Transportation in Charlotte, North Carolina facts for kids
The transportation needs for the city of Charlotte, North Carolina are served by an expanding mass transit system, major airport, and several highways.
Mass transit
The Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) is the agency responsible for operating mass transit in Charlotte, and Mecklenburg County.
CATS operates light rail transit, historical trolleys, express shuttles, and bus service serving Charlotte and its immediate suburbs. The LYNX light rail system comprises a 9.6-mile line north-south line known as the Blue Line. Bus ridership continues to grow (66% since 1998), but more slowly than operations increases which have risen 170% in that same time when adjusted for inflation.
The 2030 Transit Corridor System Plan looks to supplement its established bus service with light rail & commuter rail lines called LYNX. Designed to carry passengers along five key corridors, the project is estimated to cost $8.9 billion. $4.6 billion are capital costs and $4.3 billion are operating costs through 2035. Originally, before the 1998 ballot referendum, the plan had been forecast to cost $1.1 billion.
Air
Charlotte/Douglas International Airport is the 11th busiest airport in the world, as measured by traffic It is served by many domestic airlines, as well as international airlines Air Canada and Lufthansa, and is the second largest hub for American Airlines. Nonstop flights are available to many destinations across the United States, as well as flights to Canada, Central America, the Caribbean, Europe, Mexico, and South America.
