Boardwalk Trolley Route Starts June 30; Downtown Service Cancelled

Seasonal trolley service in Ocean City will resume this summer on Saturday, June 30 — just as the island's population begins to swell with visitors streaming into town for the holiday week (July 4 falls on the following Wednesday).

But Ocean City visitors will have a choice of only one route this summer: along the roads nearest to the beach and boardwalk. A second route that provided service to Ocean City's downtown shopping district for the past four years will not be offered this year.

The service is run by the private Great American Trolley Co. but is subsidized by the Ocean City Tourism Development Commission as a way to offer public transportation at a time of year when streets are gridlocked and parking spaces filled.

The Tourism Development Commission decided that there was not enough demand for the downtown route to justify the subsidy this year, according to Ocean City Business Administrator Mike Dattilo. He said the downtown route was fully subsidized last year and allowed for free fares for passengers.

The "Boardwalk Trolley Route," which is only partially subsidized, will operate from June 30 through Sept. 2 with the following fare schedule:

• Adult single fare one-way: $2.50
• Child (under 4 feet) single fare one-way: $1.50
• Adult all-day pass: $4
• Child (under 4 feet) all-day pass: $2
• Babes in arms are free at all times (provided they do not occupy a seat).
• Music Pier ticket-holders ride free northbound only and must show ticket.

Trolleys run 15 minutes apart in a continuous loop between 5 p.m. and midnight. The last southbound pickup from Ocean Avenue and Battersea Road (the northern terminus of the route) is at 11:30 p.m.

Drivers stop at any corner on the route and ask passengers to simply flag them. Passengers waiting for trolleys can call 609-846-4058 (Driver No. 1) or 609-846-4064 (Driver No. 2) to check where trolleys are.

For more information, call 609-884-7392 or visit the Great American Trolley website.