Transportation and Directions

Quick Links

•   Milwaukee County Transit System Shuttles
•   Milwaukee County Transit Connect
•   Milwaukee County Transit System Routes
•   Rideshare To The Fest
•   TRAIN SERVICE TO MILWAUKEE
•   The Hop Streetcar
•   Bublr Bikes
•   Bar Shuttles

• Milwaukee County Transit System Shuttles

  Two shuttles will 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 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, AMEX, or Discover card.

  • Round-trip fare is:
    $10 for riders ages 12 and up
    $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.

  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 County Transit Connect

  The CONNECT 1 BRT line will be FREE to Summerfest riders throughout the entirety of the 2023 festival thanks to MCTS and Umo Mobility. 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. The route ends at the corner of Wisconsin and Van Buren, just blocks from the Summerfest North Gate.

  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.

  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 County Transit System Routes

  Several MCTS local routes are within walking distance of Summerfest. 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.

  A 90-minute fare is:

  • $2 for riders ages 12 and up
  • $1 for youth 11 and under and seniors 65 and over, and people with qualifying disabilities

  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 14 - Pick up locations include Bayshore Mall, Whitefish Bay, Shorewood, Riverwest, Lower East Side and everywhere in between. Summerfest drop off location is on Wisconsin and Cass just north of Summerfest grounds. Hours of service are weekdays - approximately 4:30 a.m.-12:00 a.m and Saturdays - approximately 6:00 a.m. - 12:00 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 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.

  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.

  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.

• Rideshare To The Fest

  • To help concertgoers easily meet their drivers, Rideshare pickups and drop-offs will be located outside the North Gate.
  • With a lot of movement around the city, here are a couple of tips to follow for the smoothest experience.
    • You will always be able to see your fare before you accept the trip. We expect the busiest times to be on the weekends or as the headline acts finish up their encore.
    • Always check the license plate in your app with the license plate of the vehicle.
    • Confirm your name with your driver.
    • If you are planning on traveling with a big crew, be sure to order a car that can fit up to six riders comfortably.

• TRAIN SERVICE TO MILWAUKEE

  

  Amtrak Hiawatha Service

  Coming to Summerfest from the Chicago area or Racine/Kenosha? Jam without traffic and take the train! Amtrak Hiawatha Service offers easy access to Summerfest from the Milwaukee Intermodal Station. You can catch the train to the fest from Chicago Union Station, Glenview, and Sturtevant (Racine/Kenosha). Visit Amtrak.com/summerfest for more details. 

  Consult the Amtrak website for the full Hiawatha schedule, including return travel.

• The Hop Streetcar

  The Hop streetcar provides an easy, fun and free option for traveling from numerous downtown destinations to Summerfest. Whether arriving in Milwaukee at the Intermodal station or heading down from East Town or the Lower East side, ride The Hop to either Historic Third Ward platform. From there it’s just a 10-minute walk via N. Broadway and E. Chicago St. to the festival’s Mid Gate. 

  Visit www.thehopmke.com to learn more about Milwaukee’s streetcar, including route maps, system schedules and real-time arrival information.

• Bublr Bikes

  Greater Milwaukee’s nonprofit bike share program. Currently, the system has over 100 stations in Milwaukee, Wauwatosa, and West Allis. Users can check out a bike from any station and check it back in at any other station. For information on station locations and how to borrow a bike, visit bublrbikes.org.

• Bar Shuttles

  Here is a list of bars that currently offer shuttle service to Summerfest. Shuttle pick up and drop off are located at either the Summerfest North or South Gates:

  North Side

  • McBob's - 4919 W North Ave
  • Spitfire's - 5018 W State St
  • Jack's American Pub - 1323 E Brady St
  • WurstBar - 1239 E Brady St
  • Milwaukee Brat House - 1013 N 3rd St
  • Shorewood Brat House - 4022 N Oakland Ave
  • Caffrey's Pub - 717 N 16th St
  • Murphy's Irish Pub - 1613 W Wells St
  • Belmont - 784 N Jefferson St
  • Izzy Hops - 2311 N Murray Ave
  • Uncle Buck's On Third - 1125 N 3rd St
  • Buck Bradley's - 1019 N 3rd St
  • Camp Bar Wauwatosa - 6600 W North Ave, Wauwatosa
  • Who's on Third - 1007 N 3rd St

   

  South Side 

  • O'lydia's - 338 S 1st St
  • Steny's Tavern & Grill - 800 S 2nd St
  • King Pins Spirits - 4102 S Kinnickinnic
  • Spirits - 922 Milwaukee Ave, Saint Francis
  • PartyTimeMKE/KeyMgmt - 
  • Newport - 939 E Conway St
  • Paulies Pub - 8031 W Greenfield Ave
  • Gingerz - 3915 S Howell Ave
  • Dale Z's - 3585 S Howell Ave
  • Jersey's - 4024 S Howell Ave
  • Redbar - 2245 E St. Francis Ave
  • The Wisconsin Club - 900 W Wisconsin Ave