NYE Transportation Options
If you plan to celebrate the New Year in Downtown Austin city leaders and police want you to plan ahead. Free transportation options are available to get you around safely.
Cap Metro is offering metro rail and bus rides as part of what they're calling New Year's Freeve.
Metro rail will run on an extended service until 2:30 a.m. Metro Rapid will have extended service until 2:30 a.m. as well. The night owl buses with service to 6th street are running until 3 a.m. Another perk to these buses--instead of running every 30 minutes, they will run every 15 to 20 minutes. The free service starts as soon as the clock strikes 6 p.m. on December 31st.
The rail service is the most popular with seven to eight thousand riders expected.
"We'll probably see two to three times the number of people on Metro Rail on New Year's Eve than we do on a week day night. So just be expecting lots and lots of people. I would say head to the station a little bit earlier than you would think to just because you don't want to be stuck there waiting with so many other people that the trains are over-crowded,” said Cap Metro Spokesperson Amy Peck.
Should you choose to drive there are 3,000 parking spaces on streets downtown where you can leave your car parked overnight. The parking meters have yellow next day buttons that will allow you to buy overnight meter time. Should you take a taxi or bus home get a receipt! If you happen to get a parking ticket it will be waived with proof of your responsible decision.
A better reason to leave your car in park-- APD is hosting a no refusal DWI event until Sunday, New Year’s Day at 5 a.m.