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Voykit pocket guide · United States
Ross Township
Skip unless you live in Pittsburgh or have a car and a specific reason: laser tag, the mall, or an Indian lunch buffet. Half a day covers it.
Ross Township is a suburban Pittsburgh township 8 km north of downtown, best known for Ross Park Mall, a laser-tag arena that has hosted world championships, and a well-regarded Indian restaurant. There is no walkable centre and no reason to stay overnight unless you are visiting family or need a budget hotel near the airport.
- Country
- United States
- Best months
- May–Oct
- Avoid
- Jan–Feb (cold, grey)
- Stay
- 0 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- USD
- Money
- Currency is the US dollar (USD, $). Cards and phone payments work almost everywhere; carry a little cash for tips and small vendors.
- Daily spend
- Budget $30–50 excl. bed · Mid $50–100 excl. bed · High $100+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile cover the country; prepaid SIMs at their stores and Walmart/Target (passport required), or an eSIM before you fly.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 911
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · Chargers are dual-voltage; hair dryers and straighteners from 230 V countries need a converter.
- Tipping
- Sit-down restaurant: 18–22% of the pre-tax bill.; Bar: US$1–2 per drink or 20% of the tab.; Taxi / ride-hailing: 15–20%, in the app.; Hotel housekeeping: US$3–5 a night.; Porter / valet: US$2–5 per bag or car.; Tour guide: US$10–20 per person for a day tour.; Counter service / tablet prompts: Optional; 0–15%.
- Water
- Tap water is drinkable nearly everywhere; boil or treat water from streams in parks.
- Toilets
- Free public toilets are scarce in big cities; use cafés, department stores, libraries, stations. Rest areas on highways are free.
Get in
By air
- PIT · Pittsburgh International Airport
- About 30 km (19 mi) southwest; drive or Uber, no direct public transport to Ross TownshipAbout 19 mi (30 km) southwest; drive or Uber, no direct public transport to Ross Township
Typical fares
- Pittsburgh Airport → Ross Township
- Uber about $35–50, 30 min (check)
- Ross Township → Downtown Pittsburgh
- Uber about $20–30, 15 min (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
You need a car. Uber and Lyft work but add up. No subway or useful bus route for sightseeing.
See and do
Known for
- Laser Storm (world-championship laser tag)
- Ross Park Mall
- Taj Mahal Indian restaurant
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Pittsburgh | Drive south on I-279, about 15 min | 15–20 min |
| Sewickley | Drive west on I-79, about 20 min | 25 min |
| Robinson Township | Drive southwest on I-79, about 15 min | 20 min |
| West Mifflin | Drive south on I-279 then I-376, about 25 min | 30 min |
Sleep
- McKnight Road corridor
- Chain hotels near the mall and highway; practical for a night, not a destination.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Hellohello |
| Thank you | Thank youthank you |
| How much? | How much?how much |
| Where is the bathroom? | Where is the bathroom?where is the bathroom |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake and 'hi, how are you?' — reply 'good, thanks'; avoid: Treating the question as a real health enquiry
- Restaurants: Tip 18–22% and wait for the check; avoid: Leaving without tipping
- Personal space: Keep an arm's length in queues; avoid: Standing close to strangers
- Politics and religion: Listen more than you speak; avoid: Opening with hot-button topics
- Smoking: Smoke only in marked areas; avoid: Smoking near doors or in parks where banned
Scams and watch-outs
- McKnight Road (US 19) is congested at peak hours and weekends.
- Laser Storm hours vary: check their Facebook page before going.
- Taj Mahal does lunch buffet 11:00–15:00; reservations recommended for dinner.
Typical American suburb: low crime. Watch for traffic on McKnight Road.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Ross Township yet. Suggested stay: 0 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Laser Storm (world-championship laser tag)
- Ross Park Mall
- Taj Mahal Indian restaurant
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Ross Township, revision 5026601 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5026601
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Ross Township
Take me to this address, please
Take me to this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, fire, ambulance911
Embassies are in Washington, DC. Consulates in Pittsburgh: check.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/ross-township). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.