Old posts about Route 54 from MSP are out of date
Route 54 no longer runs to Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport. Metro Transit now runs it only between downtown Saint Paul and Maplewood, with limited stops along I‑94 and the East Side. If you remember a one-seat ride from Terminal 1 to downtown Saint Paul on the 54, that ended with recent network changes.
Current routing: downtown Saint Paul to Maplewood only
The present Route 54 runs as a limited‑stop bus through Saint Paul, roughly along I‑94 and East 7th Street, then out toward Maplewood Mall Transit Center. Scheduled trips take about 20–30 minutes end‑to‑end in normal traffic. Stops are spaced farther apart than a local bus, so you need to check the map for the exact cross street before you commit.
How to reach Route 54 from MSP now
To touch Route 54 from Terminal 1 or 2, you first ride the METRO Blue Line light rail toward either downtown Minneapolis or a mid‑line transfer point, then move to a bus that feeds into downtown Saint Paul. From there you board the 54 toward Maplewood. That extra transfer typically adds 20–30 minutes on top of the 54’s own running time compared with the old direct airport routing.
Fares, frequency, and when it actually runs
On Route 54, fares fall in the standard Metro Transit range of $2.00–$2.50, depending on time of day and whether it’s rush hour. Daytime weekday headways usually sit around 10–20 minutes, but there is no direct MSP service at any time. Late evenings and weekends, trips can thin out, so expect longer waits if you miss a bus by a couple of minutes.
Construction, detours, and why it can run slow
Metro Transit’s service alerts for Route 54 repeatedly cite detours and schedule tweaks tied to I‑94 and Saint Paul road work. That means the advertised 20–30 minute ride can stretch, especially in peak traffic or when buses are pushed off their usual ramps. Compared with the Blue Line’s dedicated right‑of‑way, the 54 sits in the same congestion as every car next to it.
When Route 54 still makes sense from MSP
This bus still lines up for budget‑minded riders heading to Saint Paul’s East Side or Maplewood, who want the $2.00–$2.50 fare and don’t mind stacking transfers. If you’re landing at Terminal 1 or 2 and your final stop is near a 54 limited‑stop segment, it can beat rideshare costs by $20–$40, even with the extra 20–30 minutes added by the Blue Line.
One practical tip
Before you leave MSP’s light rail platform at Terminal 1–Lindbergh or 2–Humphrey, pull up the Metro Transit Trip Planner with “Route 54” filtered in the results; check for current construction alerts on I‑94 and confirm that your trip still shows a total time under about 60 minutes before committing to this path.