or the closest time after. “Depart at” is the default setting and what most riders use for their trips. 
      • If you select “Arrive by,” on the other hand, it will force the Trip Planner to show you buses and trains that will get you to your destination at or before the specified time. (Note: “Arrive by” trips can be useful in some instances but may not always result in a desirable or efficient trip. For most trips, we recommend using “Depart at.”)  
  2. Then, adjust the date and/or time. On a phone or tablet, tap on the date or time to change it. On a desktop PC or laptop, you can click on the icon to the right of the date or time to choose from a date/time menu, or click an individual item (such as hour, minute or am/pm) to change it. 


Selecting mode and travel options

On this screen, you can change what mode(s) you want to use on your trip, and change settings that can improve your Trip Itinerary results.

  1. From the row at the top, select what modes you want to use on your trip. The default setting is “Go by Transit,” and you can adjust settings for your transit trips including which kinds of vehicles you prefer and your maximum walking distance. You can also add other services that connect to transit, including personal bikes, e-scooters, Uber and BIKETOWN bikeshare. The row of mode options at the top scrolls horizontally, and you can scroll it to the right to see more options including “Walk Only” and “Bike Only.”
  2. For each mode you select, you can adjust travel settings on this screen. When you’re done click or tap “Save Changes” to return to the previous screen or “Get Directions” to see your Trip Itinerary.  


Viewing your Trip Itinerary 

Your Trip Itinerary contains a step-by-step text description of what buses trains to take, when and where to board, and how to get to and from each stop or station. It will also show any active Service Alerts that might affect your trip. (However, before you go, always check TransitTracker for up-to-the-minute arrival countdowns and current Service Alerts.)

On the map, you’ll see your starting point and destination, the bus and rail lines you’ll be taking on your trip, and any transfer points in between. For trips leaving now or in the near future, we also show the real-time locations of buses and trains on the lines used in your trip. 

At the bottom of your itinerary are several helpful links:

  • How to Pay – See a list of payment methods, including paying with your phone, contactless credit card, Hop card, Hop ticket and cash.
  • Print Trip – Select this option to see a printer-friendly view of your itinerary.
  • Edit Trip – Didn’t get the trip you were looking for? Select this option to change your starting point or destination, or edit your travel options. 
  • Send Feedback – If you have feedback about the Trip Planner or an itinerary you received, we’d like to hear it! Details about the last trip you planned will automatically be included in your message.
  • Copy Trip Link – Select this option to copy the address/URL for the active Trip Itinerary into your device’s clipboard memory. You can then paste it into a text, email, document or app.  


Providing feedback about your Trip Itinerary or Trip Planner experience

Please use our Trip Planner Feedback Form to report issues with a Trip Itinerary or submit suggestions for improving the Trip Planner. Tip: If you're not currently viewing your Trip Itinerary on the screen, plan the trip again and click the “Send Feedback” link at the bottom of the Trip Itinerary, then fill out the form. That way, we’ll receive all the details about the specific trip you planned along with your message.