At the request of its riders, SouthWest Transit has added service to Southdale Center, the Best Buy headquarters and Normandale Community College.
Route 694 began operating Monday and provides service to Best Buy in Richfield and Normandale Community College in Bloomington.
The weekday service from the southwestern suburbs has three morning trips from SouthWest Village Station in Chanhassen and SouthWest Station Eden Prairie.
Departure times at SouthWest Village a 7:08 a.m., 7:39 a.m. and 8:10 a.m. Trips leave SouthWest Station at 7:20 a.m., 7:51 a.m. and 8:21 a.m. Afternoon trips begin at 3:44 p.m. at SouthWest Station and include departures at 4:14 p.m. and 4:44 p.m. There are no afternoon trips from SouthWest Village.
Another route, 694S, offers service to Southdale Center in addition to Best Buy and Normandale. Trips depart the SouthWest station hourly from 9:38 a.m. to 11:38 a.m. and from 12:23 p.m. to 3:23 p.m.
"There are a large number of Best Buy employees and Normandale students living in our service area, anxious to avoid the stress of driving," said SouthWest CEO Len Simich in explaining why the agency added the new service. "Our new route will offer them service throughout the day."
Route 694 and 694S will also serve the East Creek Transit Station in Chaska when it opens on Sept. 23.
