Germantown's main roads are Poplar Avenue, Germantown Road and State Route 385. MATA Route 50 Poplar serves Poplar Avenue; the Greenway is for bikes and walkers.

Last checked Oct. 17, 2026. Facts come from the City of Germantown, the Tennessee Department of Transportation, the Memphis Area Transit Authority and Frederick W. Smith International Airport. City customer service: 901-757-7200.

Getting around Germantown mostly means Poplar Avenue and Germantown Road, the two state routes through the city, and State Route 385 (Bill Morris Parkway), which links to Interstate 240 and Collierville. One MATA bus route and the Germantown Greenway round out the options.

Who to call

  • Street problems, signals, potholes: City of Germantown, 901-757-7200
  • State routes and live traffic: TDOT SmartWay, including TN511
  • MATA bus information: matatransit.com and the MATA Tracker app
  • Airport: flymemphis.com

Main roads

  • Poplar Avenue (State Route 57): maintained by TDOT; the city’s bid notices call it SR57.
  • Germantown Road: also maintained by TDOT.
  • State Route 385, Bill Morris Parkway: reached from Interstate 240 at Exit 16, signed for Bill Morris Parkway and Collierville.
  • City streets: the Public Works Department maintains the rest of the nearly 220 miles of public streets, including Farmington Boulevard, Exeter Road, Poplar Pike and Wolf River Boulevard.

For current work and closures, see road construction and closures, refreshed weekly. The city is seeking engineering firms for resurfacing Wolf River Boulevard and improving the Poplar Avenue and Poplar Pike intersection.

Bus: MATA

The Memphis Area Transit Authority runs the area’s buses. In MATA’s published schedule data, Route 50 Poplar runs along Poplar Avenue into Germantown, with stops including Poplar at Kirby Parkway, Oak Hill Road, Poplar Estates Parkway, Riverdale Road, Miller Farms Road and Exeter Road, and a loop on Farmington Boulevard, Germantown Road and Exeter Road by the Municipal Square. Times and stops change; use MATA’s routes page or the MATA Tracker to plan a trip, and see fares. MATA also runs MATAplus paratransit.

The airport

Frederick W. Smith International Airport (MEM) is at 2491 Winchester Road in Memphis. The airport’s ground transportation page lists taxis, which leave from the commercial drive in front of the Concourse B baggage claim, shuttles, rental cars, Uber and Lyft and MATA buses. Parking lots and live space counts are on the airport’s parking page.

Rail

Norfolk Southern freight trains still run on the line through the historic depot on West Street, the old Memphis and Charleston Railroad, according to the Germantown Historic Preservation Association. The city’s Traffic Engineering page lists every railroad crossing with its crossing ID and the railroad’s emergency number for a long blockage.

Walking and biking

  • Germantown Greenway: more than 10 miles of a planned 22-mile paved trail are open, along the Wolf River from Nashoba Park and between Johnson Road Park and Houston Levee Park. The western section is closed from the Memphis side during construction; use the Poplar Estates Trailhead. See parks and trails.
  • After dark: the city advises walkers to face traffic where there is no sidewalk and to wear reflective gear or lights, and cyclists to ride with traffic with a white front light and a red rear light.

Parking

The city has not published downtown parking decks or time-limited parking rules; residential parking rules are in its residential parking information sheet. Cars and Coffee, the monthly car show, uses the Germantown Performing Arts Center lot on the fourth Saturday morning.

Related: moving to Germantown, who to call at City Hall and power outages.

Frequently asked questions

Does MATA run buses to Germantown?

Yes. In MATA’s published schedule data, Route 50 Poplar runs along Poplar Avenue into Germantown, with stops from Kirby Parkway east to a loop on Farmington Boulevard and Exeter Road. Check MATA’s trip planner for current times.

What is the closest airport to Germantown, TN?

Frederick W. Smith International Airport (MEM), the Memphis airport, at 2491 Winchester Road in Memphis. It has taxis, shuttles, rental cars, Uber and Lyft pickup, and MATA bus service.

Who maintains Poplar Avenue in Germantown?

The Tennessee Department of Transportation maintains Poplar Avenue and Germantown Road; the city maintains its other streets.

Can you bike in Germantown?

The paved Germantown Greenway, more than 10 miles of a planned 22-mile system, is open to walkers, runners and cyclists along the Wolf River and between Johnson Road Park and Houston Levee Park.