Metro Transit Launches New Route 827, Expanding All-Day Local Service Across the North Metro

COON RAPIDS, MN — Metro Transit will implement a significant service change on Saturday, December 6, retiring the long-running Express Route 852 and replacing it with the newly designed Route 827, a local, all-day connector route serving communities from Anoka to Northeast Minneapolis.

The move is part of a broader, system-wide restructuring in the Northstar Corridor intended to expand local mobility options, improve accessibility to education and employment, and shift from limited commuter service toward more comprehensive daily transit coverage.

Expanded Coverage Across Five North-Metro Communities

Route 827 maintains the familiar connections through Anoka, Coon Rapids, and Blaine, but introduces substantial new service in areas previously underserved by regular local transit.

New Service Areas Include:

• South of I-694 in Fridley along East River Road
• Marshall Street NE in Northeast Minneapolis

These expansions extend direct transit service deeper into residential neighborhoods, business corridors, and employment hubs.

Cities Served:

Anoka, Coon Rapids, Blaine, Fridley, and Minneapolis

Connecting Riders to Education, Healthcare, Jobs, and Transit Hubs

Route 827 strengthens access to several major destinations across the region, including:

Educational Institutions

• Anoka County Technical College
• Anoka-Ramsey Community College

Healthcare

• Mercy Hospital – Coon Rapids campus

Transit Hubs

• Northtown Transit Center
• Foley Park & Ride
• Fridley Park & Ride

Employment Centers

• Northern Stacks Business Park
• Expanding corridors in Northeast Minneapolis

With these enhanced connections, Route 827 is designed to support students, healthcare workers, industrial employees, and everyday riders who need flexible, reliable transit throughout the day.

All-Day Service and Improved Frequency

Unlike the peak-focused Route 852, the new Route 827 offers consistent service across more hours of the day.

Weekday Schedule

• Service Hours: 5:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.
• Midday/Evening Frequency: Every 60 minutes
• Peak Period Frequency (South of Foley Park & Ride):
  • Every 30 minutes between 6:00–9:00 a.m.
  • Every 30 minutes between 3:00–6:00 p.m.

Saturday Schedule

• Service Hours: 8:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.
• Frequency: Hourly

Sunday

• No Sunday service

The shift to all-day weekday and Saturday coverage marks a meaningful improvement, especially for riders who travel outside traditional commuter hours.

Travel Time Notice: Longer Trips to Downtown Minneapolis

Because Route 827 operates as a local rather than express service—with more stops along East River Road and Marshall Street NE—travel times to downtown Minneapolis will increase.

• Travel Time Increase:
  Trips between Northtown Transit Center and Downtown Minneapolis may take 15–20 minutes longer than the former Route 852.

Metro Transit advises riders planning direct, time-sensitive trips downtown to consider Route 850, which continues to offer express service from the Foley Park & Ride.

A Strategic Shift Toward Broader Regional Access

Metro Transit has stated that the new Route 827 is part of a long-term plan to redesign the Northstar Corridor’s transit offerings, providing more frequent, flexible bus service that aligns with current travel patterns and expands connections to jobs, schools, health care, and industrial employment zones.

Learn More

Full route details, schedules, and maps are available at: metrotransit.org/route-827

MinneapoliMedia