Metro Offers Special Shuttle Service to the Soulard Mardi Gras

Metro transit is offering special MetroBus shuttle service for parade-goers and celebrants to safely and conveniently travel to Mardi Gras festivities and the 2016 Grand Parade in the Soulard neighborhood on Saturday, Feb. 6. Metro will operate special Mardi Gras shuttle buses 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. 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.

"Instead of navigating through street closures and competing for limited parking spots, we encourage everyone to let Metro do the driving to the Soulard Mardi Gras," said Ray Friem, executive director for Metro Transit. “Park your car for free at one of our 21 Metro Park-Ride lots in Missouri or Illinois, take MetroLink to the Civic Center Station, buy a Mardi Gras shuttle pass and let one of our special shuttles get you to all of the fun, safely and easily.”

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 MetroBus Shuttles. The Mardi Gras MetroBus 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 every 10 minutes at stations between the Forest Park-DeBaliviere and Fairview Heights MetroLink Stations. The MetroLink platforms will be monitored for crowds throughout the day and add extra MetroLink service will be added as needed.

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.

Mardi Gras celebrants can also get to the festivities in Soulard by via MetroBus. 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. Parade-goers and revelers are 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.

MetroBus Reroutes

Due to Mardi Gras festivities and the 2016 Grand Parade taking place on Feb. 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.