With the State Fair of Texas looming, Dallas-Fort Worth transit agencies have initiated special schedules for routes to and from the event, which will run from September 27-October 20.

Many fairgoers use public transportation to get to the State Fair of Texas, because it is within walking distance of two DART rail stops.

To assist, both Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) and Trinity Railway Express (TRE) have instituted special scheduled for routes to and from the event, which become especially busy on weekends and gamedays.

Here's a brusher-upper on the basics.

FORT WORTH

Trinity Railway Express
TRE will run offer train service on all four Sundays during the fair. (The TRE train usually runs Monday-Saturday and is not in service on Sundays.)

On those four Sundays, it will run on a modified Saturday schedule, meaning that it runs once an hour, from 6 am to 1 am. Transfer to the DART Rail Green Line can be made at Victory Station. For details, visit TrinityRailwayExpress.org/StateFair.

DALLAS

Service on Green Line
DART’s Green Line is the one that hits Fair Park, and it's accessible via two stops:

• Fair Park Station on Parry Avenue, at the fairgrounds entrance
• MLK, Jr. Station, south of R.B. Cullum Boulevard, which provides access to Gate 6 and the Cotton Bowl Stadium

Get familiar with the connections
The Green Line can be reached via DART Light Rail and Trinity Railway Express (TRE). Look for trains marked "Fair Park," "Buckner," or "Lawnview" for Green Line service.

• Southbound Red, Blue, and Orange Line riders: Transfer at Pearl/Arts District Station.
• Northbound Red and Blue Line riders: Transfer at Akard Station.
• Eastbound Orange Line riders: Transfer at Bachman Station.

Hours
Extra Green Line trains will operate between Victory Station and Lawnview Station Monday-Friday 9 am-3 pm, and Saturday-Sunday 9 am-6 pm, running approximately every 10 minutes.

The extra hours will spill over to the Red and Blue lines on weekends, with increased frequency similar to regular weekday hours for the Red and Blue lines, with trains running every 20 minutes on Saturday-Sunday between 6 am-10 pm.

Orange Line trains will run all the way to Parker Road Station throughout the Fair, also with an increased 20-minute frequency, until 10 pm daily.

Denton connections
Denton County Transportation Authority (DCTA) connects to DART's Green Line at Trinity Mills Station, but users will need to visit DCTA.net for connection times.

Contactless payments
DART provides four contactless options for purchasing your pass:

• GoPass® app: Download it for free from the Apple App Store or Google Play and activate your pass before boarding.
• GoPass® Tap card: Purchase and reload your card at participating retailers. This reloadable option provides you with the best fare and can be tapped on a reader at DART stations or buses. (Note: It’s only valid for local fares and not for TEXRail, DCTA, or Trinity Metro.)
• Credit or debit card: Use any contactless credit or debit card by tapping it on a reader at a DART station or bus.
• Mobile device: Pay with apps like Apple Pay, Google Pay, or Samsung Pay by tapping your device on a reader at DART stations or buses.

Purchase a Local Day Pass for $6, good for DART Rail, local buses, and riding the TRE between DFW Airport/CentrePort Station and EBJ/Union Station. Tarrant and Denton County customers need a Regional Day Pass for $12.

Weapon policy
A reminder that the State Fair of Texas has changed their weapons policy this year and no firearms permitted on the Fairgrounds. Please note DART stations do not have lockers for passengers to store personal items. For additional details and to see other state fair policies, please visit www.bigtex.com.

Football game
DART will operate a modified rail schedule for the Texas-OU game on Saturday, October 12; the kick-off for the game is at 2:30 pm. Visit DART’s Red River Rivalry page for complete details.

$5 off Fair admission with the DART GoPass
DART has partnered with the State Fair of Texas to offer riders a special promotion; to access these discounts, enter code 24DARTSAVE when purchasing your tickets on www.bigtex.com. This deal is available for any day of the 2024 State Fair season.