Atlanta Marta safe at 8 PM on Friday?
 

My teen daughter and I are coming into Atlanta airport around 7 pm on a Friday. Our hotel, Wingate by Wyndham, is in Buckhead. We can get a free hotel shuttle from the Buckhead Marta. It this worth it in terms of safety? Or should we get a taxi? I'd get a car, but we'll be in the city less than 48 hours, so it's not worth the hassle.

Take a cab........everywhere.

MARTA is perfectly safe, particularly at that hour which is barely past rush hour. I take it all the time to/from the airport. Use the free hotel shuttle. A taxi would be pricey all the way to the Wingate.

You'll be fine.

Thank you. I'm feeling my way through this--I've never been on this specific system. I'm reading that after 7:30 pm or so on Fridays, we have to switch trains at Lindbergh Center (?)and I'm a little unclear about this, too!

You will not have any problems on the MARTA. I always took it to/from the airport when I lived in Atlanta, no matter what time it was.

Depending on when you're going to Atlanta it might not even be dark by then so outside of not really worrying anyway, that's one less problem for you to concern yourself with - Actually, we thought Marta was kinda fun.

You will be safe and you will make it to Buckhead in a fraction of the time by car.

If you have to switch at Lindbergh, it won't be a big deal. there station is clearly marked with maps. You'll only be a couple miles south of the Wingate at that point. Have fun!

Most reassuring. Thank you!

Not a problem. Enjoy your trip!

I guess the time I was on MARTA at midday with my wife and 9 year old son when a fist fight broke out between a man and his pregnant girlfriend/wife was the exception, but it scared the poodads out of us.

"I guess the time I was on MARTA at midday with my wife and 9 year old son when a fist fight broke out between a man and his pregnant girlfriend/wife was the exception, but it scared the poodads out of us."

That could happen anywhere.

MARTA's reputation is tied into race in Atlanta and you really have to understand "MARTA is dangerous" is more about race than it is about actual safety.

I guess the time I was on MARTA at midday...

Hilarious. You are judging this on one situation? If the fight happened on the street, I guess you would never go back at all. And in your town, I guess you would move?

""MARTA's reputation is tied into race in Atlanta and you really have to understand "MARTA is dangerous" is more about race than it is about actual safety.""

Please.

I've ridden Marta from the airport by myself as late as 10PM and it was fine.

I agree with you GoTravel. I'm trying to explain the "MARTA is dangerous" reputation.

hoosierdaddy got a ride and a show for $1.75. That's quite a bargain.

Gotcha.

"I guess the time I was on MARTA at midday with my wife and 9 year old son when a fist fight broke out between a man and his pregnant girlfriend/wife was the exception, but it scared the poodads out of us."

"That could happen anywhere. "

Yes it could happen anywhere, but it DID happen on a MARTA train and it has NEVER happened when I have been in a cab.

just answering a question posed by a woman traveling with a teenage daughter. Safety is pretty important to me and is worth the price of a cab in the situation described.

How were you unsafe?

If actual "safety" is a concern, you are at far greater risk of being injured in a cab on Atlanta's roads and freeways than you are on MARTA.

Though I don't doubt that hoosierdaddy's experience was pretty uncomfortable. But then again, I've been in some pretty uncomfortable Atlanta cabs too.

On the MARTA trains,you are ok,even late at night.It's the sidewalks to the Garages,and Garages where you need to be careful,esp late @night 10p and later.If you're a single attractive woman,don't ride MARTA after 10p.And that is probably good advice on all subways,light rail systems,ect.

"If you're a single attractive woman,don't ride MARTA after 10p.And that is probably good advice on all subways,light rail systems,ect."

She's going to Buckhead, for heaven's sake. Her biggest danger will be dodging Volvos and Jaguars.

There is no reason that anyone--a single, attractive woman or not--should be discouraged from taking subways, light rail systems, etc after 10pm.

Hi all--Wanted to follow up. We were fine. Our plane was delayed, so by the time we got on the MARTA, we certainly had to make the switch at Lindbergh station. The switch was nothing--just step off and wait for the train to North Springs--but the station WAS dark. Luckily, the trains come so frequently and their approaching time was displayed so clearly that we were fine. Waiting for our hotel shuttle outstide at the Buckhead Marta felt odd at first--some homeless people sleeping in odd corners and so on--but we noted tons of security.

I certainly felt safe on the cars, even if we were not in its rider racial majority. But then again, we always take mass transit in NY and anywhere overseas, so I'd say our level of expectation and comfort was probably equal to the moment--we generally never feel we have to be a racial majority for our comfort level (we're sort of from the sticks but kinda used to reading our surroundings).

So, all in all, good experience. I haven't been through the airport in so long and really like it now. I thought the MARTA was VERY well marked and our experience was excellent!!! I thank all of you who worried, both pro and con, about my position as a mother of a teen.

I'm glad to hear you had a good trip.