So, you've bought your ACL festival tickets and you've packed your survival kit for an exciting few days of music amusement, but the only thing you haven't figured out is how you'll get to Zilker Park hassle free.
Sure, in the past, Uber and Lyft were two of the top options for many festival-goers.
But that's over now.
There's also NO parking at the park for attendees, according to the City of Austin.
Luckily, there are quite a few options to help you get around Austin, and some of them are free!
ACL Fest Shuttle Service
Austin City Limits Festival provides FREE shuttles that pick patrons up at Republic Square at the corner of 4th and Guadalupe Street and drops them off at the entrance on Barton Springs Road. The shuttle service begins at 10:30 a.m. and ends at 11 p.m. each day.
CapMetro
Bus: The MetroRapid 801 N Lamar/ S Congress to Republic Square drops people off to catch the ACL shuttle.
The MetroRapid 803 Burnet/S Lamar to Barton Springs Station drops people off near the Barton Springs Road entrance to ACL. If you get lost, just follow the crowd decked out in festival wear.
Night owl buses will run until 3:30 a.m., and the E-Bus will run until 3 a.m. Friday and Saturday.
Train: CapMetro confirms the Metro Rail will be running all weekend both weekends. Transportation officials suggest taking the train to the downtown station and walking along 4th street to Republic Square where you can catch the free ACL shuttle.
The Metrorail will run until 2:30 a.m. Friday and Saturday.
Buy a ticket or pass here.
Go here for more information on late night shuttle services.
Ridesharing Galore
For months, Wingz, GetMe, Fare, Fasten, RideAustin, ScoopMe, and Tride have been operating in Austin, and helping people get around town safely with the absence of Uber and Lyft. Keep in mind, prices vary by each Transportation Networking Company. First-time riders are occasionally granted a discount. Sometimes it's best to use the fare estimate tool on the app and compare with other services.
Biking
Heading to the festival with two wheels is not a bad option. One positive is you don't have to wait for someone to come pick you up, and you can ride at your own pace. Plus, you'll definitely get a workout zooming through Austin's hilly terrain.
Bike parking will be available near each entrance, but festival organizers said bikers should remember to bring their own locks.
Don't have a bike? Go here to find out how to rent one.
Need a bike repair on the go, try this.
Park Downtown and Hail a Taxi
If you must drive, your best bet will be to park your car at a downtown parking garage or meter. From there, you can either call a taxi, rideshare or catch a pedicab.
Go here for all of the available parking garages downtown.
Go here for a map of the downtown parking meters.
Go here to find the best cab companies in Austin, based on Yelp reviews.
Limited Free Options
Honda and the Central Texas Honda Dealers have partnered with RideAustin to provide festival-goers complimentary rides both weekends of ACL with their "Hail a Honda" program. Fans looking for a ride will have to tap the "Honda at ACL Festival" tab in the RideAustin app. According to Honda, free rides will be available daily from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
For full details go here.
Check out their service area here.
SkinnyPop Popcorn also wants to help ACL attendees get to Zilker without spending a dime. Around the festival grounds, expect to see 5 SkinnyPop Popcorn pedicabs. Organizers said they will be available from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. both weekends. If you manage to snag one, you'll also be treated to a complimentary bag of popcorn.
