Transportation
St. Mary's attracts young women from all over the Portland/Vancouver metro area, and transportation can be a challenge, especially for families juggling complicated schedules. Let us help you with this! Please see below for some options and answers to the VERY important question of "How am I going to get my daughter to school?"
Open Doors | Before & After School
Whether studying in the Commons, working out in the Fitness Center, studying in the library, or sticking around for a sports practice, choir or theatre rehearsal, our doors are open for your daughter both before and after school. Students have access to the building as early as 7:30 am, and after school, your daughter will have a safe space to be productive until her ride arrives.
Carpool | Schoolpool
In collaboration with the Oregon Department of Transportation, St. Mary’s Academy uses the carpooling software called SchoolPool. This software is part of ODOT’s larger Get There program that allows Oregonians to compare commute options, find a carpool, track environmentally conscious stats, and more!
SchoolPool is housed within the Get There website. Families opt into SchoolPool during enrollment and gain access to connect with other St. Mary’s Academy families. Think of this as a snazzy, geographical school directory that makes connecting with current families incredibly easy!
Public Transportation
Our campus is easily accessible by a variety of public transportation routes including the yellow, orange and green MAX trains, TriMet buses, the Portland Streetcar and C-TRAN buses. The PDX Bus app and TriMet website provide current arrival times and trip-planning options. Many students use map apps such as Google Maps to find the easiest route to a new location. With step-by-step instructions, these apps are as simple as GPS!
TriMet continues to be a popular option, and for many parents, their daughters' first trip on TriMet can be intimidating. We asked parents and students to share their experiences commuting to SMA.
Parking Downtown
St. Mary's Academy is located near many downtown parking options. Click here for parking options to help plan your visit.
- First-timer finds SMA community on the bus
- Public Transportation: a growth opportunity
- TriMet used for commute to other activities and summer jobs
- Translating skills to other cities
First-timer finds SMA community on the bus
Public Transportation: a growth opportunity
TriMet used for commute to other activities and summer jobs
Translating skills to other cities
Student Perspective
Bicycling to SMA
Portland was named the #1 bike-friendly city by Bicycling magazine for many years running. The City of Portland offers many resources to help you plan a safe route to/from school on their Bicycle Trip Planning website. SMA students and faculty use bike racks directly in front of the building. With a security guard at the front entrance, bikes are well supervised.