Three Ways to Ride MCTS to Summerfest
(April 25, 2023) – MILWAUKEE, WI – Summerfest presented by American Family Insurance and Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) are excited to announce three convenient options to ride the bus to and from Summerfest, during the festival’s 55th anniversary.
Festivalgoers can choose from two special MCTS shuttles – try the exciting new Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line, or count on MCTS’s everyday bus routes. All three options stop at or are within walking distance of Henry Maier Festival Park, home to Summerfest. Not sure which bus to ride? Simply download the Umo app to plan your trip. Don’t live along a bus route? Pro tip: Park your car near one of these bus routes (for free) then ride the bus to and from the festival.
“Milwaukee World Festival, Inc. (MWF) is thrilled to partner with Milwaukee County Transit System to provide mass transit service for the 55th anniversary of Summerfest,” said Don Smiley, CEO of Milwaukee World Festival, Inc. “MWF is grateful to Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, Milwaukee County Board Chairwoman Marcelia Nicholson, Milwaukee County Department of Transportation Director Donna Brown-Martin, MCTS President and Interim Managing Director Denise Wandke and many individuals across Milwaukee County who were instrumental in putting this plan together. The combined efforts of this group to find MCTS transit options for 2023 demonstrates Milwaukee County’s long-standing commitment to Summerfest. We encourage our fans to ride the bus to Summerfest, which offers a convenient and direct route to the festival grounds.”
“We hear from the community all the time that it wouldn’t be Summerfest without MCTS,” said MCTS President and Interim Managing Director Denise Wandke. “Thank you everyone, for including us in your plans. We hope you’ll start a new tradition this year, by adding CONNECT to your Summerfest memories. And send us some pictures, we’d love to see them!”
Listed below are details on the three MCTS transit options for Summerfest:
1) MCTS SHUTTLES (New this year: The shuttles are cashless)
MCTS’s special service is a favorite among Summerfest goers. The tradition is back this year with two shuttles that run approximately every half hour from the College Avenue or Brown Deer Park and Ride lot. These shuttles offer convenient, non-stop, direct access to the festival grounds entrance located immediately outside the Summerfest Mid Gate.
The shuttles are now cashless, and riders will pay upon arrival at Summerfest. There are a variety of options for payment, including the Umo app, WisGo card, M-Card, VISA, Mastercard, American Express or Discover card. Round-trip fare is $10 for riders ages 12 and up, and $5 for Reduced Fare riders (youth 11 and under and seniors 65 and over, and those with qualifying disabilities).
The first shuttle will depart the lot at 11:30 a.m. with the last buses leaving the Summerfest Mid Gate at 12:30 a.m. Parking at the College Avenue and Brown Deer Park and Ride lot is free, on a first come, first-served basis.
2) MCTS CONNECT
The new CONNECT 1 BRT line will be available to Summerfest riders for the first time in history. It’s the smoothest, quietest, and most eco-friendly ride around town. Catch a ride every 10-15 minutes along the nine-mile route from Wauwatosa’s Watertown Plank Road Park and Ride lot to downtown Milwaukee. Riders can charge their phone via the USB chargers located beneath many of the seats. The route ends at the corner of Wisconsin and Van Buren, just blocks from the Summerfest North Gate. Riders pay before they board using the Umo app, WisGo card, with cash, or by VISA, Mastercard, or Discover at the Ticket Vending Machines located on platforms. A 90-minute fare is $2 for riders ages 12 and up and $1 for youth 11 and under and seniors 65 and over, and people with qualifying disabilities. All MCTS buses are accessible for persons using mobility devices.
Hours of service are weekdays – approximately 4:35 a.m. to 1:39 a.m. and Saturdays – approximately 4:45 a.m. to 2:15 a.m.
3) MCTS Regular Service
Several MCTS local routes are within walking distance of Summerfest. A 90-minute fare is $2 for riders ages 12 and up and $1 for youth 11 and under and seniors 65 and over, and people with qualifying disabilities. Riders pay on the bus via the Umo app, WisGo card, M-Card or cash. All MCTS buses are accessible for persons using mobility devices.
Check out Summerfest.com, RideMCTS.com/Summerfest for route schedules, hours of service, and more. Riders can also use the Trip Planning features on RideMCTS.com and the Umo app to plan their route.
Pick up and drop off locations for MCTS regular routes include:
• GreenLine – Pickup locations include Bayshore Mall, UWM, Walkers Point, Humboldt Park, General Mitchell Airport, and several places in between. Summerfest drop off location is in the Third Ward along North Water Street. Hours of service are weekdays – approximately 3 a.m. to 2 a.m., Saturdays – from approximately 5 a.m. to 3 a.m.
• Route 15 – Pickup locations include Riverwest, Milwaukee School of Engineering, Downtown Milwaukee, Bay View, Cudahy, South Milwaukee, and several places in between. Summerfest drop off location is in the Third Ward along North Water Street. Hours of service are weekdays – approximately 3 a.m. to 1 a.m. and Saturdays – approximately 4 a.m. to 1 a.m.
• Route 18 – Pickup locations include Wisconsin State Fair Park Exposition Center, 84th Street and Greenfield Avenue, the VA Center, Downtown Milwaukee, and several places in between. Summerfest drop off location is in the Third Ward along North Water Street. Hours of service are weekdays – approximately 4 a.m. to 2 a.m. and Saturdays – approximately 4 a.m. to 1 a.m.
• Route 30 – Pickup locations are along Sherman Boulevard south of Mill Road, the Washington Park area, from UW-Milwaukee to Downtown and several places in between. Summerfest drop off location is at Jackson and Wisconsin. Hours of service are weekdays – approximately 4 a.m. to 2 a.m. and Saturdays – approximately 4 a.m. to 3 a.m.
Best MCTS Routes by Direction:
From the south:
• MCTS Shuttle at College Avenue Park and Ride
• GreenLine
• Route 15
• Route 18
From the west:
• CONNECT 1
• Route 18
• Route 30
From the north:
• MCTS Shuttle at Brown Deer Park and Ride
• GreenLine
• Route 15
From Downtown hotels and parking structures:
• CONNECT 1
• GreenLine
• Route 15
• Route 18
• Route 30
For more information visit Summerfest.com or RideMCTS.com/Summerfest.
About Summerfest presented by American Family Insurance
Summerfest presented by American Family Insurance is one of the most iconic celebrations of music in America, hosting the industry’s biggest acts for an unforgettable live music experience. Since its inception in 1968, Summerfest continues to distinguish itself as a premier national music festival and has developed an unrivaled reputation, consistently featuring hundreds of performances across 12 stages, throughout the 75-acre festival grounds along Lake Michigan. Summerfest takes place in downtown Milwaukee, WI, which was recently named as one of the top 25 Best Places to Visit in 2023 by National Geographic. Summerfest 2023 is June 22-24, June 29-July 1, and July 6-8.
Milwaukee World Festival, Inc., producer of Summerfest, continues to fulfill its nonprofit mission of bringing the community together and providing a showcase for performing arts, activities, and recreation to the public, through music and special events
About MCTS
Milwaukee County Transit System’s (MCTS) mission is to connect the community to jobs, education, and life with essential transit services. Each year, MCTS gets approximately 16 million riders to their destinations in 19 municipalities across Milwaukee County. MCTS is home to Wisconsin’s first Bus Rapid Transit system, CONNECT 1, and the genesis of Wisconsin’s first regional public transit fare collection system called WisGo.
Find more press releases HERE.