The WeGo Star is Nashville’s only commuter rail line. It runs 32 miles between downtown Nashville and Lebanon, Tennessee, making seven stops along the way. It is not a tourist service, not an airport connection, and not a substitute for a car in most of the city. It is a commuter train that runs on weekdays only, twice in the morning toward Nashville and twice in the afternoon heading back out, plus two shorter runs that only go as far as Mt. Juliet.
The Route
The line runs east from downtown Nashville along the Nashville and Eastern Railroad corridor, roughly paralleling I-40. The seven stations in order are: Riverfront (downtown Nashville), Donelson, Hermitage, Mt. Juliet, Martha, Hamilton Springs, and Lebanon. The full trip from Lebanon to Riverfront takes about 55 minutes. From Mt. Juliet it is closer to 37 minutes.
The Riverfront station sits at the foot of downtown near the Cumberland River. From there, passengers can transfer to WeGo bus routes: Route 64 (Star Downtown Shuttle) and Route 93 (Star West End Shuttle) meet arriving trains at Riverfront Station.
Schedule
The WeGo Star operates exclusively on weekdays. There are no weekend trains, no holiday trains except for special event service on select occasions, and no service after rush hour. Outbound trains leave downtown in the late afternoon, with departures from Riverfront at roughly 4:20pm, 5:10pm, and 5:55pm. Inbound morning trains arrive in Nashville between roughly 7:00am and 8:45am depending on the originating station. The schedule is designed almost entirely around a 9-to-5 downtown commuter pattern.
Some special event trains are chartered for concerts and sporting events. Details on those are posted on the WeGo website and require advance tickets.
Fares
A one-way ticket from any station to downtown is $5.25 if purchased onboard (cash only). Tickets bought at station TVMs (ticket vending machines) use the QuickTicket system, which accepts Mastercard, Discover, and other cards. Children aged 4 and under ride free. Reduced fares for seniors and Medicare cardholders are available through QuickTicket, purchased at WeGo Central in downtown. There are also 10-ride and monthly pass options for regular commuters.
What the Train Is Actually Like
The WeGo Star uses four rebuilt ex-Amtrak F40PH diesel locomotives and eight bilevel coaches that previously ran on Chicago Metra. The cars have two seating levels; the upper decks are split on either side of the aisle. Seats are adequate for a commuter train and the ride is smooth for most of the route. There are no power outlets, no tables, and no bathroom on the train itself. WiFi availability has been reported inconsistently by riders; do not count on it. Bring your own coffee.
In 2024, the line carried 125,900 passenger trips for the year, which is well below its 2018 peak of roughly 298,800 and makes it one of the lowest-ridership commuter rail systems in the country. The pandemic decimated ridership; 2021 annual trips fell to around 57,500. Recovery has been slow, partly because post-pandemic remote work has reduced the commuter base.
Parking at Stations
Each outlying station has a parking lot for commuters. If you live along the corridor between Lebanon and Donelson and commute to downtown, parking is the most practical way to access the system. Parking is free at most stations.
What It Is Not Useful For
The WeGo Star does not serve the airport. It does not run on weekends, which rules it out for virtually all tourist use. It does not serve any of the neighborhoods that draw the most visitors: East Nashville, The Gulch, 12 South, Germantown, and Midtown are all off the route. It is useful specifically for people who live in the eastern suburbs along the Lebanon corridor and work downtown on weekdays.
Sources
- WeGo Star Wikipedia entry
- WeGo Star Ride Guide (revised November 2024), wegotransit.com
- WeGo Public Transit train service page, wegotransit.com
- NashvilleSMLS, “Nashville Public Transportation: 6 Ways to Get Around Music City”
- Flyctory.com, “Riding the WeGo Star: Nashville’s only mass transit,” August 2022
- WeGo Star Future Direction Strategy, modernmobilitypartners.com