Two trolley lines link the Strand with the Seawall and Moody Gardens for $1 a ride, though in winter they run only on weekends. Downtown is easy on foot, and a rented golf cart or bike covers the rest, as long as you keep the cart off the banned roads.
Trolley routes and daysGalveston · Photo: Aiden U / Unsplash · Credits
Downtown, you can walk or take the trolley. Along the Seawall the trolley runs only on Fridays and Saturdays in winter and Wednesday to Sunday in summer. On the other days, take a city bus (Monday to Saturday), a rideshare or a bike. The trolley has no stop at the cruise terminals.
Uber and Lyft
Where it goesAnywhere, the cruise terminals includedCostThe app sets the fareWhenAny timeOn foot
Where it goesDowntown and the Strand. The beach is a long walkCostFreeWhenSee the distances belowFrom September 8, 2026 to February 28, 2027, Island Transit's schedule lists both trolleys on Fridays and Saturdays: the rail trolley from 10 am to sunset and the Seawall route from 10 am to 8 pm. They come every hour until noon, every 30 minutes from noon to 6 pm, then hourly again. Some route sheets and a service alert also mention Sundays, so call 409-797-3900 before you count on a Sunday ride. Spring adds Thursdays and spring break, and from Memorial Day to Labor Day the trolleys run Wednesday to Sunday.
A historic rail car runs one way round a downtown loop from 10 am until sunset. After dark, and in bad weather, a trolley bus drives the same route until 8 pm. During big events such as the Lone Star Rally, a bus can stand in for the rail car all day. The rail car has no ramp or lift, so wheelchair users can't board it. Every other Island Transit vehicle has a ramp, the Seawall trolley bus included.
This line runs from Stewart Beach along the Seawall to Schlitterbahn and Moody Gardens, 10 am to 8 pm. It stops only at marked stops, and these differ by direction: mid-island, for example, you board westbound at 59th Street and eastbound at 57th Street. The route map shows them all. To switch lines, change at Seawall Blvd and 21st Street.
On weekdays from 6 am to 6 pm, six routes leave from downtown. Route 1 follows Broadway, Route 2 goes to the UTMB campus, and Routes 3 and 4 serve midtown and the East End. Route 5 runs west of 61st Street along Avenue S, and Route 6 along 61st Street via Avenue O. On Saturday, 7:30 am to 7:30 pm, the 1-3-4-2 Circular crosses the island east to west and the 6-5 Connector joins the Strand and the Seawall. No buses run on Sunday.
Adults pay $1 a ride. Children 6 to 11, and seniors or riders with a disability who show a transit ID or Medicare card, pay 50 cents. Children under 6 ride free with an adult, and transfers cost nothing. For $5 a day ticket gives you unlimited rides on the city buses, the rail trolley and the Seawall trolley. Bring exact cash, because drivers can't give change. For the day ticket, ask the driver or call 409-797-3900.
Sources: Island Transit schedules and route sheets, fares, service alerts, system maps, accessibility, Visit Galveston: exact change
The trolley goes one way only. To get back to where you got on, you ride the whole loop.
1
WhereSeawall Blvd & Moody Ave (21st St)NearChange to the Seawall trolley here2
WhereRosenberg Ave (25th St) & Ursuline (Ave N)3
Where20th St & Market4
WhereStrand & Moody Ave (21st St)NearHarbor House at Pier 215
WhereStrand & Tremont Ave (23rd St)NearThe Tremont House6
WhereRosenberg Ave (25th St) & StrandNearRailroad museum7
WhereRosenberg Ave (25th St) & Ave O½From a downtown hotel you can walk to the Strand and the cruise terminals. A Seawall hotel has the beach across the road and the trolley outside, on the days it runs.
DoubleTree by Hilton Galveston Beach
Nearest stopSeawall trolley, 14th or 19th StGood to knowClose to the Pleasure PierHilton Galveston Island Resort
Nearest stopSeawall trolley, 53rd StGood to knowMid-islandGolf carts are popular on the island, but the city restricts where they can drive. The driver needs a valid driver's license. The cart needs a license plate, the proof of financial responsibility Texas law requires, and a city permit decal. Check all three before you take a rental cart.
The decal's color also limits the cart's range. Carts registered west of 103rd Street get a red decal and can't be driven east of 103rd Street. Carts from east of it have a green one. So if you're staying on the West End and want to drive into town, you need a cart with a green decal.
You may cross these streets. Keep to the right-hand lane and carry only as many people as there are seats. East of 103rd Street, everyone has to wear a seat belt. The rental company must by law give you its list of banned streets; follow that list.
Source: City of Galveston golf cart ordinance, June 2021. Each rental company sets its own age limits and insurance terms, so ask before you book.
Joy Bike Rental on the Seawall and Galveston Golf Cart Rentals, which delivers to West End rentals, are two more options besides the four companies below.
Island Bicycle Company
Where2727 BroadwayPriceCruiser $12 an hour, $40 a dayGood to knowComes with a lock and basket. Return it by 6 pmZipp E Bikes
Where2311 Mechanic St, a block from the StrandPriceE-bike $30 an hour, $45 for 2 hours, $65 half day, $85 full dayGood to knowGuided rides as wellMark's Karts
WhereDelivers on the islandPrice4-seat golf cart from $170 a day, 6-seat from $195Good to knowDrivers must be 21+ with a license and insurance. Under 25 you pay a $250 refundable depositWest End Golf Carts
WhereDelivers on the West EndPrice6-seat cart from $99 a day in winter, plus a $25 fee and taxGood to know: A rental day runs from 1 pm to 11 am the next day. It delivers only to West End rental communities such as Pointe West, Jamaica Beach and Pirates Beach, and not to any hotel, downtown, the Strand or the Seawall
Prices from each company's own site on October 29, 2026. Zipp's are for an e-bike on November 12, 2026, as shown before the final checkout steps. Sources: Island Bicycle Company, Zipp E Bikes, Mark's Karts FAQ, West End Golf Carts and its policies.
Downtown is compact, but the beach is further than the map suggests. Walking from the Strand to the Pleasure Pier takes about 35 minutes.
Routes from the Tremont House, worked out with OpenStreetMap. The times are estimates.
The Strand (23rd St) to Galveston Railroad Museum
Distance0.2 miTime on footabout 4 minThe Strand (23rd St) to Cruise Terminal 25
Distance0.25 miTime on footabout 5 minThe Strand (23rd St) to Bishop's Palace
Distance1.1 miTime on footabout 23 minThe Strand (23rd St) to Pleasure Pier
Distance1.6 miTime on footabout 35 minThe Strand (23rd St) to Stewart Beach
Distance2.1 miTime on footabout 45 minPleasure Pier to Stewart Beach
Distance2.0 miTime on footabout 44 minNo train runs to Galveston. From Hobby or Bush airport, take a shuttle, a cruise line transfer or a rideshare. The options are compared in airport to cruise port.
Foot passengers ride the Bolivar ferry free, 24 hours a day. The landing is at the far east end of the island, away from the trolley routes. Ferry details.
If you bring a car after all, you pay by app: $2.25 an hour downtown and $2 an hour on the Seawall, with a two-hour minimum. Parking on the Strand.
