KC Streetcar Authority

From downtown to midtown, Brookside and everywhere in between, KCUR put together a list of the best shops, restaurants, cafes and museums to explore along the new KC Streetcar extension.

The Main Street extension of the Kansas City streetcar line is finally open for riders after years of disruptive construction. The owners of Crows Coffee and Ragazza say they're trying to capitalize on the increased foot traffic.

After years of construction, the KC Streetcar has more than doubled its length. The Main Street extension adds 3.5 miles of streetcar track and extends the route south from Union Station to 51st Street and Brookside Boulevard, near the University of Missouri-Kansas City.

The new extension through Midtown and the Plaza area also brings transit-only lanes. Drivers can get fined or towed for driving and parking in the lanes, which are meant to help the streetcar move faster.

KC Streetcar hosted a preview ride Wednesday along the Main Street extension, ahead of its opening on Friday, Oct. 24. Here’s what the Union Station to University of Missouri-Kansas City loop was like.

RideKC is discontinuing the popular Main Max bus line to avoid duplicating service with the KC Streetcar’s Main Street extension. A new route will take riders further south to 75th Street, while other bus lines undergo changes to connect riders to streetcar stops.

The streetcar extension will take passengers from the River Market to the Plaza. Multiple days of celebrations are planned along the route. The extension also means changes along Main Street, like transit-only lanes.

IRIS workers say they were misled about pay and aren't being treated fairly by their employer zTrip. Drivers demanded the right to unionize last year.

Final preparations are underway for the KC Streetcar's Main Street extension grand opening on Oct. 24. And the riverfront extension is expected to launch in early 2026.

Kansas City's streetcar has been under construction for years, frustrating some business owners across midtown. The 3.5-mile extension between Union Station and UMKC will begin service on Friday, Oct. 24.

All the track has been laid for the KC Streetcar routes north to the Berkley Riverfront and south to UMKC. But riders won't be able to enjoy the transit options this summer, and opening dates have yet to be set.

Kansas City’s new streetcar has spurred the construction of more than 1,400 new apartment units along Main Street since 2017. These are some of the highlights, including historic renovations and new buildings.