Avoid parking & traffic hassles, use transit this Spring Break!
It’s hard to believe that March is here (well, almost as of the publishing of this post)!
And when we talk about March, we talk about the rush of college students & families from all across Pinellas County & beyond to enjoy the county’s award-winning beaches.
Along with this of course, comes a lot of traffic & parking headaches. As I have done in the past, I will break down some of the alternatives available to you should you join in on the Spring Break hustle & bustle.
- Important Changes to St. Pete Beach Options
- Enhanced Transit Service To Clearwater Beach Returns!
- What if I’m going to another beach?
- What other transportation options are available?
- Going into other counties?
- Connect with the Global Transit Guidebook!
Important Changes to St. Pete Beach Options
This section will contain information regarding the SunRunner – including a recent addition to the service, as well as some changes made to the Central Ave Trolley.
The Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA) continues to provide the SunRunner Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line, which quickly connects residents & visitors alike to St. Pete Beach to & from Downtown St. Petersburg.
Regardless of where you’re coming from in Pinellas County, you can hop aboard the SunRunner to connect to St. Pete Beach to enjoy fun in the sun without dealing with parking fees, limited parking spaces, or changing lanes on the causeways. You can also get to Downtown St. Pete after the beach to enjoy dinner & nightlife without having to dish out even more time & money for parking.
Buses operate every 15 minutes during the day, every day, with 30 minute frequency after 8:00pm. With frequent service during the day & limited stops along the way – not to mention buses operating in designated lanes throughout much of the corridor – you’ll spend less time on the bus & more time at the beach or other area destinations!
New For 2025!
The recently implemented SunRunner After Dark service allows for the extension of 15-minute service frequencies on Friday & Saturday evenings, allowing greater opportunities for residents & visitors alike to quickly connect to & from St. Pete Beach, as well as area dining, entertainment, & retail spots.
SunRunner Span Of Service
Sunday through Thursday (includes some major holidays)
- Service begins at 6:00am.
- 15-minute frequency from 6:00am until 8:00pm.
- 30-minute frequency from 8:00pm until 12-midnight.
- Final trips depart Downtown St. Pete (3rd St S @ 3rd Ave S) & St. Pete Beach (4700 Gulf Blvd Beach Access Lot) at 12-midnight.
Friday & Saturday
(includes Good Friday, 4/18/25)
- Service begins at 6:00am.
- 15-minute frequency for the entire service span (all day & evening).
- Final trips depart Downtown St. Pete (3rd St S @ 3rd Ave S) & St. Pete Beach (4700 Gulf Blvd Beach Access Lot) at 12-midnight.
The SunRunner After Dark service is provided thanks to funding from the City of St. Petersburg.
Fare Payment Reminder!
PSTA’s normal fare payment policies remain in effect on the SunRunner – unless otherwise announced by the agency (fare-free periods may occur during special events being held). The one-way fare is $2.25, with the daily cap being $5.00. The SunRunner is a completely cashless fare payment service, so cash is not accepted as payment on board SunRunner buses. Customers may either download the Flamingo Fares smartphone app, purchase a Flamingo Fares physical card, or use a contactless bank card or mobile wallet app. Please refer to the links below for more information.
Fare Payment Information & Apps
The General Fare Payment Information Page on the GTG website provides a general overview of fares & payment options for both PSTA & HART. If you have a physical Flamingo Fares card, you can access the Flamingo Fares website below to activate & register your card, add value, & more. If you prefer to download the Flamingo Fares smartphone app, you can do so below via either the Apple App Store (iPhone) or Google Play Store (Android devices).
Transit Vehicle Prediction/Planning Apps
PSTA & HART both officially endorse the Transit App for transit vehicle predictions & trip planning (both agencies also pay for the Transit App Royale subscription, which provides users with additional features & unique app branding). However, both agencies are also supported on the Moovit app & Google Maps. These apps are all free to use.
Central Ave Trolley Service To St. Pete Beach Is No Longer Available
When one door closes another door opens; but we so often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door, that we do not see the ones which open for us.
ALEXANDER GRAHAM BELL
Due to budgetary constraints, PSTA decided to curtail Central Ave Trolley service to operate only between Downtown St. Petersburg & Grand Central Station in 2023. This means that customers wishing to proceed to St. Pete Beach from Downtown will need to use the SunRunner.
Enhanced Transit Service To Clearwater Beach Returns!
The award-winning Clearwater Beach is a consistent hotspot for tourists & residents alike. Because of the immense amount of people who visit Clearwater throughout the year, peak tourist seasons always bring forth massive amounts of traffic across the Memorial Causeway bridge, & this year will certainly be no exception.
For the past several years (with the exception of 2020 & 2021 due the Covid pandemic), the City of Clearwater & PSTA have partnered to allow residents & visitors alike, an alternative way to get to & from Clearwater Beach. There will be several locations for drivers to park in Downtown Clearwater & then catch a trolley bus to the beach. During peak periods, additional vehicles will be dispatched to help handle the increased loads.
Whether you’re driving into the Clearwater area, or using a PSTA bus route to connect to the trolleys, you can leave the driving to your bus operator & not have to worry about changing lanes or battling other visitors to find a parking space. I will tell you right now that finding parking in Clearwater Beach is extremely difficult during the peak tourist season, & you could be waiting over 15 minutes in some cases just to find a parking space.
During the week (Monday through Thursday), trolley buses will operate their normal posted schedules, with some enhancements being available starting at 10:00am. Trolley service begins to wind down at 10:00pm, so please be aware if staying out late. On Fridays & Saturdays, there will be enhanced 15 minute trolley service starting at 10:00am, running all the way to 12-midnight! On Sundays, enhanced 15 minute trolley service will start at 10:00am & run until end of service at 10:00pm.
Please be sure to follow PSTA on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), & Instagram (handles for all three social media platforms are ridepsta) for special Spring Break transit promotions!
Clearwater Ferry Service
While the Clearwater Ferry has been around for several years, 2025 marks the first year that PSTA is providing support to the service – allowing for another meaningful, long-term transport option to those wishing to seek a break from the traffic & parking hassles while visiting Clearwater Beach.
The Clearwater Ferry operates during the year & normally operates two routes: Downtown Clearwater to Clearwater Beach, & Downtown Clearwater to Dunedin. Due to damage caused to the docks in coastal Dunedin from the 2024 hurricanes, the Dunedin service is temporarily suspended – with resources being allocated to the Clearwater Beach service until further notice.
Information on tickets, schedules, & more can be found via the link below:
Grouper Airport Express
In addition to PSTA now supporting the Clearwater Ferry, the agency has also launched a new on-demand based express service between St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport & Clearwater Beach called Grouper. Grouper allows individuals & small groups (up to 8 riders) to seamlessly connect between the two areas for a reasonable fare. Service is provided during all days of the week by which there are scheduled flights in & out of the airport. Rides can also be reserved up to 3 months in advance.
What if I’m going to another beach?
Most of Pinellas’ award-winning beaches are served by either a PSTA bus or trolley, or the Jolley Trolley lines. The only exceptions are Fort Desoto Park/Beach, Honeymoon Island, Sunset Beach, and Fred Howard Park, as there is no transit service to these destinations. However, bicyclists can ride to these areas without having to venture too far off from a bus route or The Pinellas Trail system.
The Suncoast Beach Trolley
- St. Pete Beach (terminating at 75th Ave @ Gulf Blvd).
- Treasure Island
- Madeira Beach (including the John’s Pass Shopping District & Boardwalk)
- Connection to Route 68 is available at John’s Pass. Simply exit the trolley at the stops across from the shopping district and board Route 68 at the northbound-facing stop along Gulf Blvd. You may also transfer by exiting the trolley at any stop along Gulf Blvd between the shopping district & 150th Ave (Tom Stuart Causeway).
- Reddington Beaches (including Reddington Shores)
Indian Shores - Indian Rocks Beach
- Connection to Route 59 is available at 4th Ave. Simply exit the trolley at the Gulf Blvd stop by the CVS Pharmacy at 4th Ave & walk one block east to the stop on 4th Ave @ 1st St.
- There are no stops in the Belleair Beach or Belleair Shores areas.
- Unfortunately, these communities are not very friendly to transit and do not wish to place any funding towards transit service, so thus there are no trolley stops in these communities.
- Sand Key Beach
- Clearwater Beach (including dining and entertainment)
- PSTA Clearwater Beach Transit Center
- Island Estates (early morning trips only, use the Jolley Trolley for all other times)
- PSTA Park St Terminal
- Downtown Clearwater dining and entertainment
The Jolley Trolley
- The Jolley Trolley Beach Route serves Island Estates after 10:00am. The route also serves many popular Clearwater Beach destinations throughout the day. Departure times are staggered so that you don’t have to wait too long for either a PSTA Suncoast Beach Trolley or a Jolley Trolley vehicle to arrive if you’re traversing the island.
- Sand Key Beach
- Clearwater Beach (including dining and entertainment)
- PSTA Clearwater Beach Transit Center
- Island Estates
- PSTA Park St Terminal
- Downtown Clearwater dining and entertainment
- Various coastal destinations throughout Dunedin, Ozona, and Tarpon Springs – including the Tarpon Springs Sponge Docks.
To track the Suncoast Beach Trolley, please use the links provided in the SunRunner section to access Google Maps, Transit App, or Moovit.
What other transportation options are available?
For those who aren’t using transit to get around, but still don’t want to rent a vehicle, you can utilize Uber and Lyft. Just keep in mind that surge pricing may be in effect during periods of high demand. Taxicab companies will also be busy shutting people around the area.
- Uber
- Lyft
- United Taxi – (727)-777-7777
- Florida Free Rides – (727) 424-5458 – Free service on Clearwater Beach island, with $10.00 one-way fares to the mainland.
- Freebee Shuttle (St. Pete Beach, Pass-A-Grille Beach, & Downtown Dunedin) – Visit website to learn more & use the app to book a ride. Service is fare free.
If you’re visiting Downtown St. Petersburg, you can also take advantage of transport options such as bike sharing & scooters (where available). Fees are affordable and there are numerous hubs located throughout the city.
Going into other counties?
If you plan to visit Hillsborough, Pasco, or Manatee County, please see the resources below for further information.
- PSTA Route 100X – Weekdays Only
- PSTA Route 300X – Weekdays Only
- PSTA Route 812 – Monday through Saturday
- GoPasco
- GoPasco Route 18 – Monday through Saturday
- GoPasco Route 19 – Monday through Saturday
- Hillsborough Transit Authority (d.b.a. HART)
- Manatee County Area Transit
- MCAT Route 203 – Weekdays Only (limited trips)
- Cross-Bay Ferry (Pinellas & Hillsborough)
- Tuesday through Sunday service through October, 2025.
Connect with the Global Transit Guidebook!
Be sure to bookmark: http://globaltransitguidebook.com
The Global Transit Guidebook 