Train to State Fair of Texas in Dallas a good, cheap option. Otherwise, here’s where to park.

Brayden Garcia
·4 min read
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It’s almost time to say hello to Big Tex and chow down on the State Fair of Texas’ newest fried creations.

The State Fair of Texas is celebrating its 136th anniversary this year at Fair Park in Dallas from Sept. 30 to Oct. 23. Tickets and season passes are available now on the State Fair website.

If you’re planning on attending this year’s State Fair, be sure to look over the Star-Telegram’s guide before you go.

Once you’re at the State Fair there’s plenty of things to do, but getting there and finding parking might be a headache. Here’s what to know about parking and public transportation at this year’s event:

Where can I park at the State Fair of Texas?

Parking at the State Fair is not free and will set you back $20 for most lots.

All of the official State Fair lots are located near pedestrian gates and are well lit. Bicycle racks are located inside gates 5, 6 and 11, on a first come first served basis.

The easiest and most convenient parking lot is through gate 2 at 925 S. Haskell Ave. according to State Fair officials.

Premium parking is also available to those looking to pay a little more at $40. Premium parking will put you in a parking lot just a stone’s throw away from the fairgrounds. This parking is accessible through gate 2 from Cullum Boulevard and Parry/Haskell Avenue.

Can I take the train to the State Fair?

Patrons can avoid any parking headaches by taking the train from Fort Worth to Dallas.

The Trinity Railway Express passengers can ride the train from Fort Worth to Dallas’ Victory Station. Passengers can get on the TRE train in Fort Worth at Central Station at 1001 Jones St. or T&P Station at 221 W. Lancaster Ave.

Once getting to Victory Station in Dallas, there are two Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) Rail Green Line stations that connect to the fairgrounds. The Fair Park station at 3710 Parry Ave. is located right near the State Fair entrance and the MLK, Jr. station at 1412 S. Trunk Ave., is only a few blocks away from the fair.

Both Green Line stations will drop you off within walking distance of the State Fair. Once your fair day is over, simply hop back on the Green Line to Victory Station and that will lead back to Fort Worth.

Fort Worth’s two TRE stations are open well before the State Fair gates open at 9 a.m. While taking the train to the State Fair is easy, passengers need to plan ahead when it comes to heading back to Fort Worth from Dallas.

The departure times for the last TRE trains from Dallas to Fort Worth are:

  • Monday-Thursday: 10:24 p.m. from EBJ Union Station and 10:33 p.m. from Victory Station. The last Green Line connection back to Victory Station is 9:48 p.m. for MLK, Jr. station and 9:51 p.m. from Fair Park station.

  • Friday: Midnight from EBJ Union Station and 12:05 a.m. from Victory Station. The last Green Line connection back to Victory Station is 11:18 p.m. from MLK, Jr. station and 11:21 p.m. from Fair Park station.

  • Saturday-Sunday: 11:30 p.m. from EBJ Union Station and 11:35 p.m. from Victory Station. The last Green Line connection to Victory Station is 10:48 p.m. from MLK, Jr. station and 10:51 p.m. from Fair Park station.

For the Fort Worth to Dallas trip, you will need to purchase a regional day pass from Trinity Railway Express which costs $12 for adults and $3 for anyone under 19 years old. This type of pass allows day travel until 3 a.m. and can be purchased at the station or on the GoPass app.

The day pass cost to go from the Victory Station to either the Fair Park or MLK, Jr. station’s on the DART green line costs $6 for adults and $3 for children. This ticket can be purchased at the station or on the GoPass app. It would cost a singe rider just under $20 a day by train to and from the state fair.

What other public transportation options take me to the State Fair?

If rideshare or taxi’s are more of your thing, the State Fair has parking locations just for that.

The rideshare pick-up/drop-off area is located inside gate 5 on the fairgrounds. Patrons can simply exit the grounds near gate 5 and await their ride there.

For taxi passengers, there’s a stand located near the intersection of Pacific Avenue and Gurley Avenue outside gate 1.

How many gates are at the State Fair?

There are 12 gates surrounding the State Fair. The fairgrounds map below shows a snapshot of what fair patrons can look forward to this year.

A fairgrounds map of the State Fair of Texas.
A fairgrounds map of the State Fair of Texas.