Train
Avoid the traffic by using the Amtrak Hiawatha train service between the Chicago area and Milwaukee (including Racine and Kenosha). Get on the train from Chicago's Union Station, Glenview or Sturtevant and get dropped off at the downtown Milwaukee Intermodal Station. For details, prices and timetables, visit amtrakhiawatha.com. The Milwaukee Airport Railroad Station serves rail passengers connecting to flights at General Mitchell International Airport (Milwaukee), along with rail-only passengers utilizing Amtrak's Hiawatha Service. For further information on connecting to the airport, click here.
Milwaukee County Transit Bus Service (MCTS)
Any festivalgoers or employees heading to and from Henry Maier Festival Park this summer can ride MCTS’s network of everyday bus routes, which includes several routes that have stops within walking distance of the park!
Don’t live along a bus route? Pro tip: Park your car near one of these bus routes (for FREE) then ride the bus to and from the action.
The Connect 1 BRT Line
The new Connect 1 BRT line will be available to lakefront festival riders for the first time in history. It’s the smoothest, quietest, and most eco-friendly ride around town. Catch a ride every 10-15 minutes along the nine-mile route from Wauwatosa’s Watertown Plank Road Park and Ride lot to downtown Milwaukee. Riders can charge their phone via the USB chargers located beneath many of the seats. The route ends at the corner of Wisconsin and Van Buren, just blocks from the Henry Maier Park North Gate.
Ride the Connect BRT for free thanks to Umo Mobility (through September 30). All MCTS buses are accessible for persons using mobility devices.
The full 9-mile Connect 1 traveling one-way end-to-end will take 34 minutes; from Milwaukee’s downtown to the medical center in Wauwatosa 30 minutes, a travel time-savings of up to 8 minutes compared with existing bus service. Please plan accordingly.
Hours of service are weekdays - approximately 4:35 a.m. to 1:39 a.m. and Saturdays - approximately 4:45 a.m. to 2:15 a.m.
Regular Bus Service Routes
Several MCTS local routes are within walking distance of Henry Maier Park. A 90-minute fare is $2 for riders ages 12 and up and $1 for youth 11 and under and seniors 65 and over, and people with qualifying disabilities. Riders pay on the bus via the Umo app, WisGo card, M-Card or cash. All MCTS buses are accessible for persons using mobility devices.
Pick up and drop off locations for MCTS regular routes include:
- GreenLine - Pickup locations include Bayshore Mall, UWM, Walkers Point, Humboldt Park, General Mitchell Airport, and several places in between. The Henry Maier Park drop-off location is in the Third Ward along North Water Street. Hours of service are weekdays - approximately 3 a.m. to 2 a.m., Saturdays - from approximately 5 a.m. to 3 a.m.
- Route 14 - Pick up locations include Bayshore Mall, Whitefish Bay, Shorewood, Riverwest, Lower East Side and everywhere in between. Summerfest drop off location is on Wisconsin and Cass just north of Summerfest grounds. Hours of service are weekdays - approximately 4:30 a.m.-12:00 a.m and Saturdays - approximately 6:00 a.m. - 12:00 a.m.
- Route 15 - Pickup locations include Riverwest, Milwaukee School of Engineering, Downtown Milwaukee, Bay View, Cudahy, South Milwaukee, and several places in between. The Henry Maier Park drop off location is in the Third Ward along North Water Street. Hours of service are weekdays - approximately 3 a.m. to 1 a.m. and Saturdays - approximately 4 a.m. to 1 a.m.
- Route 18 - Pickup locations include Wisconsin State Fair Park Exposition Center, 84th Street and Greenfield Avenue, the VA Center, Downtown Milwaukee, and several places in between. The Henry Maier Park drop-off location is in the Third Ward along North Water Street. Hours of service are weekdays - approximately 4 a.m. to 2 a.m. and Saturdays - approximately 4 a.m. to 1 a.m.
- Route 30 - Pickup locations are along Sherman Boulevard south of Mill Road, the Washington Park area, from UW-Milwaukee to Downtown and several places in between. The Henry Maier Park drop off location is at Jackson and Wisconsin. Hours of service are weekdays - approximately 4 a.m. to 2 a.m. and Saturdays - approximately 4 a.m. to 3 a.m.
Best Routes by Direction
From the south:
From the west:
From the north:
From Downtown hotels and parking structures:
For more route or fare information, go to RideMCTS.com. For personalized assistance planning your ride, you can call the MCTS Customer Service Center Monday – Friday between 8 am – 4:30 pm at 414-937-3218.
Milwaukee County's paratransit service, Transit Plus, will also be providing rides to Irish Fest for $4 each way. Riders should contact their assigned van provider to schedule a ride to the fun. Visit RideMCTS.com/Accessibility to find out if you're eligible.