Every year for the first two weekends of October, crowds flock to Zilker Metropolitan Park for Austin’s largest celebration of music — but getting there is not without its challenges. The Daily Texan compiled a short guide for the smoothest journey to Austin City Limits Music Festival from campus.
ACL shuttle
Festival Shuttles, provided by ACL, take riders from downtown Austin straight to the Barton Springs west festival entrance for easy access to the entry gates. Beginning at 12 p.m. on Friday and 11 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday, board the Festival Shuttle at Republic Square Park on 4th and San Antonio Street both weekends. Festival Shuttles also drop riders back at Republic Square Park at night.
Austin’s CapMetro
Free for riders with UT student IDs, CapMetro provides several routes that travel near Zilker Park. This includes 803 Southbound, which has a convenient bus stop on UT’s West Mall for students. The rapid route operates from 6 a.m. to 12:30 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and 6 a.m to 11:30 p.m. on Sundays with buses coming every 10-15 minutes during peak times. Riders should deboard at the Barton Springs stop. Routes are also available from West Campus bus stations at 2204 San Gabriel St, 22nd and Pearl Street, and 26th and Rio Grande Street. Additional routes can be found here.
Bicycle
ACL also encourages greener options for Longhorns traveling to Zilker Park, such as walking, biking or scootering. Campus bikers and scooter riders can use the Shoal Creek Greenbelt Trail to connect to Lance Armstrong Bikeway. From Lance Armstrong Bikeway, riders can use the Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail to get to Zilker Park. Bike and scooter parking spaces can be found on Stratford Drive, over the Mopac Pedestrian Bridge. Additional bike and scooter parking is available on Toomey Road and Sterzing Street.
Park and walk
While neither Zilker Park nor surrounding neighborhoods provide parking spots for festival-goers, distance parking can be found at several locations: reserve a space at Barton Oaks Plaza buildings, Mopac Circle, Austin High School or ZACH Theatre. All parking locations are within two miles of Zilker Park. Limited ADA parking is available at the festival site and ADA drop off and pick up is available off Mopac’s Barton Skyway exit.
Rideshare
While rideshare prices can be steep during festival time, it can also be one of the most convenient transportation options. All weekend, Uber or Lyft can drop festival-goers off a short walking distance from the festival. ACL says drop off locations will be updated throughout the weekend.
