Carver County residents have asked for additional transportation services to get where they needed to go during non-traditional business hours. And now, Carver County Transit Services has fulfilled that request.

As of Saturday, Sept. 6, Carver County and the Met Council expanded Transit Link service to the weekends.

• Weekend service is NEW (Saturdays and Sundays) and runs from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

The goal is to make Transit Link more accessible with a specific focus on two groups: the aging community and those with transportation challenges due to income restrictions. Riders can use the service to get groceries, attend medical appointments, pick up prescriptions, and more! 

Here's how it works: 

1. Plan ahead! Decide where you want to go and when. 
2. Call customer service Monday to Friday at 651-602-5465 (LINK) between 7 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.
3. Make a reservation up to 7 days in advance. 

The fare for weekend services is $3.50 each way. Add $0.75 if you are traveling over 15 miles one-way. Transit Link buses will be lift-equipped for people who need additional mobility help.

Learn more by viewing this flyer. Then share it with people who may benefit from this service expansion!

In fall 2024, Scott and Carver Counties expanded Transit Link services by providing “fixed route circulators” for senior citizens between Norwood Young America and Waconia.

Reservations are not required.

Here's how it works:

• Riders can stop and shop at any location listed on the scheduled route between the two cities.
• The set schedule and stops between Norwood Young America and Waconia allow for transportation services that people can depend on.
• Riders just need to be at the established stop at the set times.

There are two opportunities to get on the bus—about an hour apart—at each stop location. Bus drivers will wait at each stop location for three minutes. They will move on if they don’t see any people in need of a ride. This means that riders should be ready and waiting at the stop location to get on the bus.

The circulator has been an extremely valuable addition to Carver County’s transportation offerings with this consistent and reliable service.

• The Norwood Young America circulator averages 2-8 passengers every Friday since October 2024.
• The Waconia circulator has averaged 3 passengers every Monday since November 2024.

People can ride for $1 each way.

Learn more about the circulator and reference the scheduled stops by viewing these city-specific flyers. 

• Norwood Young America
• Waconia 

SouthWest Transit 

SouthWest Transit is an award-winning Transit Agency serving the southwest Twin Cities area through express transportation, on-demand microtransit, and shuttle services.  

SouthWest Transit's express service connects you between four convenient stations (Eden Prairie, Chaska, Chanhassen, Carver) and Minneapolis, including the University of Minnesota, Monday through Friday. Find your route on their website using the downloadable Routes PDF, or Trip Planner.

You can also download the SW Transit app, available on Google Play Store and the Apple App Store

SW Prime by SouthWest Transit 

SW Prime is a reliable, on-demand rideshare service within Eden Prairie, Chaska, Chanhassen, Carver, and Victoria.  

SW Prime offers non-emergency medical transportation to any clinic in the primary service area. SW Prime also offers service to select destinations and clinics outside the primary service area. With a standard fare of just $5 per person per ride, SW Prime is both affordable and accessible, and all vehicles are ADA compliant. For more information on discounted fares, and additional destinations visit swtransit.org/sw-prime/. 

Stay connected to SouthWest Transit by following along on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook. For more information on all SWT's services, visit swtransit.org. Join their mailing list here.  

SmartLink Mobility Management/Transit Link

A shared service of Carver and Scott Counties, SmartLink Mobility Management/Transit Link is available to residents in Carver County. SmartLink includes Travel Training, Medical Assistance and Volunteer Drivers. SmartLink can also help you with your Transit Link questions.

Transit Link, a service of the Metropolitan Council, is shared-ride public transportation for the Twin Cities metro area where regular route transit service is infrequent or unavailable. Transit Link can get you anywhere in the seven-county metro area. In some cases, you may need to transfer to other transportation providers.

Starting Jan. 1, 2020, Chaska and Chanhassen residents cannot use Transit Link for trips that start and end in Chaska or Chanhassen and must instead use SW Prime. Chanhassen and Chaska residents seeking on-demand service with destinations outside those two cities or Eden Prairie can still use Transit Link.

Phone: (952) 496-8341

WeCAB

(Note: People wishing to use this service MUST register before requesting a ride. Use the form linked here to register.)

WeCAB is a non-profit, volunteer-based system that provides safe, affordable and flexible supplemental transportation for:

• Medical appointments
• Shopping local businesses
• Worship services
• Community services
• Errands
• Access to Metro Transit

Serving Carver County communities of:

• Carver
• Chanhassen
• Chaska
• Mayer
• New Germany
• Victoria
• Waconia
• Watertown

Phone: (844) 743-3932
Select option 1 for dispatch. (Open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.)
There is an ongoing need for volunteers. If you are interested in serving, call the number above and select option 3 for more information.