I-275 and its I-175 and I-375 spurs, PSTA's SunRunner to St. Pete Beach, the 727 Airport Express to Tampa International, the free Looper and downtown parking.

Last checked Oct. 10, 2026. Facts on this page come from the City of St. Petersburg’s getting around and parking pages, the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority, the Looper and the Florida Department of Transportation.

Interstate 275 runs through St. Petersburg and across the bay to Tampa. Downtown, the free Looper trolley, Lime e-bikes and PSTA buses, including the SunRunner to the beach, are the alternatives to a car.

Who to call

  • PSTA InfoLine (routes, schedules, trip planning): 727-540-1900; TDD 727-540-0603
  • Parking permits and citations: Parking Payment Office, 301 Central Ave., 727-551-3125, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays
  • Live traffic: FL511
  • Road work: see our road construction and closures page

Main roads and interstate exits

  • Interstate 275 runs north-south through the city and on to Tampa over the Howard Frankland Bridge. Since Aug. 22, 2026, FDOT has charged SunPass tolls around the clock in the new express lanes over the Howard Frankland; the general lanes are free.
  • Interstate 175 and Interstate 375 are short spurs from I-275 into downtown; I-175 leaves I-275 at Exit 22.
  • Other St. Pete exits FDOT names in its current projects: Exit 24, 22nd Avenue N; Exit 25, 38th Avenue N (southbound ramp closed until mid-December); and Exit 30, Roosevelt Boulevard.
  • U.S. 19 (34th Street) runs the length of the city; 4th Street N (State Road 687) and Gandy Boulevard lead to the Gandy Bridge to Tampa; the Pinellas Bayway (SR 682) is being converted to all-electronic tolling.

The city’s transportation GIS map shows speed limits, truck routes and planned crosswalks.

PSTA buses and the SunRunner

The Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority runs 41 fixed bus routes, including two express routes to downtown Tampa, according to the city. Plan a trip with PSTA’s trip planner or call 727-540-1900.

  • SunRunner: Tampa Bay’s first bus rapid transit line, connecting downtown St. Petersburg, the Central Avenue business districts, Pasadena and St. Pete Beach. PSTA says buses come every 15 or 30 minutes and traffic can affect that. SunRunner page.
  • Central Avenue Trolley: runs Central Avenue from the Pier parking lots downtown to Pass-a-Grille on St. Pete Beach, connecting with the Looper on Bayshore Drive near the Pier approach.
  • 727 Airport Express: limited-stop service between 2nd Avenue NE and Beach Drive downtown and Tampa International Airport’s rental car facility, seven days a week, via I-275 and the Howard Frankland express lanes. The first northbound bus leaves at 4:20 a.m. See PSTA’s routes page for the full schedule.

Fares and passes are on PSTA’s fares page.

Airports

  • Tampa International Airport (TPA) is reached by I-275 over the Howard Frankland Bridge. The 727 Airport Express connects it to downtown St. Pete.
  • St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport (PIE), run by Pinellas County; see fly2pie.com.
  • Albert Whitted Airport, the city’s own airport, is downtown; see the city’s Albert Whitted page.

Downtown without a car

  • Downtown Looper: a free daily trolley linking downtown, the EDGE District and the Grand Central District, with stops at the major museums (loopertrolley.com). On many of the city’s events, the trolleys also run free shuttles between parking and the event.
  • Bike share: the city partners with Lime for Gen4 e-bikes downtown, rented through the Lime app.
  • E-scooters: seated and standing scooters through the Spin app.
  • Biking: the city’s CityTrails network and bike map are on its cycling and walking page. City residents are required to register bikes with the Police Department.

Parking downtown

From the city’s parking page:

  • Meters: $1 to $1.50 an hour; enforcement days and hours are posted on each meter. Pay by card or coins, or with the ParkMobile app (or 877-727-5714). St. Pete residents can have the ParkMobile transaction fee waived through the Resident Discount Program.
  • Time limits: where a sign says 2 hours (or another limit), the limit applies only during the posted hours, and you must drive through an intersection to start a new session.
  • Garages and lots: the SouthCore Garage (entrance at 101 1st Ave. S) has more than 1,124 spaces, with visitor parking on floors 3, 4, 7 and 8 and EV chargers on level 7. The Al Lang surface lot on 1st Avenue S between 1st Street and Bayshore Drive has 328 spaces and is open around the clock.
  • Residential permits: five residential parking permit zones downtown exempt residents from meters and time limits. Apply online at stpete.cmrpay.com or at the Parking Payment Office, 301 Central Ave.

What this means for you

  • Heading to TPA? The 727 Airport Express leaves from Beach Drive.
  • Going to the beach? Take the SunRunner and skip beach parking.
  • Downtown, park once and ride the free Looper.

Related: road construction and closures, parks and trails and moving to St. Petersburg.

Frequently asked questions

How do I get from St. Petersburg to Tampa International Airport by bus?

PSTA’s 727 Airport Express runs daily between 2nd Avenue NE and Beach Drive downtown and the TPA rental car facility, using I-275 and the Howard Frankland Bridge express lanes.

Where does the SunRunner go?

PSTA’s SunRunner bus rapid transit line connects downtown St. Petersburg, the Central Avenue business districts, Pasadena and St. Pete Beach, every 15 or 30 minutes depending on the time of day.

Is the Downtown Looper free?

Yes. The Downtown Looper trolley is free and connects downtown St. Pete’s museums and attractions, the EDGE and Grand Central districts on a daily schedule.

How much is parking in downtown St. Petersburg?

On-street meters run $1 to $1.50 an hour, with enforcement hours posted on each meter. Pay at the meter or with the ParkMobile app; city garages and lots charge daily and event rates.