Lake Oswego residents looking to skip the car this summer have two options running right now and a third taking shape on the water.

The Willamette Shore Trolley

The Willamette Shore Trolley departs from 311 N. State Street in Lake Oswego every Saturday and Sunday through Sunday, September 27, carrying passengers on a 10.5-mile round trip to Bancroft Street in Southwest Portland.

The ride takes about 90 minutes aboard a replica of Portland's historic Council Crest cars, passing through the 1,396-foot Elk Rock Tunnel and over the 686-foot Riverwood Trestle along the Willamette's west bank.

Through Labor Day (Monday, September 7), trolleys leave Lake Oswego at 10 a.m., noon, 2 p.m., and 4 p.m. The trolley will not run Saturday, July 25, Sunday, July 26, Saturday, August 1, or Sunday, August 2. After Labor Day, weekend departures shift to noon and 2 p.m. only.

Fares: $22 round trip for adults, $20 for seniors and military, $12 for children ages 2 to 12. Kids under 2 ride free. Online tickets are encouraged; limited walk-ups are first-come, first-served. Free parking is available at the Trolley Station, the public lot off Foothills Road, and Lake View Village.

The Oregon Electric Railway Historical Society operates the trolley under contract with the City of Lake Oswego. Call 503-697-7436 or visit wst.oregontrolley.com.

The Trolley Trail

On the Willamette's east bank, the Trolley Trail follows the old Portland Traction Company streetcar right-of-way between Milwaukie and Gladstone, with extensions reaching toward Oregon City.

The six-mile paved path opened in 2012 after Metro and the North Clackamas Parks and Recreation District purchased the right-of-way in 2001 using a voter-approved bond measure. The original streetcar ran from 1893 to 1968.

Dorothy Kohut, a member of the Jottings Group at the Lake Oswego Adult Community Center, called the trail "beloved by both local and visiting walkers, runners and bicyclists" in a Lake Oswego Review column published Sunday, July 12. Bike repair stations dot the route, which connects neighborhoods, schools, parks, and business districts. The trail is part of a planned 20-mile loop linking Portland, Milwaukie, Gladstone, Oregon City, and Gresham.

Frog Ferry: still in development

Further out, Friends of Frog Ferry — a nonprofit founded in 2018 by Susan Bladholm — is working toward an electric passenger ferry between Oregon City and Vancouver, Washington, with a planned stop in Lake Oswego. The vision calls for up to seven vessels carrying 70 to 100 passengers each, with bicycle storage but no cars.

In April 2026, Frog Ferry announced a community ownership model with shares starting at $300, joined by Oregon State Senator Bruce Starr and State Rep. Daniel Nguyen. As of August 2025, the organization had secured $40 million for research and planning but still needed approximately $20 million for capital construction. Its current funding status has not been publicly confirmed.

Separately, Lake Oswego Mayor Joe Buck identified public transit access as a 2026 city priority, citing TriMet service cuts around Lake Oswego. The City Council approved an initiative in March to explore ways to increase transportation access in partnership with neighboring cities.

Upcoming events you can reach car-free

  • Lake Oswego Farmers' Market: Saturdays, 8:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m. at Millennium Plaza Park, through Saturday, October 31
  • Summer Concert Series: Wednesdays and Sundays, free live music in Lake Oswego parks
  • Live & Local at LORAC: Thursday, July 30; Thursday, August 27; Thursday, September 24 (4–8 p.m.)
  • Willamette Shore Trolley: Saturdays and Sundays through September 27; departs 311 N. State Street, Lake Oswego (503-697-7436)