• Find Current Bus Route Schedules through June 13 and Plan Trips after June 14 Read More

FAQs

For more detailed information on our Iowa State Fair shuttle service, see the full page here.

Skip the ticket line and get discounted tickets by downloading the MyDART app. 

Holiday Service

  • Memorial Day (Monday, May 25, 2026)
  • Independence Day (Saturday, Jul. 4, 2026)
  • Labor Day (Monday, Sept. 7, 2026)
  • Thanksgiving Day (Thursday, Nov. 26, 2026)
  • Christmas Day (Friday, Dec. 25, 2026)
  • New Year’s Day (Friday, Jan. 1, 2027)

  • Day after Thanksgiving (Friday, Nov. 27, 2026): Sunday service schedule. DART On Demand operate from 7 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.. Administrative offices will be closed.
  • Christmas Eve (Thursday, Dec. 24, 2026): Sunday service schedule. DART On Demand operate from 7 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Administrative offices will be closed.
  • Day after Christmas (Saturday, Dec. 26, 2026) Regular Saturday service schedule.
  • New Year’s Eve (Thursday, Dec. 31, 2026): Sunday service schedule. DART On Demand operate from 7 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Administrative offices will be open.

  • Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Monday, Jan. 19, 2026)
  • George Washington’s Birthday (Monday, Feb. 16, 2026)
  • Easter Sunday (Sunday, Apr. 5, 2026)
  • Juneteenth (Friday, Jun. 19, 2026)
  • Veteran’s Day (Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2026)

Snow and DART bus stops

The winter season often brings snowfall to the member communities we serve in central Iowa. This snow can cause issues for travelers, especially during and right after it snows. Accessibility is very important to DART, and we understand that winter weather can create barriers for some of our riders making it difficult for them to access our stops and use our services. We are working continuously with our member communities to increase awareness on the responsibilities for clearing DART stops, and to grow the number of DART stops that include either a shelter or a cement access pad.

There are currently more than 1,600 DART bus stops located across our service area. Just as property owners are responsible for clearing public sidewalks, they are also expected to make sure that bus stops located on their properties are accessible if the bus stop is on a cement walkway or pad. As a result, except for bus shelters, DART relies on property owners as well as partnerships with local businesses, organizations and cities to clear bus stops.  DART staff clears snow and ice from bus shelters within 48 hours of a snowfall event.

Bus stops in grass medians and can be difficult or unsafe to clear. Because of this, we allow and encourage riders to use the courtesy stop process to get on or off the bus at a nearby safe, clear location.

  • If you are boarding a bus at a stop that cannot be accessed because of snow, we invite you to stand at the next safe, cleared location, such as a sidewalk near an intersection, a driveway that’s not in use, etc. to flag down your bus. Please try to stand as near to a stop as possible. Our bus drivers are instructed to perform a courtesy stop to pick up riders who cannot access their regular stop due to snow.
  • If you are getting off a bus at a stop that cannot be accessed due to snow, please request a courtesy stop. The bus operator will drop you off at a nearby safe, cleared location, such as a sidewalk near an intersection, a driveway that’s not in use, etc.

If it’s been more than two days since a snowfall, and you still cannot access your bus stop due to snow, we encourage you to let DART staff know and we’ll make every effort to ensure the stop is cleared if possible.

To report a stop, riders can either:

  • Email dart@ridedart.com to notify Customer Service of the issue. Please include your bus stop number, or a description of the location of your bus stop and what route you ride in your email.
  • Call DART Customer Service at 515-283-8100 option 0 to report inaccessible stops.
  • Or, notify Customer Service by reporting the issue to staff at the Customer Service window in the DART Central Station lobby.

DART wants to thank our riders for their input and feedback regarding winter weather and our bus stops. We do hear from riders each year and use their feedback to help us pinpoint inaccessible bus stops to try and work to get them cleared or provide alternative, safe spaces for riders to get on and off buses in the winter. With more than 1,600 stops in our network, we rely on input from our riders and partnerships with cities, community organizations and property owners to make sure there are safe places for riders to get on and off our buses.

Iowa State Fair Park & Ride Shuttles - Frequently Asked Questions

Get ready for your ride to the Iowa State Fair by checking out these Frequently Asked Questions:

Parking is available at no cost at all three locations, but the shuttle does require paid fare to ride.

Special service to events, including our Park & Ride services to the Iowa State Fair, are offered in addition to our regular service.

As this is an increased expense for DART, unfortunately, this means any Unlimited Access Partner will need a pay a fare to use this special service (including Veterans and Des Moines Public School students).

In honor of Veteran’s Appreciation Day, Veterans ride free on Monday, August 11 only.

None of our Park & Ride locations offer overnight parking. All cars left overnight at any location are at risk of being towed at the owner’s expense.

DART provides service from Park & Ride locations but is not responsible for enforcing parking policies or any expenses related to the enforcement of parking restrictions.

All single tickets/passes are good for both going to and returning from the fairgrounds, unless you request a one-way ticket.

Tickets purchased from ticket booths or activated MyDART app passes are accepted as you board the bus headed to the fairgrounds. No tickets or passes need to be presented for the return trip.

Yes, wagons and strollers are allowed on buses.

Devices do not need to be collapsed and children may remain in strollers during the trip.

During peak travel times, as space becomes limited on vehicles, riders may be asked to collapse and stow mobility devices at the front of the bus in order to keep aisles clear and seats available for other riders.

Our buses are fully accessible, including ramps and safety restraint systems for wheelchairs and motorized mobility devices. If you need help while boarding, please alert staff for assistance.

There is no schedule for this service.

Shuttles leave from each Park & Ride location on average every 10 – 15 minutes.

Waits may be longer during peak travel times including early morning or early evening hours.

On-site ticket booths and shuttle boarding begins at 8 a.m. Shuttle begin to leave around 8:15 a.m. or earlier as vehicles fill up.

Buses run to and from the Iowa State Fairgrounds until midnight.

On-site shuttle ticketing booths close at 8 p.m. Only exact change or MyDART mobile passes will be accepted on buses after booths close.

Entry gates for the fairgrounds close at 10 p.m. most nights of the fair.

On Sunday, August 17, entry gates close at 7 p.m. and shuttle service from the fairgrounds will run until 10 p.m.

We will work to make sure everyone gets home and do not expect you to leave the concert early.

In the event that the Grandstand show runs late, the DART Park & Ride service will continue to operate for up to an additional thirty minutes from when the show ends. Please exit the Grandstand and head straight back to Gate 10 after the show.

There are many lots around the Capitol Complex you may park at all with different available times.

All lots are marked with signs at their entrance that note the days and hours it is appropriate to park there. This information is also available on the interactive map on the State Fair service page.

Our on-site ticketing booths accepts all common forms of payment, including credit/debit card and most contactless forms of payment. After 8 p.m., only cash or MyDART mobile passes are accepted.

Most items prohibited from the State Fairgrounds are not allowed on buses. See the State Fair website for more information on prohibited items.

Please note that drink and food containers purchased at the State Fair without lids are not allowed on return shuttles buses.