In late May, SMTD made significant system changes to improve efficiency and to absorb expected funding cuts. One change was the elimination of the State Fair Shuttle Service. However, there are still several options to ride SMTD buses to the 2015 Illinois State Fair.
The Route 1 - North 5th and Route 2 - North 9th can take passengers from the downtown transfer center to bus stops just across the street from the fair. Route 1 has a stop on 8th Street just south of Sangamon Avenue where fairgoers are close to Gate 11, and Route 2 has stops on 11th and at Peoria Road & Joles, both just south of Sangamon Avenue, that are close to the Main Gate and Gate 2, respectively.
“Over the course of the fair, SMTD buses will have over three hundred and fifty trips available to fairgoers” said SMTD Managing Director Frank Squires. “Passengers have their choice of forty-eight buses daily from downtown to stops located across the street from the fairgrounds and back from Monday through Friday from just before 6:30 AM to after 10 PM, and thirty-two buses on Saturdays between 6:00 AM and 6:00 PM.”
A night service helper bus will run Friday, August 14th and Monday, August 17th through Friday, August 21st. Due to road blockages and detours for the Twilight Parade, the Night Service Helper will not run on Thursday, August 13th. The most notable changes are no Sunday service and no night service on the weekends.
We've created a special page that collects the maps and schedules for all routes servicing the 2015 State Fair. Click here to check it out!
In addition to mainline buses, Access paratransit buses will be available to qualified, disabled riders by calling 217-522-8594. Access buses will take passengers to a designated area on the fairgrounds side of Sangamon Avenue at the Main Gate as they have in the past. Anyone with general questions about how to ride to the State Fair is encouraged to call 217-522-5531 for assistance.
