Don’t get frustrated behind the wheel and stuck in traffic this vacation in Gatlinburg! There’s a better travel method that allows you to sit back, relax and take in the very best scenery of our mountain paradise instead. The Gatlinburg Trolley is a great way to travel through Gatlinburg and explore the best the city has to offer! Did we mention you never have to worry about finding and paying for pesky parking?! Here’s exactly what you need to know about the Gatlinburg Trolley service:
About the Gatlinburg Trolley
The Gatlinburg Trolley is a free and easy way to get around Gatlinburg! Over 12 million visitors make their way to the area each year and the Trolley offers a free way to move around the downtown area, as well as the US Highway 441 and US Highway 321/East Parkway areas, 365 days a year.
The Gatlinburg Trolley system was created in 1980 with 6 trolleys as part of the original service. Today, it features a fleet of over 20 handicap accessible trolleys that serve the area. All vehicles in the Gatlinburg Transit Fleet are ADA equipped.
Trolleys can be boarded throughout the city – anywhere you see a Street Trolley sign! A Park N Ride lot is available at the Gatlinburg Welcome Center, at 1011 Banner Road, just off the Spur before entering Gatlinburg. Simply park (for free!), hop on a Trolley and you’ll arrive downtown in just a matter of minutes!
Gatlinburg Trolley Routes
The Gatlinburg Trolley offers 4 different routes that navigate throughout the city, with each running to Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies. The routes and their corresponding stops are as follows:
Blue – East Parkway, Community Center, Rocky Top Sports World, Library and Mass Transit Center at Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies
Red – River Rd., Ski Mountain Rd., Parkway from Traffic Light #10 to Traffic Light #8, Convention Center, Airport Rd., Park Vista Hotel, Cherokee Orchard Rd., Baskins Creek Rd., Woliss Ln. and Mass Transit Center at Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies
Purple – North Parkway, Spur Welcome Center Park and Ride and Mass Transit Center at Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies
Yellow – Departs from Mass Transit Center at Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies to the Great Smoky Arts and Craft Community. This Trolley runs approximately once an hour from 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
*NOTE: The yellow route runs daily from April through October. In November and December, the yellow route is in operation Monday through Saturday.*
Gatlinburg Trolley Map
Visitors can pick up a complimentary physical copy of the Gatlinburg Trolley routes at the Gatlinburg Welcome Center.
Gatlinburg Trolley Hours of Operation
The trolley runs 365 days per year. Here are the hours of operation for the trolley service:
March – April: 10:30 a.m. – 10 p.m.
May – October: 8:30 a.m. – midnight
November – February: 10:30 a.m. – 6 p.m. (Sunday – Thursday) and 10:30 a.m. – 10 p.m. (Friday – Saturday)
For more specific information about the Gatlinburg trolley, click here.
Want to learn more about the trolley systems in the area? Take a look at this Pigeon Forge trolley map to find out about the Pigeon Forge trolley routes.
