How to get to Tropicana Field

It’s easy to assume that getting to Tropicana Field will involve a car—either yours or someone else’s. And if you’re staying a distance from the ballpark, in places like Tampa or Clearwater, that would be very true. But if you’re staying in St. Pete, you’ll be surprised to hear that there are some really good public transit options that are also available to you (yes, even here… in Florida!). So let’s show you the best ways to get to and from the ballpark from wherever you’ve chosen to stay.

Driving to Tropicana Field

Most relevant for fans staying in St. Pete Beach, Clearwater, Tampa, and beyond

The Trop has 7,000 parking spaces in the team-controlled lots (6,000 once they start building the new stadium next door in 2024), and with the Rays averaging fewer than 18,000 fans a game, you should have no problem getting a spot in a team lot, except for big games against the Yankees or Red Sox.

Parking in team lots is also reasonably priced by MLB standards, ranging from $20-$30, depending on how close you want to park and whether you prepay, which we strongly recommend, because you’ll both get the best price and because there will be some games where the team parking lots will sell out. Parking can be bought in advance on the Rays website or by using the MLB Ballpark app. Honestly, the farther Trop lot is such a short walk to the gates that it probably won’t make much sense for you to do anything other than the cheapest option. Unless there’s a physical need to be closer to the entrance, we suggest saving that extra money for food and beverages.

If you’re going directly to the stadium, we suggest parking in the team lots. Yes, we could bother you with random tips for finding private and city lots nearby, but it’s unlikely you are going to save any money. However, if you plan to pregame at Ferg’s or other bars and restaurants a short walk to the stadium, you will find plenty of private or city lots along or near Central Avenue for about the same price as team lots, and the area is safe.

Rideshare to Tropicana Field

Relevant for everyone, no matter where you’re staying

If you don’t have a rental car, and are staying anywhere other than downtown St. Petersburg or St. Pete Beach, there is no other way to get to the Trop than by rideshare or taxi. 

There’s no dedicated rideshare dropoff zone at Tropicana Field, so we recommend being dropped off at Ferg’s Sports Bar at 1320 Central Ave., whether or not you are pregaming there. It’s a short walk under a tunnel from Ferg’s to the Trop. After the game, the Rays do offer dedicated rideshare pickup locations to the east of Lot 6 and the south of Lot 7. Exit from Gates 1 or 7 and walk to 10th Street or Fourth Avenue South to wait for your driver near the corner of the two. Just be sure to enter the correct location in your rideshare app.

Other options for getting to Tropicana Field from downtown St. Pete

Relevant for those staying in Downtown St. Pete, or who want to park downtown for pregame and not have to pay for parking again at the stadium

Walking

Downtown St. Pete is only 10-12 blocks from The Trop, about a 15-20 minute walk. But let’s be clear: Florida in the summer is HOT. The humidity is out of control here, so even a short stroll to Tropicana Field will leave you sweaty and sticky, and you’ll also be lucky to not get stuck in one of our daily afternoon thunderstorms. So why even suggest walking to the Trop? Well, because it IS doable for those who prefer it. If you’re staying at any of the downtown St. Petersburg hotels, the walk is safe and straightforward, with lots of interesting places to stop and see along the way. So, yeah, it’s possible, but we’d suggest saving this for days when it might be a little overcast, or perhaps at night after the sun has gone down.

Looper Baseball Trolley

St. Pete operates a free trolley throughout downtown every day, but on game days, it also has a special Baseball Shuttle from downtown St. Pete to Tropicana Field that is quick, convenient, safe, and—best of all—FREE! 

The Baseball Trolley starts 90 minutes before game time and runs for one hour after the game with pickup/dropoff at two locations: downtown at 2nd Street South between Central Avenue and 1st Avenue South (across from Craft Kafe), and outside the ballpark at 16th Street and 3rd Avenue South, right across from Gates 4 and 5. Travel time to the Trop is about seven minutes, and it couldn’t be easier. 

After the game, the line for the Looper back to town will be right back at the spot it dropped you off, across from Gates 4/5. Trolleys come every 15 minutes, and about 30-40 people can fit in each one. The longer you wait to leave the game, the longer the line is going to be. But if you get there and the line looks impossibly long, it’s just a six-minute walk to the closest SunRunner station (see below) and you might find that to be a better option, even though it costs $2.25. 

Although we’ve posted the map above, for the sake of ease, here’s a link to the official map with the trolley’s route, pickup/dropoff areas as well.

Note: Do not confuse the Baseball Shuttle with the normal Looper Trolley or the Central Avenue Trolley, neither of which have stops anywhere near the Trop.

SunRunner Rapid Transit Bus

The one knock on the Looper Trolley Baseball Shuttle is that it only operates 90 minutes before game time and for one hour after the game. If you want to get to the Trop when gates open, or plan to pregame or post-game at Ferg’s, you have another great option. The SunRunner is PSTA’s newest option, and they are clean and quick buses with numerous pickup locations downtown. You’ll want to get off at the 13th Street North station, and you’ll have a two block walk past Ferg’s to the stadium. After the game, you’ll grab the SunRunner at the 13th Street South station, just a block from Gate 7.

So why not just use the SunRunner instead of the Baseball Shuttle? Because it costs $2.25 per ride (credit card only, no cash), and because it’s a little bit of a farther walk to the stadium. That’s it. But if you don’t mind the minor fee or the walk, the SunRunner may be easier because it may have fewer people on it.

The SunRunner is also an option for getting to Tropicana Field from St. Pete Beach

The SunRunner is also a surprisingly good public transit option if you’ve decided to stay on St. Pete Beach and don’t want to drive or order a rideshare to the stadium. It uses dedicated lanes for much of the ride between the beach and The Trop, so you get to avoid some traffic delays, and it takes about 30 minutes from the beach to the stadium. It’s new, clean and safe and it only costs $2.25 each way (credit card only). 

You’ll find two stops on St. Pete Beach to pick up the bus, including one at the TradeWinds Resorts, and you’ll get off at 13th Street South, with a one-block walk to the Trop from there. To take the SunRunner back to the beach, you’ll have to walk a bit farther to the westbound stop at 13th St and 1st Ave North. Wondering if that’s a safe place to be? Yeah, it is… it’s right across from the St. Petersburg police station.

Another option for getting to Tropicana from Tampa

The Cross Bay Ferry

If you’re staying in Tampa or Ybor City, you’ll need to drive your rental car or order a rideshare to get to the ballpark. But if you’re planning on seeing a game in April or May, and are a bit adventurous or want a full Florida tourist experience, you do have one alternative option—the Cross Bay Ferry. 

The Cross Bay Ferry is a 55-minute boat ride from the Tampa Convention Center to the Pier of St. Petersburg. It costs $24 roundtrip. What makes this interesting, aside from getting to enjoy a boat ride while in Florida, is that when paired with the free Looper Baseball Shuttle Trolley in St. Petersburg, which goes from downtown St. Pete to Tropicana Field, and the free TECO Streetcar, which connects Ybor City to downtown Tampa, it is possible to make it to the Trop from as far away as Ybor City without a car! To be sure, the trip is lengthy, so if you’re looking for efficiency, this won’t be it. And it certainly won’t save you any money. Really, this is more about turning your ballpark commute into a bonus sightseeing activity, so it might be worth the extra money and time to you. 

Important note: The ferry only operates in April and May, ending on May 28, and doesn’t resume until the baseball season is over, so this isn’t an option for most of the season. Also, because schedules can change, check their website to make sure you’ll be able to make it to the game on time or get back to your hotel afterwards.

Cross Bay Ferry Route

Bottom Line

If you’re staying in Downtown St. Pete, you’ll have your choice of ways to get to the ballpark: walk, free trolley, paid bus, rideshare, or drive. If you’re on St. Pete Beach, you can either drive, rideshare, or take the SunRunner bus. If you’re staying beyond those two places, you’ll be relying on your own car or a rideshare.