Take the MetroBus Shuttle for Mardi Gras 2012 in Soulard
Return to BlogOnce again, Metro is offering a shuttle to and from St. Louis Mardi Gras in Soulard. Don’t bother with parking, and let us do the driving!
On Saturday, February 18, Metro will run shuttles from the Civic Center Station from 9 a.m. until midnight. Shuttles will run frequently throughout the day, with 15 minutes being among the longest increments customers may have to wait.
Mardi Gras Shuttle passes are $5 and are valid for round-trip travel on the shuttle only. Mardi Gras Shuttle passes are NOT valid on regular MetroBus or MetroLink service.
Mardi Gras Shuttle passes will be sold in advance starting February 10, 2012 at the MetroRide store (Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.) at 7th and Washington. Shuttle passes included commemorative artwork (pictured above), plastic sleeve and lanyard for wearing the day of the festivities.
Mardi Gras Shuttle passes will be sold on the day of the event (Saturday, Feb 18, 2012) from 7 a.m. – 8 p.m. at the transit centers listed below:
North Hanley
Delmar
Central West End
Clayton
Brentwood
Shrewsbury
Civic Center
East Riverfront
5th & Missouri
Fairview Heights
Memorial
Swansea
College
Shiloh-Scott
The Mardi Gras Shuttle Pass also includes a coupon for $2 off of adult tickets purchased for the Journey to the Top of the Arch tram ride. For Mardi Gras parade information and other event times, visit: www.mardigrasinc.com.
Extra MetroLink Service for Mardi Gras 2012
Mardi Gras Shuttle passes are NOT valid for regular MetroBus or MetroLink service. You must buy a MetroLink ticket or MetroBus ticket that day in addition to the Shuttle pass.
15 minute service will be provided from 8:30 a.m. until 10 p.m. west of the Forest Park MetroLink Station to Lambert Airport Main Terminal, west of the Forest Park station to the Shrewsbury MetroLink Station, and east of the Fairview Heights MetroLink Station to the Shiloh-Scott MetroLink Station.
7.5 minute service will be provided from 8:30 a.m. until 10 p.m. between the Forest Park and the Fairview Heights MetroLink Stations. After 10 p.m., MetroLink will resume regular Saturday night service. Details of the last trains are:
Eastbound
The last eastbound train from the Civic Center MetroLink Station the Shiloh-Scott MetroLink Station will depart at 11:38 p.m.
The last eastbound train from the Civic Center station to the Fairview Heights MetroLink Station will leave at 12:38 a.m.
Westbound
The last westbound train from the Civic Center MetroLink Station to the Shrewsbury MetroLink Station will depart at 12:06 a.m.
The last westbound train from the Civic Center MetroLink Station to Lambert Airport Main Terminal will leave at 12:21 a.m.
Except during the parade on Saturday, will there be any disruption in regular MetroBus service?
There are several service alerts due to construction, event reroutes, etc. You can find all of the planned service interruptions here: https://metrostlouis.org/PlanYourTrip/RiderAlerts.aspx
I wonder if the Mardi Gras committee ever considered holdng their celebrations on the Delmar Loop strip. There are plenty of restaurants, bars, shops and other establishments to accommodate the crowds on the strip, and there would be less residential intrusion at that location, compared to the Soulard area. Also, I feel that the Delmar Loop location ironically would also allow better access to public transit (via MetroLink which would be within walking distance) during the festivities, than the Soulard location which had to rely on shuttle bus service to transport the large crowds back and forth to the festivities. Relocation to the Delmar Loop location would eliminate the extra cost of providing the shuttle service.
The Delmar Loop does not, however, have the historical and cultural ties to their French heritage, so I doubt the committee will move that particular festival.