I commuted on DART rail for 18 months. Here's the honest review.
The route:
- Red Line: Plano -> Downtown Dallas -> Westmoreland
- Blue Line: Rowlett -> Downtown -> UNT Dallas
- Green Line: Buckner -> Victory -> Farmers Branch
- Orange Line: DFW Airport -> Downtown -> LBJ/Central
What works:
- Downtown Dallas commute from Richardson/Plano: 35-45 min, reliable, $5/day
- DFW Airport connection (Orange Line): Actually convenient
- No traffic stress, can read/work on the train
- Monthly pass: $96 (cheaper than gas + parking downtown)
What doesn't:
- Frequency: Trains every 15-20 min. Miss one and your commute adds 20 min.
- Last mile problem: Most stations have NO walkable destinations. You need a car to get TO the station.
- Safety perception: Late-night ridership is sketchy. Not dangerous but uncomfortable.
- East-west coverage: Nearly non-existent. DART is north-south only.
- Fort Worth: TRE exists but runs limited schedules.
Neighborhoods where DART actually works:
- Richardson (CityLine station — walkable to apartments)
- Downtown Carrollton (Trinity Mills station)
- Plano Downtown (Downtown Plano station)
- Mockingbird Station (closest to SMU/Uptown)
Sources:
- DART.org — route maps, schedules, pricing
- Transit Score — DFW neighborhood transit ratings
- Google Maps — commute time comparisons
- Personal experience — 18 months of daily DART ridership