Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo

You can obtain a METRO Q® Fare Card, METRO Day Pass or METRO Money Card at any of the following:

• METRO RideStore locations
• METRO Online RideStore
• Participating retail locations
• Select vending machines

You have the option of loading money on your card when you first obtain it. Reload options vary by fare card and location.

Additional payment options to ride METRO can be obtained through other sources.

More details can be found on the All About Fares page.

First, you’ll need an internet connection.

Download the METRO Q Mobile Ticketing App and set up an account. Then, mobile tickets may be purchased in one of two ways:

• In the app, tap Store along the bottom menu to get started
• Log in to your account on the METRO Q Mobile Ticketing Store

If you’ve purchased one or more mobile tickets that you haven’t used, they’ll be listed under Available in the Use section of the app. From there, you can activate a ticket.

Once activated, your ticket is valid for up to three hours.

If you pay your fare using a METRO Q® Fare Card, METRO Q Mobile Ticket, METRO Day Pass or METRO Money card, you’re entitled to free transfers between any of these METRO services for up to three hours in any direction:

• Local bus
• METRORail
• METRORapid

For transfers to Park & Ride bus service, you only pay the fare difference for up to three hours in any direction.

If you wish to pay with a mobile ticket and plan to ride or transfer to a Park & Ride bus during your trip, you'll need to purchase and activate a Park & Ride mobile ticket. It's valid for three hours once activated and entitles you to free transfers between any METRO service of equal or lesser value during that time.

Only regular fare mobile tickets are available for purchase.

Local bus:

A route selector is accessible directly on the website home page, linking you directly to a page for the local bus route of your choice.

At the top of each individual route page, you’ll find:

• Frequency of service on weekdays and weekends
• Stop-by-stop schedule
• Link to view PDF schedule which you can then download and/or print

METRORail:

Frequency of service, a stop-by-stop schedule, a PDF schedule and a linear route map for each METRORail line are found on the METRORail page.

On the METRO website, there’s a route map on each route page and the METRORail page.

You can also use the website's Interactive System Map (best viewed on a desktop or laptop computer). In the map, you can check a box next to any METRO bus route, METRORapid route or rail line, and the map will draw a line showing where it runs.

If you’d prefer a physical map, we include a map image in the printed brochure for each route or rail line. Brochures are available for free at all METRO RideStore locations:

• Downtown Transit Center - 1900 Main St.
• Fannin South Transit Center - 1604 West Bellfort St.
• Main Street Square - 1001 Travis St.
• Northwest Transit Center - 7373 Old Katy Road
  

Trip planning tools are available on:

• Various pages of the METRO website, including the home page
• RideMETRO app for your smartphone
• Google or Apple maps

METRO local buses make stops at the following locations

• Along city streets, at intersections where you see a METRO bus stop sign and/or bus shelter
• At select Park & Ride lots around the region
• At more than 20 transit centers around the region

All METRO buses have large, bright destination signs on the front of the bus above the windshield and along the passenger’s side, near the front door. These digital displays include the route number and destination.

METRORail trains make stops at rail station platforms along city streets in and around downtown Houston. You can also board a METRORail train at the following transit centers:

• Burnett (Red Line)
• Downtown (Red Line)
• Fannin South (Red Line)
• Magnolia Park (Green Line)
• Northline (Red Line)
• Palm Center (Purple Line)
• Texas Medical Center (Red Line)

All METRORail trains have large, bright destination signs on the front of the train above the windshield and along the side of the train as it pulls into the station.

Red Line trains would say one of the following:

• Northline TC
  
• Fannin South

Green Line trains would say one of the following:

• Magnolia Park
• Theater District

Purple Line trains would say one of the following:

• Palm Center TC
• Theater District

If you know your stop number (it's posted on the bus stop sign at every bus stop location), you can text that stop number to 697433. We'll text you back the estimated arrival time of the next bus for all routes that stop at your location.

In addition, you can use one of the other methods listed below.

• METRO website home page (“Track Bus or Train” tab)
• ONE to Ride app for your smartphone
• Google or Apple maps
• Digital signs installed at select METRO bus stop locations and transit centers
• Automated phone line by dialing 713-635-4000

The event takes place at NRG Park. The two fixed-route services that stop closest to the venue are Local Bus and METRORail. All METRO-owned transit vehicles and all METRORail platforms are accessible under the standards of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

METRO also operates a paratransit service (METROLift). If you meet the eligibility requirements and have already been approved as a METROLift customer, you can book a ride to and from the event just as you would book any other trip on the service.

Local bus routes that stop at or near NRG Park:

• 14 Hiram Clarke
• 60 Cambridge
• 84 Buffalo Speedway

METRORail:

METRO operates three light rail lines in and around downtown Houston.

The Red Line runs through downtown Houston, the Museum District and the Texas Medical Center. During the Rodeo, trains will arrive every 6-18 min. depending on the day and time.

The Green Line runs through downtown Houston and EaDo (east downtown). It operates every 12 minutes on weekdays and every 18 minutes on weekends.

The Purple Line runs through downtown and the Third Ward (southeast of downtown). It operates every 12 minutes on weekdays and every 18 minutes on weekends.

NRG Park is accessed from the Stadium Park / Astrodome station along the METRORail Red Line.

So if you’re coming from EaDo or the Third Ward area, you’ll need to transfer to and from the Red Line as follows:

Going to the event:

Green and Purple Line riders exit Central Station Rusk and transfer to the Red Line at Central Station Main (on Main Street between Capitol and Rusk).

Coming home from the event on the Red Line:

Red Line riders exit Central Station Main and transfer to the Green or Purple Line at Central Station Rusk (on Rusk Street between Fannin and San Jacinto).

During the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, the only shuttle METRO is operating departs from the Maxey Road Park & Ride facility at 515 Maxey Road. It runs every 15 minutes on weekdays and weekends.

Regular fare: $4 round-trip
Discounted fare: $2 round-trip

Hours of Operation (inbound shuttle to NRG Park):

• Weekdays 4:30-9 p.m.
• Weekends 11 a.m.-9 p.m.

Last outbound shuttle from NRG Park:

Sun-Fri: 1 a.m.
Sat: 2 a.m.

The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo will also be operating shuttles of their own, at the following locations:

OST1
2103 South Braeswood Blvd.

Reed Road
2400 Reed Road (off Hwy. 288)

West Loop
4675 South Braeswood Blvd.

Monroe
8833 1/2 Gulf Fwy. (Interstate 45)

The Woodlands Express
701 Westridge Road

Hours of operation and costs vary by location. View more information here.

If you plan to drive for at least a portion of your trip to the Rodeo, there are several options to consider if you'd rather not park in one of the public lots at NRG Park.

Fannin South Transit Center

From March 4-23, park and pay $25 (credit or debit card only) at the Fannin South Transit Center (1604 West Bellfort Ave.). Every passenger in your vehicle receives a round-trip wristband to ride the METRORail Red Line. From Fannin South it's just one stop to the Stadium Park / Astrodome station.

The $25 parking rate applies to all vehicles that park at Fannin South Transit Center during those dates, even if you’re not attending the event.

Other METRO parking facilities

All other METRO parking facilities throughout the region are free of charge. However, the only shuttle METRO is operating between a parking facility and the event is at the Maxey Road Park & Ride lot at 515 Maxey Road. That lot can accommodate over 1,000 vehicles. 

The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is operating addition shuttles of their own from various parking facilities.

More information can be found in the answer to the question above.