Get Around

If you’re planning to drive:

Congratulations, you’re like most Memphians, driving is the most convenient (and most popular) way to get around the city. Here are a few things to know if you’re planning to own a car in Memphis:

• - First, you need a license. If you have a license from another state, all you need to get a valid Tennessee driver’s license is proof of Tennessee residency that have your name and permanent address on them (like your mortgage or MLGW bill). You can get a license from the Shelby County Clerk’s office downtown (150 Washington Ave.) or at a driver’s license station.

Driver’s license stations:

6340 Summer Avenue

Memphis, TN 38134

(901) 543-7920

3040 Walnut Grove Road

Memphis, TN 38111

(901) 452-7148

5019 West Union Road

Millington, TN 38053

(901) 872-0800

After you get your license, you’ll need to register your car:

If you’re living inside the city of Memphis, you’ll have to take your car through a yearly inspection before you can get your car tags. The inspection checks your car’s vitals and makes sure it’s up to Shelby County emissions standards. There are four inspection stations, and there’s live video of each one so you can check the lines before you go.

Pro tip: The inspection stations aren’t as crowded towards the middle of the month, either super early in the morning or in the middle of the afternoon.

Once you’ve gone through inspection, bring your passed inspection slip, your driver’s license, car title and proof of residency to the Shelby County Clerk’s office to get your tags.

If you’re planning to ride a bicycle:

Memphis has more than 60 miles of paved bike lanes on city streets, with plans to add more in the future. Here’s a map.

We’ve also got a paved, bike-friendly 7-mile long Greenline that runs from Midtown (Walnut Grove and Tillman) to Shelby Farms. It’s a safe, car-free route through the city for those traveling east and west.

While Memphis has become a much more bicycle-friendly city in the past few years, we’re still working on it. Please be patient with Memphis drivers and obey all traffic laws.

Resources for biking in Memphis:

- City of Memphis bike routes: Maps of city bike lane routes, longer city tour routes and laws pertaining to cyclists.

- Revolutions Community Bike Shop (1000 S. Cooper St.): Revolutions is a volunteer-run bike shop that teaches its members bicycle maintenance, safety and how to build their own bikes.

- Cycle Memphis: a monthly community night ride through Memphis.

- Bikinginmemphis.com: a blog about the ins and outs of biking in Memphis.

- Fix Memphis: a cycling blog, complete with ratings of bike racks around town.

If you’re planning on relying on mass transit:

Memphis doesn’t have much in the way of mass transit, but you’ve got a few options.

1. MATA buses

The Memphis Area Transit Authority operates the city bus system. Here’s a complete schedule and maps of MATA bus routes. Bus fares are $1.50 per adult per ride, $1.20 for students and $0.75 for seniors and the disabled.

2. Downtown Trolleys

The trolleys are Memphis’ closest thing to light rail. They may not be the fastest way to get around, but they’re fairly effective if you live and work downtown. The trolleys primarily run downtown along two routes (a loop and a straight shot down Main St.), but one extends east on Madison through the medical district and into Midtown. Fares are the same as those for the buses, but the hours are different. Here’s a full schedule and route map.

Pro Tip: on high ozone warning days, all MATA fares are $0.25.

A few notes on finding your way around:

Like most cities that grew organically next to a river, Memphis is not without its urban planning quirks. Here are a few of the most notable:

- Westbound traffic is heaviest in the morning, while eastbound traffic is heaviest in the afternoons.

- Rush hour runs from about 7 a.m. – 9 a.m. in the mornings and 4:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. at night.

- East Parkway runs North-South. South Parkway and North Parkway run East-West. There is no West Parkway.

- There are several major East – West throuroughfares in Memphis that run the length of the city. They are, starting with the northernmost:

- Summer Ave. / North Parkway / A.C. Willis (yes, that’s the same street)
- Poplar Ave. (runs from downtown all the way to Collierville)
- Union Ave. / Walnut Grove (also the same street)
- Park Ave. (runs from South Parkway to Germantown)
- Lamar (starts downtown as I-55, runs southeast through the city).

Walnut Grove / Union and Poplar cross in midtown, making Poplar north of Union Ave. and South of Walnut Grove.

- Incidentally, lots of streets change name without warning. Some streets end and start again a few blocks later and a few blocks over. At one point, Southern runs parallel to Southern. It’s confusing at first, but you’ll get used to it.