DART Prepares for Park & Ride Service to the Iowa State Fair

With the Iowa State Fair a month away, the Des Moines Area Regional Transit Authority (DART) is gearing up for its annual Park & Ride service.

Fairgoers can park for free at two locations in Downtown Des Moines (DSM) – 7th and Center Street parking garage and the Iowa State Capitol – and pay a small fee to ride a DART bus to Gate 10 on the west side of the fairgrounds. New this year, DART is making improvements at Center Street to serve more riders with shaded parking and waiting areas available.

How to Use DART’s Park & Ride

DART’s Park & Ride service will operate from 8 a.m. until Midnight each day of the fair, except for Sunday, Aug. 23, 2026 when the fairgrounds close around 9 p.m. Riders can purchase Park & Ride tickets from booths at each of the Park & Ride locations. Bus rides to the Fair will cost $3 per person, covering both the trip to the fairgrounds and back.

Read the entire press releases here, or find full details about DART’s Iowa State Fair service at ridedart.com/statefair. Contact DART Customer Service at (515) 283-8100.