What you need to know about transportation and parking for the Minnesota State Fair

If you’re heading to the Minnesota State Fair, here’s everything you need to know about transportation and parking.

The Minnesota State Fair offers 31 free park-and-ride options. Buses run from 8 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. (9:30 p.m. on Labor Day). Times vary based on traffic and crowds. Grandstand shows typically end between 10 p.m. and 11 p.m. For more information, visit mnstatefair.org/get-here/free-park-and-ride.

There are also express bus services provided by Metro Transit as well as the Minnesota Valley Transit Authority and SouthWest Transit. For information on these options, visit mnstatefair.org/get-here/metro-transit/

Metro Transit park-and-ride locations are located in Blaine, Maplewood, Minnetonka, Bloomington, Cottage Grove and Maple Grove, with service in Maple Grove only available on weekends and Labor Day.

According to Metro Transit spokesman Drew Kerr, there were an estimated 241,000 express bus rides to and from the fairgrounds in 2023. That’s a 33% increase over 2022.

Metro Transit employees will be available at the park-and-ride locations to assist riders, Kerr said. Fairgoers can also contact Metro Transit or check the website for more information.

“Local transport is an important part of the fair. We are looking forward to it and will have a successful year,” said Kerr.

Bus fares via the Metro Transit app

To get to the fairgrounds more easily and get a small discount, Kerr recommends buying the bus ticket through the Metro Transit app. A round-trip ticket costs $5 through the app or website and $6 at the boarding stations.

Three different buses serve the exhibition grounds and

To get real-time information – such as available parking – at Metro Transit park-and-ride locations, Kerr recommends checking Metro Transit’s social media on Facebook and X (formerly known as Twitter).

Parking on the street

As for on-street parking, the City of Falcon Heights has about 800 to 1,000 public parking spaces, but Falcon Heights City Manager Jack Linehan suggests using the State Fair park-and-ride system to keep city streets clear for residents.

“We will put our map online so residents and visitors can look at it and decide if parking in Falcon Heights makes sense for them. We encourage people – if they are looking for parking – to consider the park-and-ride facilities and not park in Falcon Heights,” Linehan said.

Parking restrictions in Falcon Heights during the State Fair will be similar to those in previous years, Linehan said. A 2023 Falcon Heights survey found that about 57% of 162 respondents found parking enforcement measures this year to be an improvement over previous years.

The city requires parking permits for some of the neighborhoods closest to the fair. In areas where parking is prohibited, fines will double from $50 to $100 from August 15 to September 15. For information on parking restrictions in Falcon Heights during the fair, visit falconheights.org/home/showpublisheddocument/5092.

“We know we do this every year and we enjoy the fair, but we also ask that people be respectful when they come in and mind their trash and … mind the noise level when they come home late after a concert. And just being nice to the neighbors is greatly appreciated,” Linehan said.