The Hop’s L‑Line

The Hop’s first new route extension fully opened to the public on Thursday, April 11. The streetcar now services the L-Line seven days per week, including the Lakefront stop inside the Couture transit concourse, providing riders with access to Milwaukee’s lakefront and its countless destinations and attractions.

The L-Line is a nearly 2-mile route incorporating five existing streetcar stations along the Milwaukee/Broadway corridor with three new stops along a new spur connecting to Milwaukee’s Lakefront. The extension was funded in large part by a Federal TIGER (Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery) grant awarded to the City of Milwaukee in 2015. The new route provides an important connection between the existing M-Line and many of Milwaukee’s most-visited destinations, including the Henry Maier Festival Park, Milwaukee Art Museum, Discovery World, Veterans Park, and all that Milwaukee’s downtown lakefront has to offer.

L-Line Hours of Operation

Monday-Friday 5 a.m. – 12 a.m.; Saturday 7 a.m. – 12 a.m.; Sunday 7 a.m. – 10 p.m.

Vehicles to arrive every 20 minutes

Click here to view the full L-Line schedule

How to Ride

En Español

L-Line FAQ

Where will the L-Line stop?

The L-Line serves five existing stations (City Hall NB and SB, Wisconsin Ave NB and SB, and Historic Third Ward EB) and three new stations (Clybourn at Jefferson WB, Michigan at Jackson EB, and Lakefront). The Lakefront stop will not be open initially while Couture construction is still ongoing.

How does the L-Line work?

The L-Line will be served by one dedicated car that will operate in a figure-eight pattern: east on Michigan, through the Couture site, west on Clybourn, north on Milwaukee to Kilbourn, south on Broadway to St. Paul, back north on Milwaukee to Michigan.

How do I know which streetcar I’m boarding?

The LED screens on the outside of the streetcars (at each end above the windshield and on each side between the doors) will denote which route the car is serving. If the LED says either Intermodal or Burns Commons, it is an M-Line car. If the LED says Lakefront, it is the L-Line car.

Say I want to get from Intermodal or Burns Commons to the Lakefront. How do I do that?

Passengers can transfer from one line to the other at any of the five shared stations. If coming from Intermodal, you would exit the M-Line car at Historic Third Ward EB (outside of Café Benelux) and wait to board the L-Line car to continue your trip. If coming from Burns Commons, you could exit at City Hall SB or Wisconsin Ave SB and wait to board the L-Line car to continue your trip.

Why is a relatively short extension like the L-Line so important?

The L-Line will give Hop riders direct access to some of the City’s premier destinations, including the Summerfest Grounds, Milwaukee Art Museum, Discovery World, Veterans Park, and much more. Additionally, some major employers are located along the L-Line, including Northwestern Mutual, Johnson Controls, the US Bank building, and others.