Attention all downtown Raleigh residents, office workers, and tourists! A delightful transportation option has returned, much like a ray of sunshine piercing through a particularly dull Wednesday morning. The R-LINE offers an eco-friendly tour of downtown Raleigh’s many delights. Approximately every 15 minutes, one of these buses will pull up, ready to whisk you away to restaurants, shops, museums, hotels, and more. Here are the best things to see along Raleigh’s R-Line.
About the R-Line
The R-Line is free to ride until July 1, 2024. As of July 1, an R-Line or other GoRaleigh bus trip will cost $1.25. A day pass will be $2.50 and there are also 7-day and 31-day passes, as well as reduced fares for certain populations. Single fares and day passes can be purchased on the bus with cash; all other passes and payment types need to be processed at purchased at the GoRaleigh Station. Here’s more fare and pass info.
The route serves major destinations including the Convention Center, the Performing Arts Center, GoRaleigh Station, Raleigh Crossing, Raleigh Union Station, Red Hat, Seaboard Station, William Peace University, Smoky Hollow, and the State Capital Building.
There is an Outbound Route which starts at Raleigh Union Station (Stop 1) and ends at the Convention Center (Stop 13). After the bus sits at the Convention Center for a while, it goes through some sort of magical transformation and becomes Inbound Route Stop 1. The Inbound Route ends at Raleigh Union Station (Stop 13). After the bus sits at Raleigh Union Station for a while, it goes through a similar magical transformation and becomes Outbound Stop 1. And the cycle repeats. Get it? Here is the R-Line Map so you can see for yourself.
The R-Line circulates approximately every 15 minutes:
- Monday – Wednesday from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.
- Thursday – Saturday from 7:00 a.m. to 2:15 a.m.
- Sunday from 1:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
You can track live locations of the buses here. You will likely notice that they tend to sit at Stops 1/13 for quite a while.
Outbound to Raleigh Convention Center:
Raleigh Union Station –> Seaboard Station –> Convention Center
Outbound Bus Stop 1: Raleigh Union Station, facing south
Points of interest here include Raleigh Union Station and the Contemporary Art Museum (CAM).
Hungry? Try La Terrazza or Heirloom.
Outbound Bus Stop 2: Harrington Street at Hargett Street, northbound
Get off here to get to the Raleigh Municipal Building or Nash Square.
Hungry? Try Vita Vite, A Place at the Table, or O-Ku.
Outbound Bus Stop 3: Harrington St at Hillsborough St, northbound
This is the best stop for Campbell University Law School.
Hungry? Try Morgan Street Food Hall, The Roast Grill, or Taverna Agora.
Outbound Bus Stop 4: West St at Jones St, northbound
Hungry? Try Five Star or Killjoy.
Outbound Bus Stop 5: West St at Tucker St, northbound
Get off here for Smoky Hollow.
Hungry? Try Morelia Ice Cream Paletas, Madre, or Midwood Smokehouse.
Outbound Bus Stop 6: West St at Peace St, northbound
Get off here for Publix Super Market.
Outbound Bus Stop 7: Seaboard Station Dr / William Peace University, eastbound
This is your stop for Seaboard Station and Peace University.
Hungry? Head to Bad Daddy’s Burger Bar or The Yard Milkshake Bar.
Outbound Bus Stop 8: Salisbury St at Parking Deck, southbound
If you want to explore the State Government Complex or walk around Halifax Mall, get off here.
Outbound Bus Stop 9: Salisbury St at Lane St, southbound
Get off here if you want to visit the North Carolina Freedom Park
Outbound Bus Stop 10: Salisbury St at Jones St, southbound
Points of interest here include NC Museum of Natural Sciences and NC Museum of History.
Outbound Bus Stop 11: Salisbury St at Morgan St, southbound
This is the best stop for the NC State Capitol Building.
Hungry? Try Centro or Benny Capitale’s.
Outbound Bus Stop 12: Salisbury St at Martin St, southbound
Get off here for the Old Post Office.
Hungry? Try Lucettegrace, Death and Taxes, or Flavor Hills.
Outbound Bus Stop 13: Raleigh Convention Center, southbound
The last stop gives you access to the Raleigh Convention Center, Shaw University, and the Center for the Performing Arts.
Hungry? Try Element Gastropub or Chido Taco.
Inbound to Raleigh Union Station:
Convention Center –> GoRaleigh Station –> Raleigh Union Station
Inbound Bus Stop 1: Raleigh Convention Center, facing south
This is the stop for the Raleigh Convention Center.
Inbound Bus Stop 2: Center for the Performing Arts / Shaw University, eastbound
Get off here for Shaw University and the Center for the Performing Arts.
Inbound Bus Stop 3: Wilmington St at Cabarrus St, northbound
Get off here for the Pope House Museum.
Hungry? Try Element Gastropub or Chido Taco.
Inbound Bus Stop 4: Wilmington St at Davie St, northbound
Get off here for City Market.
Hungry? Try Big Ed’s, Mustang House, or Sosta Cafe.
Inbound Bus Stop 5: Wilmington St at Hargett St, northbound
This is the best stop for Moore Square, Marbles Kids Museum and the GoRaleigh Station.
Inbound Bus Stop 6: Wilmington St at Morgan St, northbound
Get off here for the State Capital Building.
Inbound Bus Stop 7: Wilmington St at Jones St, northbound
Points of interest here include NC Museum of Natural Sciences and NC Museum of History.
Inbound Bus Stop 8: Wilmington St at North St, northbound
Get off here for the State Government Complex or Halifax Mall.
Inbound Bus Stop 9: Seaboard Station Dr / William Peace University, westbound
This is your stop for Seaboard Station and Peace University.
Hungry? Head to Bad Daddy’s Burger Bar or The Yard Milkshake Bar.
Inbound Bus Stop 10: West St at Johnson St, southbound
Get off here for destinations in Smoky Hollow.
Hungry? Try Morelia Ice Cream Paletas, Madre, or Midwood Smokehouse.
Inbound Bus Stop 11: West St at North St, southbound
Hungry: Try Five Star or La Santa.
Inbound Bus Stop 12: West St at Hargett St, southbound
Get off here to get to the Raleigh Municipal Building or Campbell University Law School.
Inbound Bus Stop 13: Raleigh Union Station, southbound
This is the best stop for Raleigh Union Station and the Contemporary Art Museum (CAM).
Hungry? Try La Terrazza or Heirloom.
So hop aboard, dear reader. The R-LINE promises an adventure!
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