News
Metro Transit is Your Way to Mardi Gras
Dianne Williams
Director of Communications
314-982-1440
Parade floats, live music, colorful beads, drinks, food and fun are what you will find at the 2012 Soulard Mardi Gras and on Saturday, February 18, and the MetroBus Shuttle will get you there. Metro Transit provides Mardi Gras revelers a safe, convenient and affordable way to get to the celebration. Five dollar ($5) Mardi Gras Shuttle passes will be valid from 9 a.m. to midnight on Saturday, February 18 for travel on the designated shuttles providing roundtrip service between Soulard and the Civic Center MetroLink Station, located at the corner of South 14th St. and Spruce St. in Downtown St. Louis. This year’s passes feature commemorative Mardi Gras artwork and are suspended from a lanyard, making it easy for riders to wear them while they enjoy the festivities.
Those purchasing the $5 Mardi Gras Shuttle Pass will also receive a coupon good for $2 off an adult ticket for the Journey to the Top of the Arch tram ride. “As area residents make plans to head down to the Soulard Mardi Gras, we encourage them to pick up a MetroBus Shuttle Pass and leave the driving to us,” said Ray Friem, Metro’s Chief Operating Officer. “At just $5 each, the passes are a great value, and riders can keep the good times rolling into March with their $2 off coupon for the Journey to the Top of the Arch tram ride.”
The passes will be sold in advance starting today Feb. 10 at the MetroRide store located at 7th and Washington in downtown St. Louis. They will also be available on the day of the official Mardi Gras celebration – February 18th – from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the following Metro transit center locations:
North Hanley, Delmar Loop, Central West End, Clayton, Brentwood, Shrewsbury, Civic Center, East Riverfront, 5th and Missouri, Fairview Heights, Memorial, Swansea, College and Shiloh-Scott.
The Mardi Gras passes are valid ONLY for rides on the Mardi Gras shuttles, and are not valid on regular MetroBus or MetroLink service. Mardi Gras shuttles will run every 15 minutes or less throughout the day until 11:00 p.m. and then on a less frequent time schedule to transport the last of the Mardi Gras revelers.
MetroLink will also provide extra service that day. Fifteen minute service will be provided from 8:30 a.m. until 10 p.m. west of the Forest Park-DeBaliviere MetroLink Station to Lambert Airport Main Terminal, west of the Forest Park-DeBaliviere station to the Shrewsbury MetroLink Station, and east of the Fairview Heights MetroLink Station to the Shiloh-Scott MetroLink Station.
Seven and a half minute service will be provided from 8:30 a.m. until 10 p.m. between the Forest Park-DeBaliviere and Fairview Heights MetroLink Stations.
After 10 p.m., MetroLink will provide modified Saturday night service. 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 11:38 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 train from the Civic Center MetroLink Station to the Shrewsbury MetroLink Station will depart at 12:06 a.m., and the last train to the Lambert Airport Main Terminal will leave at 12:21 a.m.
For more information on the MetroBus Shuttle Bus Pass or the Mardi Gras shuttle schedule, visit www.metrostlouis.org or call 314-231-2345. For Mardi Gras parade information and other event times, visit www.mardigrasinc.com.