CapMetro offers expanded service for SXSW

AUSTIN (KXAN) - To accommodate the influx of visitors to Austin for South By Southwest, Capitol Metro is offering expanded service on some of its bus and rail systems during the 10-day festival.

“Whether you’re a SXSW diehard, or just trying to get to work, Capital Metro is going to be the best way to get around during the festival,” said Linda S. Watson, Capital Metro president and CEO. “We’re making some service improvements this year based upon our past experience with SXSW, as well as some things we learned from Formula 1, to help keep people moving throughout the city.”

For those flying into Austin, CapMetro will have a bus heading downtown every 15 minutes from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport each day of the festival. The MetroAirport bus will travel along Congress Ave. to provide better access to downtown hotels.

Expanded hours and frequency will also be in place for the MetroRail. Longer hours will be in place on March 9 and 16, and during the week, riders will be able to catch a train every 34 minutes.

MetroRail Hours

• Monday – Thursday, March 11-14: 6 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.
• Friday, March 8 & 15: 6 a.m. - midnight
• Saturday, March 9 & 16: 10 a.m. - midnight
• No MetroRail service on Sunday, March 10 & 17
   

In addition to Park & Ride lots at the Leander, Lakeline, and Howard stations, temporary parking during SXSW will also be available near Kramer Station, at City Electric Supply, located at 2540 Brockton Drive.

Late night bus options include the 'Night Owl' and E-Bus . Night owls run from midnight until 3 a.m., every night except Sunday. These busses will stop every 30 minutes. E-bus routes 410, 411 and 412 run Thursday, Friday and Saturday's from 8:30 p.m. to 3 a.m.

According to CapMetro, to facilitate greater mobility downtown during SXSW, most downtown routes will be detoured because of downtown street closures . Those busses will be accessible for southbound riders along Guadalupe and northbound riders on Lavaca.

Trip planner, detours and lane closures for SXSW

• Trip planner
• Bus detours
• Road closures
   

CapMetro anticipates very strong ridership during SXSW.  MetroRail saw record-setting ridership on March 17, 2012, with 7,316 people boarding the trains. Bus routes were also at capacity.

Volunteers will be in place to assist riders at the busiest rail stations and bus stops during the festival. The transit agency will also add service on routes 1, 3 and 10 to address overcrowding.

To help alleviate crowding on routes 7 and 20 along Riverside Dr., MetroAirport will make four additional stops on Riverside between Pleasant Valley and Congress.