Summerfest is back! Whether you're thinking about this year's lineup, or just where to get your new favorite festival food, you can get there and avoid all of the parking lot gridlock with our handy dandy shuttle guide. 

Here's a guide to transportation options to and from Summerfest this summer – from buses to bikes and beyond. (And if you're doing your own driving, check out the Big Gig's own recommended driving routes and parking tips.)

MCTS Summerfest shuttles

Summerfest shuttle service from MCTS will return this year, with buses from three park-and-ride locations as well as a host of routes that take you near the grounds.

Buses will run every 15 minutes from three park and ride locations: College Avenue, Brown Deer Park, and Hales Corners. These shuttles provide non-stop, direct access to the Summerfest midgate.

The rides this year will be cashless, with payment collected upon arrival at the gate. Options include using the Umo app, WisGo cards, credit/debit cards, and mobile pay methods like Google Pay and Apple Pay. A round-trip ticket costs $12 for riders ages 12 and up, and $6 for reduced fare riders, which includes youth, seniors, and individuals with qualifying disabilities. Parking at the Park and Ride lots is free and first-come, first-served.

MCTS's CONNECT 1 BRT

For another MCTS option down to the lakefront, try out the CONNECT 1 BRT line, zipping approximately every 10-15 minutes from the park-and-ride at Watertown Plank Road down to its new final Downtown destination at the Couture on the corner of Michigan Street and Lincoln Memorial Drive – pretty much right at the doorstep of the Big Gig grounds. The line will run on weekdays from 4:35 a.m. until 1:39 a.m. as well as on Saturdays from 4:45 a.m. until 2:15 a.m. – with more buses in service on Saturdays, running every ten minutes. Rides will cost just $2 each way as well as $1 for kids, seniors and those with disabilities; for more information on payment options and its general route schedule, click here. 

MCTS buses 

None of those special routes hitting the spot? No worries; several of the regular MCTS bus routes will also still be in action and still be able to bring you close to the concerts.

Coming from the north? Summerfest recommends snagging the GreenLine or Route 15 (as well as the Brown Deer Park park-and-ride shuttle). Wandering in from the west? Hop aboard Route 18, Route 30 or the CONNECT 1 line – or hail down the new Hales Corners park-and-ride shuttle. And as for scooting in from south of the Summerfest grounds? Bounce on the GreenLine, Route 15 and Route 18, or try shuttling in from the College Avenue or Hales Corners park-and-rides. 

For more help, here are several regular routes that will get you close enough to make transportation a cost-effective breeze – just $2 for a 90-minute fare for those 12 and up, $1 for kids and seniors. 

GreenLine 

Running from around 4 a.m. until 2 a.m. on weekdays as well as 4 a.m. to 3 a.m. on Saturdays, the GreenLine hits stops at Bayshore, UWM, Downtown, Bay View and the airport before dropping folks off in the Third Ward on Water Street at either Chicago Street or St. Paul Avenue.

Route 15 

Wheeling from 3 a.m. until 1 a.m. on weekdays and 4 a.m. to 1 a.m. on Saturdays, Route 15 hits locales like Riverwest, MSOE, Bay View, Cudahy, South Milwaukee and Downtown before letting off Summerfest attendees on North Water Street in the Third Ward. 

Route 18

Zipping from 4 a.m. until 1 a.m. on weekdays and 5 a.m. to midnight on Saturdays, Route 18 will pick up passengers Greenfield and National avenues en route Downtown, dropping off attendees on North Water Street in the Third Ward. 

Route 30

Running from 4 a.m. until 2 a.m. on weekdays and 4 a.m. to 3 a.m. on Saturdays, both Route 30 will snag passengers up on Sherman Boulevard south of Mill Road, around Washington Park, UWM and Downtown before dropping them off around Summerfest at Wisconsin and Jackson. 

For more bus tips and information, as well as real-time bus tracking, check out MCTS's website. 

Bublr Bikes

Why use four wheels when just two will work quite nicely? Bublr Bikes are a Brew City staple, with bike stations found around the entire city. It's the perfect way to get to and from the Big Gig while enjoying the gorgeous summer weather – and convincing yourself the ride qualifies as enough exercise to balance out ordering an extra sampler platter. For a list of Bublr station locations and for more information on how to rent a bike, click here. 

The Hop

Milwaukee’s free streetcar, The Hop, will bring back the combined “Festivals Line” during Summerfest. The “Festivals Line” is a combination of the existing M-Line and L-Line, with all vehicles serving the full route and making it even easier for passengers along the entire route – regardless of where they board – to reach the Lakefront stop and its convenient access to the festival grounds without the need to transfer. 

Bar shuttles

If you're interested in pregaming before your main acts on the grounds, there are a ton of area bars that offer transportation to and from the festival. 

• The Belmont Tavern - 784 N Jefferson St
• Buck Bradley's - 1019 N 3rd St
• Camp Bar Wauwatosa - 6600 W North Ave, Wauwatosa
• Clementine's - 3143 S Clement Ave
• Dale Z's - 3585 S Howell Ave
• Fat Daddy's - 120 W. National
• Gingerz - 3915 S Howell Ave
• Izzy Hops - 2311 N Murray Ave
• Jack's American Pub - 1323 E Brady St
• Jersey's - 4024 S Howell Ave
• King Pins Spirits - 4102 S Kinnickinnic
• McBob's - 4919 W North Ave
• Milwaukee Brat House - 1013 N 3rd St
• The Newport - 939 E Conway St
• O'lydia's - 338 S 1st St
• Patti's Power Plant - 2800 S Kinnickinnic Ave
• Paulies Pub - 8031 W Greenfield Ave
• Redbar - 2245 E St. Francis Ave
• Shorewood Brat House - 4022 N Oakland Ave
• Spirits - 922 Milwaukee Ave, South Milwaukee
• Spitfire's - 5018 W State St
• Steny's Tavern & Grill - 800 S 2nd St
• The Wisconsin Club - 900 W Wisconsin Ave
• Uncle Buck's On Third - 1125 N 3rd St
• Vier North Bar - 1832 E North Ave
• Who's on Third - 1007 N 3rd St
• WurstBar - 1239 E Brady St

Ride sharing

Utilizing Uber? Lobbying for a Lyft? For those snagging a ride-share to and from Summerfest these upcoming few weekends, the designated pickup and dropoff point near the grounds is found outside the north gate to Henry Maier Festival Park, around North Harbor Drive. 

For even more transportation advice – including parking tips and driving directions with all the usual summer construction – check out Summerfest's get-around guide. And as for everything going on inside the grounds once you get there, click here for all of OnMilwaukee's Summerfest coverage.