Organizers announce updates to transportation options for 2024 State Fair

With the start of the Minnesota State Fair a month away, event organizers have announced new options for those looking to attend the popular event.

Early Monday morning, officials announced the options attendees have for attending the 2024 event, including the expansion of not only bus services, but also the pick-up and drop-off locations for rideshare companies.

According to the fair, the rideshare drop-off and pick-up locations “were recently expanded” and “are reconfigured to allow more staging space for waiting vehicles” due to the growing use of Uber, Lyft and other rideshare companies. The designated drop-off and pick-up locations for app-based ride services are at the north and south ends of the grounds, which is geofenced to guide those using apps to make it less confusing. Taxi drop-off and pick-up locations are found at the Loop Gate on Como Avenue.

Anyone using the free Park & Ride service can do so starting at 8 a.m. at the 31 lots located near the grounds, and this year, the I-35W and County Road C located on Iona Lane in Roseville will now be available during the fair’s entirety, instead of only five days.

Meanwhile, Southwest Transit has expanded service from three stations — previously in Chanhassen, Chaska and Eden Prairie — to four, now including Carver. In addition, bus service will be available from all lots every day except Labor Day.

Metro Transit’s State Fair Express Bus Service also increased service this year, up from four Park & Rides to six. The two new locations are in Maplewood and Maple Grove, with all but the Maple Grove lot operating all 12 days of the fair. The Maple Grove location will be available on weekends and Labor Day.

Another bus service expansion announced for the 2024 fair is the Minnesota Valley Transit Authority (MVTA) offering three routes that will run every 15-20 minutes all days of the fair. Those will start at the Burnsville Transit Station, Eagan Transit Station and Shakopee’s Southbridge Crossing Park and Ride, and end at the Transit Hub.

For those looking to bike to the fairgrounds, officials say there are three free secure and monitored bike parking areas on the north, west and south ends of the grounds, with space available for up to 930 bikes. This year, fair organizers say they bought additional bike racks this year in order to “more efficiently park bikes,” adding the lot at Loop Gate was more than doubled in size last year.

Anyone driving to the fair will be able to pay $20 — the same rate as last year — for one of the roughly 5,000 spots available on-site. Motorcycles can park for $15 in a lot on the south side of Como Avenue.

Anyone who would like to have fair attendees park at their homes is reminded to check with their city policy.

The 2024 Minnesota State Fair runs from Aug. 22 – Sept. 2. CLICK HERE for KSTP’s full coverage of the Minnesota State Fair.