The skyways are very unsafe at this time. The Union Gospel Mission (Homeless Shelter) was relocated to downtown Saint Paul. The skyways from town square to The Depot train station have become impassible. Homeless people are literally lined up on both sides of the hallway sleeping etc. and it smells like vomit, and feces. It reminds me of pictures of Skid Row in downtown LA but only in the skyways. Also, do not even attempt to travel to the Xcel Energy center, as you need to pass by the same scene and gang activity. I have been offered many times to buy cocaine and meth... These parts of the skyway are very dangerous and should be avoided at all costs. You would be better walking outside.

The downtown St. Paul skyways are drab as is most of downtown St. Paul. Macy's closed a long time ago and outside of some convenience stores, a couple coffee shops, a food ct an awesome bookstore, high-end linen and antique store all retail left. Downtown St. Paul was much more vibrant in the 80s. The nice places are the beautiful buildings and Farmer's Market on Sat and Sun mornings in Lowertown- the Arts District. If they ever have it again the Lowertown Arts Crawl is very cool.. Science Museum definitely. Stop by The Black Dog in Lowertown for Brunch or Breakfast or a glass of Finnegan's Dead Irish Poet Stout. The Saint Paul Hotel is beautiful and check out the Downtown Central Public Library on Rice Park. It has a little alcove dedicated to most the most famous native born writer F. Scott Fitzgerald. For some reason the city of Saint Paul refuses to address the panhandling, bums and crime downtown. One skyway smells like burnt electrical wiring and another smells like a stable from so many bums sleeping in it. Union Depot is ab solutely frightening. There is a bike lane along Jackson St and I see all of 3 people using it in Summer. That must've cost a fortune which would've been put to much better use hiring some beat cops. Th city refuses to stop subsidizing a bad situation. I lived most of my life in and around downtown Mpls and until the rioting and looting I never felt too scared, even walking home from a club at 1 or 2am. Because there were always people around everywhere. Downtown St. Paul after 5:oopm or on the weekends is frightening because it turns into a ghost town except for some shady people. Too bad they spent way too much time and money tearing up Nicollet Mall before the Superbowl thereby driving a lot of businesses to close because it seems like well- like downtown St. Paul now. For a much more enjoyable shopping and neighborhood experience go over to Grand Ave and be sure not to miss a stroll or a ride down Summit Ave; the longest boulevard in the US and one of the largest Victorian neighborhoods if not the largest in the US.

The skyway system is not safe before 8 am or after 6 pm. I have worked downtown for 20 years I no longer go in the skyway unless it is during work hours , groups of young men , vagrants very unsafe. Changed my parking so I can avoid it as I no longer feel safe. Be careful.

I needed to get from a hotel connected to the skyway system to the Union Depot. The maps I found were somewhat confusing and none were comprehensive showing what stores and restaurants were where and when they were open, etc. The directional signs are ok, but starting out I went the wrong way because the signs didn't have any points I was familiar with. Having an overview of the whole system at more entrances would be helpful. I was in the skyway on a weekday morning so maybe it wasn't as vibrant as it would be on a weekend or evening. There were some nice shops and stops along the way, but sometimes it felt like being in a weird dream where you were wandering through some strange businesses upper floor. I purposefully went at this time because apparently a key portion of the skyway that leads to the Union Depot is closed after business hours. If true, this seems kind of silly since I assume much of the skyway traffic might come from people stopping over at the Depot. The whole system, from the depot seems like unfinished business. Having been in similar systems in other major cities, it's clear that there is lots of room for more businesses, more activities, better maps and connections. So, it was useful - you don't have to walk outside if the weather is cold or stormy. But I think it's missing the mark as an attraction.

What's nice is that the skyways is for the most part pretty panhandler free and is a great way to stay warm getting from place to place in downtown when it's cold out. Where things go down hill is that when it's winter and the temperatures are sub-zero you'll often find yourself locked out because the doors will be inconsistently locked or unlocked. So you're always taking a gamble when you depend on the skyways to avoid the cold when it's outside of 9-5. Basically you're in for some long cold walks if you rely on the skyway.