MARTA is truncated for Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority. It provides rapid heavy and light rail service to the urban areas of Atlanta in Georgia and is divided into 4 colored lines – Red, Blue, Green, and Gold. It features as one of the largest transit systems in the States and serves approximately 400,000 passengers daily. The transit agency was founded in 1972 and is over 50 years old today.
A popular mode of transport with a flat-rate fare system in the city of Atlanta, MARTA serves Fulton, DeKalb, Gwinnett, and Clayton counties. This mass transit system is the only one in the country that does not receive state funding. It is entirely owned and operated by the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority.
If you are visiting Atlanta for a few days and wish to tour the place, buy MARTA transit’s day pass with unlimited rides. You can avail of the different day passes like – 1-day for $9, 2-day for $14, 3-day for $16, 4-day $19, 7-day pass for $23, 10 trip pass for $25, 20 trip pass for $42, and 30-day pass for $95. MARTA’s rapid rail network serves over 50 stations, covering 48 miles of track. It operates at a speed of up to 70 miles per hour.
If you are a first-time user, please refer to the train schedules, timings, and fares on their official website www.itsmarta.com. You may buy a Breeze Card for $2 or a Breeze ticket for $1 at any MARTA station from the vending machines, or you may choose to purchase your ticket online by visiting www.breezecard.com. Breeze tickets are for single use only, but breeze cards can be reloaded for up to 3 years. A regular one-way trip is $2.50; it is $1 for the senior and disabled riders; it is free for children who are 46 inches in height or under.
The operational hours of the MARTA metro are 4:45 AM to 1 AM on weekdays; and 6 AM to 1 AM on weekends. The peak hours are between 6 to 9 AM and 3 to 7 PM. Trains are available every 20 minutes.
Know Important Train Routes
MARTA’s north-south line runs from the North Springs station and the Doraville station to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in the south. The east-west line connects the Hamilton Holmes station with the Indian Creek station. MARTA’s Five Points Station is the busiest one as commuters transfer between lines.
The Red Line connects North Springs with Atlanta Airport and there are 19 stops; the Gold Line connects Doraville with the Airport with 18 stops; the Blue Line connects Hamilton E. Holmes with the Indian Creek station with 15 stops, and the Green Line connects Bankhead with Edgewood/Candler Park with 9 stops.
If you have recently travelled on MARTA and have lost or misplaced an item, here are ways to get help.
1. Connect With the Lost Property Office
It is quite common for commuters to leave behind their belongings on the train in their hurry to leave. If you too have left behind important articles on a MARTA train and are now looking to retrieve the same, then you must first file a missing item report with MARTA by submitting a lost item inquiry form and filling in all relevant details by clicking on the link here.
Typically, you will be required to fill in details like the date when the item/s was lost; the approximate time when it was lost; train route number; rail line; rail station (departure and arrival); a general description of the item lost (net value, size, brand, color); additional information that you may wish to provide; your contact details like full name, phone number, and email. You should receive an acknowledgment email within 24 hours, an indication that your ‘Lost Item Inquiry’ has been received.
In the majority of cases, items are turned in to a MARTA employee on the train or the officials at Lost Property Office (Lost and Found department) but it may take 3-5 business days to reach there. Once you submit the web form, a search is launched right away. The officers at Lost and Found run a match on their database and success will prompt them to contact you by your preferred method.
If you would rather file a missing item report physically, you may visit the office located at 30, Alabama Street, Atlanta inside the Five Points Rail Station. They operate between 8:30 AM and 5:00 PM Mondays through Fridays. Unclaimed items are properly disposed of or donated to the right agencies within 30 calendar days.
2. Speak to a Customer Service Agent
If you would rather call a MARTA agent at their call center, you may dial (404) 848-3208 or (404) 848-5000.
Irrespective of the method you select to file a missing item report with MARTA, please remember to do so only once. Please provide as many details as you can about the item lost to facilitate easy retrieval. If your description matches anything on their system’s record, they will contact you for further verification. Once you confirm, they initiate the collection procedure. To claim your belongings, you will be required to carry a valid photo ID. If you are sending someone in your place, make sure to send an authorization letter with them along with their photo ID.
3. Create a Tweet or Facebook Post
Using Twitter or Facebook social accounts to raise a concern can be equally effective today. Their social media agent will forward your report with relevant details to the authorized person at Customer Service/Lost and Found from where someone will contact you for additional information to log your complaint officially into their system.
