If you’ve ever sat in bumper-to-bumper traffic on I-40 while the sun beats down on your windshield, you’ve probably looked over and seen the tracks. You might’ve even seen the purple and silver train sliding past the gridlock. That's the Music City Star. It’s the closest thing Nashville has to a "Music City train station" experience, though if we’re being technical, it’s actually a series of stops connecting Lebanon to the heart of downtown.
It isn't the subway system of New York or the L in Chicago. Not even close.
Nashville is a driving city. It’s baked into the DNA of the place, for better or worse. But as the population has exploded over the last decade, the commute from the eastern suburbs has turned into a genuine nightmare. That’s where the Riverfront station comes in. Located right at the foot of Broadway, it’s the end of the line for the WeGo Star (formerly the Music City Star).
Is it convenient? Sometimes. Is it a lifesaver for people living in Wilson County? Absolutely. But there are things about using the Music City train station nodes that the glossy tourism brochures won't tell you.
The Layout of the WeGo Star System
The "main" Music City train station is technically the Riverfront Station at 108 1st Avenue South. It’s a beautiful spot, honestly. You step off the train and you’re staring right at the Cumberland River, with the neon lights of lower Broadway just a two-minute walk away.
But the system is a line, not a web.
The route covers 32 miles. It starts out in Lebanon, then hits Martha, Hamilton Springs, Mt. Juliet, Hermitage, Donelson, and finally, Riverfront. If you aren’t living in those specific pockets of the eastern corridor, the train basically doesn’t exist for you.
The schedules are rigid. Very rigid.
This isn't a "show up whenever" type of transit. If you miss the 7:15 AM train from Mt. Juliet, you’re likely driving. The service is designed specifically for the 9-to-5 crowd. It brings people into the city in the morning and shuttles them back to the suburbs in the evening. During the middle of the day? The tracks are mostly quiet. On weekends? Usually nothing, unless there's a massive event like a Titans game or a New Year’s Eve celebration.
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Why Riverfront Station is the Hub
The Riverfront stop is the soul of the operation. It’s built into the limestone bluff. You’ve got the Schermerhorn Symphony Center nearby and the Ryman within walking distance. For a commuter, it beats paying $40 for parking in a garage near 2nd Avenue.
Think about the math. A round-trip ticket from Lebanon is about $10.50. Compare that to the wear and tear on your car, the gas, and the sheer mental exhaustion of Nashville's "spaghetti junction" traffic. It starts to make a lot of sense.
The station itself is functional. It’s not Grand Central. It’s a platform, a small building, and a lot of stairs/elevators to get you up to street level. But the vibe is different from the rest of Nashville. It’s quiet. It’s orderly. It feels like a secret club for people who figured out how to beat the system.
The Reality of the Commute
Let’s talk about the actual experience. The trains themselves are refurbished passenger cars. They’re comfortable, usually clean, and—this is the big one—they have Wi-Fi.
Most people on the Music City train station route are working. You’ll see laptops open, people sipping coffee from Thermoses, and a surprising amount of silence. It’s a stark contrast to the chaotic energy of the bars just a block away from the terminus.
- The Donelson Stop: This is a popular one for people who want to skip the worst of the Briley Parkway mess.
- Mt. Juliet: This station has a massive park-and-ride lot. It’s often full by 7:30 AM.
- Hermitage: A lot of state employees use this one.
One thing that catches people off guard is the "last mile" problem. Once you arrive at the Music City train station at Riverfront, how do you get to your office if it’s in Midtown or the Gulch? WeGo (the transit authority) runs shuttle buses that sync up with the train arrivals. It works, but it adds time. If your office is right on Deaderick Street, you’re golden. If you work at Vanderbilt? You’re looking at a transfer.
Common Misconceptions About Nashville Rail
People often move here from DC or Boston and ask, "Where is the train to the airport?"
It doesn't exist.
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Despite the "Music City" branding, the Star doesn't go to BNA. It passes near it, but there’s no stop. This is a recurring point of frustration for locals. There have been decades of talks about expanding rail, light rail, or even a tunnel under Broadway, but Nashville’s transit history is a graveyard of failed referendums and political infighting.
Another myth: that it’s just for tourists.
Actually, tourists rarely use the Star. Why would they? Unless you're staying at an Airbnb in Lebanon and want to see a Preds game, it’s not really a tourist vehicle. It’s a utilitarian tool for the working class and middle-class commuters of Wilson and Davidson counties.
The Special Events Loophole
The only time the Music City train station vibe truly changes is during "Titans Express" runs or the New Year’s Eve train. These are special tickets you have to buy in advance. They sell out fast.
Imagine hundreds of football fans in powder blue jerseys crammed onto a train, avoiding the $80 parking fees at Nissan Stadium. It’s a party. It’s the one time the train feels like a core part of Nashville’s entertainment identity rather than just a way to get to an accounting job.
The Logistics: Tickets and Timing
You can’t just tap a credit card at a turnstile. Well, they’re getting better with the QuickTicket app, but most regulars use a physical pass or the app on their phone.
- Download the QuickTicket Nashville app. It’s the easiest way.
- Check the "Star" schedule specifically. Don't confuse it with the bus schedules.
- Arrive 10 minutes early. The train is remarkably punctual, which is rare for Nashville transit.
The train leaves Riverfront in the afternoon starting around 3:45 PM. If you miss the last train at 5:25 PM? You are stuck. You’re taking an Uber or a very long bus ride back to the suburbs. That "hard stop" at the end of the day is the biggest deterrent for people whose jobs require staying late.
Why Does Nashville Only Have One Line?
It’s a fair question. To understand the Music City train station situation, you have to understand the tracks.
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The Star runs on existing freight lines owned by the Nashville & Eastern Railroad. This is why it exists at all—the city didn’t have to build new tracks from scratch. They just leased time on the ones that were already there.
Expanding to Franklin (the South), Murfreesboro (the Southeast), or Hendersonville (the North) would require billions of dollars and cooperation from freight giants like CSX. CSX isn't always keen on sharing. So, for the foreseeable future, the East-West line is what we’ve got.
It’s a bit of a "chicken and egg" problem. People don't ride it because it doesn't go everywhere, and the city doesn't build it everywhere because "not enough people ride it."
Future Outlook for Music City Transit
There is a shift happening. The city recently passed new transit funding measures that focus heavily on "Better Bus" service and "Bus Rapid Transit" (BRT). While train enthusiasts are disappointed that we aren't getting a massive subway system, the reality is that the Music City train station infrastructure is being supplemented by more frequent bus lines and better sidewalk connectivity.
The Hamilton Springs station is a great example of "Transit-Oriented Development." It’s a station surrounded by apartments. You can literally walk out of your front door, hop on the train, and be at a bar on Broadway in 45 minutes without ever touching a steering wheel. That’s the dream for a lot of people moving here.
Expert Insight: Is it Worth It?
If you live in Mt. Juliet or Lebanon and work downtown, yes. A thousand times yes.
The stress of the I-40 merge at the 440 junction is enough to shorten your life expectancy. The train offers a "third space." It’s a transition period between work and home.
However, if you’re a visitor, the Riverfront station is mostly just a cool landmark to look at while you’re walking to ACME Feed & Seed for a burger. It’s a piece of Nashville’s history—a remnant of a time when rail was king, and a hopeful sign of what the city might eventually become again.
Actionable Steps for Using the Music City Train Station
- Check the Schedule First: Go to the WeGo Public Transit website and look specifically for the "Star" (Route 94). Note the departure times; they are sparse.
- Validate Your Location: If you aren't within a 10-minute drive of Lebanon, Martha, Hamilton Springs, Mt. Juliet, Hermitage, or Donelson, this train isn't your best option. Look into the express bus routes instead.
- Plan the "Last Mile": If your destination isn't within walking distance of the Riverfront Station (1st and Broadway), check the WeGo bus connections (like Route 64 or 93) that meet the train.
- Use the App: Avoid the fumbling with paper tickets. Download QuickTicket and load it with at least $15 before you arrive at the platform.
- Try a "Trial Run": If you're considering a commute, do it on a Tuesday or Wednesday first. These are peak days when you can see the true volume of ridership and judge if the shuttle connections work for your specific office location.
The system isn't perfect, and it's certainly not sprawling. But for those who use it, the Music City train station at Riverfront is a vital artery in a city that is increasingly struggling to keep its cars moving. It’s a quiet, scenic, and surprisingly civil way to experience Middle Tennessee.