Photo by N2xjk, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)
About McKinney Avenue Transit Authority
Founded in 1983, the McKinney Avenue Transit Authority operates a 4.6-mile heritage streetcar service in Uptown & Downtown Dallas
At a Glance
Verified daily- Type
- Heritage railroad & tourist attraction
- Location
- TX
- Rating
- 4.4 ★ 111 Google reviews
Upcoming Events
No ticketed events are currently listed for McKinney Avenue Transit Authority. Many heritage operators publish schedules seasonally or run on regular open hours instead of dated events.
Check the operator’s website for current hours and special runs, or subscribe to event alerts and we’ll email you when something is scheduled.
Plan Your Visit
- Accessibility
- Wheelchair-accessible entrance · accessible restroom · accessible parking
- Hours
- Monday: 7:00 AM – 10:00 PMTuesday: 7:00 AM – 10:00 PMWednesday: 7:00 AM – 10:00 PMThursday: 7:00 AM – 10:00 PMFriday: 7:00 AM – 12:00 AMSaturday: 10:00 AM – 12:00 AMSunday: 10:00 AM – 10:00 PM
Find the Depot
The Trains
Every car in MATA's fleet is a restored original rather than a replica. Car 122, "Rosie," came from Philadelphia's J. G. Brill Company in 1909, built for export to Porto, Portugal; today it is the oldest streetcar in daily service anywhere in North America, and a 2020 restoration renewed its distinctive woodwork, stained glass, and metalwork. Car 186, the "Green Dragon," a 1913 product of the St. Louis Car Co. for Dallas Consolidated Electric Street Railway, worked Dallas streets for 43 years, survived later life as a hay barn, and was returned to running order in 1989. Car 369, "Matilda," is a 1925 Melbourne W2-class tram from James Moore, Ltd. that served six decades in Australia before MATA purchased it in 1986; discreet air-conditioning was added in 2008. Car 636, "Petunia," is a 1920 Brill-built Birney Safety Car from a Dallas Railway Co. order, named for its designer, Charles O. Birney.
History
See full history
The McKinney Avenue Transit Authority was born from a rediscovery: original streetcar rails turned up beneath McKinney Avenue in Dallas's Uptown district, and in 1983 streetcar collector Ed Landrum and restaurateur Phil Cobb incorporated the nonprofit to bring trolleys back to the historic avenue. In a deliberate nod to the past, MATA signed the lease on its Bowen Avenue car barn at 2:08 a.m. on January 14, 1986 — thirty years to the minute after Dallas's last scheduled streetcar rolled in. Fresh track went down near Hall Street in September 1988, and the heritage line has been in service since 1989, running restored vintage cars rather than modern replicas. A 2002 extension to meet DART's Cityplace subway station stretched the route to 3.8 miles and brought both the official "M-Line" name and free fares for every rider, funded by donations plus an operating subsidy shared by DART and the Uptown Improvement District. The trolley now runs every day along McKinney Avenue between West Village and Klyde Warren Park and onward into the Dallas Arts District, connecting with DART rail at both ends.
Around the Depot
Getting There & Staying Nearby
Optional trip extras from our travel partners.
Rent a Car
Most heritage railroads sit well off the interstate. Picking up a rental at the nearest airport is usually the easiest way in.
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Tours & Activities Nearby
Tours
Guided tours, day trips, and things to do around the area, bookable in advance through Viator.
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