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Ride Metro to the Soulard Mardi Gras This Saturday

Metro transit is offering special shuttle service to the Soulard Mardi Gras on Saturday, February 6, making it easy for families, parade-goers and revelers to safely and conveniently enjoy all of the festivities. Metro will operate special Mardi Gras shuttle buses this Saturday from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. between Soulard and the Civic Center MetroLink Station, which is located at the corner of Spruce Street and 14th Street in downtown St. Louis.

The special shuttles will run every 15 minutes and will drop off and pick up passengers in Soulard on 10th Street between Carroll Street and Marion Street, in the heart of the Mardi Gras celebration. Round-trip passes for the Mardi Gras shuttle are $6 and can only be purchased on Saturday, February 6, at the Civic Center MetroLink Station, starting at 9 a.m.

“Metro makes it as easy as 1-2-3 to get to this year’s Soulard Mardi Gras stress-free and without the worries of walking long distances or fighting for parking,” said Ray Friem, Executive Director for Metro Transit. “Simply park your car at one of our 21 free Metro Park-Ride lots in Missouri or Illinois, ride MetroLink to the Civic Center Station, then buy a Mardi Gras shuttle pass and hop on one of our shuttles. It’s just that easy.”

Metro will operate the special Mardi Gras shuttles every 15 minutes through 11 p.m. Regular Metro tickets and passes are not valid on the Mardi Gras Shuttles. The Mardi Gras Shuttle Pass cannot be used to ride MetroBus or MetroLink.

MetroLink trains will operate every 20 minutes on the Red Line and Blue Line on Saturday, February 6, with trains arriving at the Civic Center MetroLink Station every 10 minutes. Metro will monitor platforms for crowds throughout the day and will add extra MetroLink service as needed. Passengers are encouraged to avoid using the Stadium MetroLink Station this Saturday because of limited access and congestion from the Spruce Street Bridge construction project, and are encouraged to instead head directly to the Civic Center Station to board a Mardi Gras shuttle.

At the end of the evening, the last eastbound train from the Civic Center MetroLink Station to the Shiloh-Scott MetroLink Station will depart at 11:41 p.m., and the last eastbound train to the Fairview Heights Station will leave at 12:38 a.m., with MetroBus shuttle service to Shiloh-Scott Station.

Westbound, the final Blue Line train from the Civic Center MetroLink Station to the Shrewsbury-Lansdowne I-44 MetroLink Station will depart at 12:12 a.m., and the last Red Line train to the Lambert Airport Terminal #1 Station will leave at 12:22 a.m.

MetroBus is another great option for getting to all of the fun. The #8 Bates-Morganford, #10 Gravois, #30 Soulard, #40 Broadway and #73 Carondelet MetroBus routes serve the Soulard area. Even though there will be detours in place on February 6, these routes will still get riders close to the celebration.

Everyone is asked to leave their backpacks and coolers at home since they are not allowed at the Soulard Mardi Gras. No food, drink or alcohol is permitted on MetroLink, MetroBus, the Mardi Gras Shuttles or on Metro property.

For more information about the special Mardi Gras shuttles, passengers should visit metrostlouis.org/mardigras or contact Metro Transit Information at 314-231-2345 or 618-271-2345. For Mardi Gras parade information and other event times, visit mardigrasinc.com.

MetroBus Reroutes

Due to Mardi Gras festivities and the 2016 Grand Parade taking place on February 6, the following MetroBus routes will be rerouted.

#8 Bates-Morganford — from 3 a.m. until end of service

• Eastbound: Regular route to Russell and Gravois, left on Gravois to Tucker, then resume regular route.
• Westbound: Regular route to Tucker and 12th Street, continue south on Tucker to Gravois, then right on Russell and resume regular route.

#30 Soulard — from 3 a.m. until end of service

• Northbound: Regular route to Arsenal and 13th, left on 13th, left onto I-55 North, exit at Truman Parkway, right on Lafayette, left on 12th, then left on Chouteau and resume regular route.
• Southbound: Regular route to Chouteau and Tucker, right on Tucker to Gravois, left on I-55 South, then exit and right on Arsenal and resume regular route.

#40 Broadway — from 6 a.m. until 7 p.m.

• Northbound: Regular route to Broadway and Arsenal, left on Arsenal, right on 13th, left onto I-55 North to Memorial Drive, left onto Walnut, then right on 4th and resume regular route.
• Southbound: Regular route to Broadway and Walnut, left on Walnut, right on Memorial Drive to I-55 South, exit and left on Arsenal, then right on Broadway and resume regular route.

#73 Carondelet — from 3 a.m. until end of service

• Northbound: Regular route to Lemp and Arsenal, right on Arsenal, left on 13th, left onto I-55 North, exit at Truman Parkway, right on Lafayette, then left on 12th and resume regular route.
• Southbound: Regular route to Chouteau and Tucker, right on Tucker to Gravois, left on I-55 South, exit and right on Gasconade, right on Broadway, left on Lemp, then left on Cherokee and resume regular route.

About Metro

Metro is the operator of the St. Louis region’s public transportation system, which includes the 87 vehicle, 46-mile MetroLink light rail system; 391 MetroBus vehicle fleet that operates on 77 MetroBus routes in Missouri and Illinois; and Metro Call-A-Ride, a paratransit fleet of 120 vans. Metro is an enterprise of Bi-State Development (BSD), which also owns and operates St. Louis Downtown Airport and its surrounding industrial business park; the Gateway Arch Riverboats, as well as operates the Gateway Arch Revenue Collections Center and Gateway Arch trams. BSD also operates the Bi-State Development Research Institute and the Regional Freight District.