Morgantown

Morgantown lies along the Monongahela River near the Pennsylvania border, about 75 miles south of Pittsburgh and 156 miles northeast of Charleston, West Virginia. It is the county seat of Monongalia County, with 30,347 residents as of the 2020 census.

West Virginia University, the state's flagship public research university, enrolled more than 25,000 students and employed more than 1,200 faculty as of 2024. To move students between its campuses, the university relies on the Morgantown Personal Rapid Transit system — a driverless, automated people-mover built by the U.S. Department of Transportation in the 1970s, running since 1975 across 8.65 miles of guideway and five stations. It is described as one of the few automated people mover systems in the United States.

Downtown Morgantown mixes university infrastructure with historic architecture, including the Metropolitan Theatre, which opened in 1924, and the renovated Wharf District, where former warehouse buildings now hold restaurants along the riverfront.

The Morgantown PRT is the anchor and the most distinctive thing to experience in the city: a driverless transit system running since 1975 across 8.65 miles and five stations, connecting West Virginia University's campuses. According to WVU's PRT site, WVU Morgantown students, faculty and staff ride free with their Mountaineer ID card, and everyone else, including visitors, pays 50 cents^* per ride.

*Fees subject to change, please check prt.wvu.edu for updated information.

The Wharf District holds restaurants in converted historic warehouse buildings along the Monongahela riverfront; confirming current status on any specific business's own site is recommended before planning around a named restaurant.

Visit Mountaineer Country, the area's destination marketing organization, says visitors and locals alike come to Morgantown to sample locally sourced cuisine.

3 breweries within 10 miles of Morgantown, one of them a brewpub with a kitchen.

Brewpub locations from Open Brewery DB (MIT)

15 more Highway Heads places lie within about 180 miles of Morgantown in a straight line — far enough that most are a night away rather than an afternoon.

• PittsburghPennsylvaniaabout 55 mi
• Shenandoah CountryVirginiaabout 100 mi
• Pro Football Hall of FameOhioabout 110 mi
• Harpers FerryWest Virginiaabout 120 mi
• CharlestonWest Virginiaabout 130 mi
• FrederickMarylandabout 140 mi
• ClevelandOhioabout 160 mi
• ColumbusOhioabout 160 mi
• Rock & Roll Hall of FameOhioabout 160 mi
• Washington, D.C.District of Columbiaabout 160 mi
• EriePennsylvaniaabout 170 mi
• HarrisburgPennsylvaniaabout 170 mi
• National Air and Space MuseumDistrict of Columbiaabout 170 mi
• Washington, D.C. — U.S. CapitolDistrict of Columbiaabout 170 mi
• BaltimoreMarylandabout 180 mi

Check the PRT's current fare, hours and public-access policy on WVU Transportation's own site before visiting.

Downtown Morgantown, the Wharf District and WVU's campus are connected by the PRT, reducing the need for a car within the city.

WVU football and other major game days bring significant crowds and traffic to Morgantown; check the athletics schedule if visiting during the season.

As a university town, Morgantown's PRT does not run during summer break and may be closed during university breaks and holidays, according to WVU. We were unable to confirm how hours at other businesses and attractions change during school breaks.

Morgantown Personal Rapid Transit

Address

Walnut Street Station, Morgantown, WV 26505

Hours

Check the official site for current operating hours

Price

Check the official site for current fares and public-rider policy

Link

transportation.wvu.edu

We checked fees, closures and opening hours on 2026-10-13. These change without notice — confirm with prt.wvu.edu and wvstateparks.com the week you travel.

Straight-line distance from Morgantown, not drive time.

• Morgantown Municipal Airport Walter L. (Bill) Hart Field (MGW) — 2 miles
• North Central West Virginia (CKB) — 27 miles
• Allegheny County (AGC) — 50 miles