Twin Cities Metro transit offers free bus rides on St. Patrick's Day

March 16, 3:07 PMMinneapolis City Guide ExaminerLori Wilson

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Photo Traveling Fools of America

This ride is not sponsored by MillerCoors.

For the past 11 years, Miller Brewing Company has helped Twin Cities party-goers drink beer responsibly without shelling out the cab fare on St. Patrick's Day.

This year you can go green, drink green and save green, thanks to the genius collaborative effort with MillerCoors, transportation systems, community organizations, and local law enforcement agencies. On March 17, the Milwaukee-based brewery is again sponsoring the Twin Cities promotion to discourage drunk driving. All Metro Transit buses and trains will offer free rides across Minneapolis and St. Paul this Tuesday, starting at 6 p.m. and running until the last scheduled stop. 

The number of free rides may be down this year because the holiday falls on a Tuesday, but traffic enforcement will still be amped up around the city. Since every dive bar in town will probably plan some kind of Patty's Day debauchery, this extra preventive measure is a sure bet for downtown partying. Responsible riders who take advantage of the free rides will also receive coupons to local restaurants like Champps, Flannery's, Applebee's, TGI Fridays, and more.

MillerCoors Free Rides will be your driving service to popular bars and restaurants all over Minneapolis and St. Paul. To further prevent drunk driving, MillerCoors also partnered with 1-800-TAXICAB, a national taxi dispatch service that automatically connects callers with local taxi companies. This year, MillerCoors provided cab vouchers to sponsored retailers for distribution among customers as a safe driving alternative.

To find out a bus/light rail route near you, either call 1-800-FREE-RIDES (1-800-373-3743) for more information or visit  the MillerCoors Free Rides website. The Metro Transit site offers a wealth of route maps and schedules, so if you are unsure of your route number, you can plan a customized trip and let the drivers take care of the rest of your night.

Downtown riding to Hot Bar Spots:

The Hiawatha Line offers a light-rail service between downtown Minneapolis and Mall of America. You can hop on and off at 17 different stations along the way. Downtown stations include stops at the Warehouse District (home to cool architectural digs like this one), Nicollet Mall, the Metrodome, (also known as the Rollerdome), and a host of nearby bars to keep your Irish eyes smiling all night long.