I can verify these things from personal experience (or from what's written on the paper ticket.)
- Northstar one-way and round-trip tickets can be used as valid fare on light rail and buses for their validity period.
- Northstar tickets can be purchased at all light rail stations (I've had Metro Transit tell me they can't, but it's an option at light rail stations and I've purchased it.)
- The TVM states that a Northstar round trip ticket is valid for 24 hours from purchase.
- When I've purchased a round-trip Northstar ticket, it was valid until midnight on the date of purchase.
- When I've purchased a day pass, it is valid for a full 24-hour period.
- When using a Go-To Card transferring from light rail or bus to Northstar, the Go-To card only charges the additional Northstar fare (weekdays $3.75 to Big Lake, weekends $3.50 to Big Lake, assuming normal fare.)
- When transferring from Northstar to Northstar with a Go-To card, a new full fare is charged, but the 2.5 hour timer restarts.
I also have my two tickets from a couple weeks ago when having to buy a paper ticket (as I forgot my Go-To card.) I saw the Northstar option, and was hopeful to use it the next day from Fridley (purchased it in the evening, but it was the same price as the day pass) when the TVM said it was valid for 24 hours, but it expired at midnight instead. The day pass lasted for 24 hours.
If people wish to try the Northstar round-trip at Union Depot, the worst that would happen is that the validity period would be shorter than expected (so I would recommend that one person try this first before everyone does it if people wish to try this route.) But that would be printed on the ticket. The ticket explicitly states that it is valid for METRO and bus service for 2.5 hours unless noted otherwise on the ticket, and valid for Northstar when printed as such on the ticket.
I would be extremely surprised if a round-trip ticket purchased at MOA would not cover the rest of the evening. (Honestly, I'd be surprised if a round-trip ticket purchased at Union Depot wouldn't work the full day.)
EDIT: The "Surcharges may apply" is for the times when people may buy a METRO ticket and then transfer to an express bus...in those cases (except for day passes and possibly Northstar tickets...I know day passes cover up to a $3 fare, no idea on Northstar tickets) one would have to pay the step-up fare from a local to an express bus.
Edited by jebr, 23 June 2015 - 07:44 PM.