Getting around on Derby Weekend

I%26#39;ll be in town for my first Derby and Oaks and can%26#39;t wait. I%26#39;m curious about what the best way to get around town is on race day. We%26#39;re staying at the Days Inn Airport, about 3 miles away from Churchill Downs, and I%26#39;m wondering if there is a way to get to the Derby without driving. Is it possible to take a cab or public transport to Churchill Downs or even to Papa Johns Stadium? Are cabs or buses available after the Derby to get downtown or home? Thanks in advance for any advice you can offer.

Getting around on Derby Weekend

I don%26#39;t know if there is a %26#39;best%26#39; way to get around on Derby %26amp; Oaks Day. Traffic exactly what you%26#39;d imagine.

Cabs run. You could certainly hire one to take you to Churchill Downs. However, they will be very, very busy. You may want to go ahead and try to make advance reservations (or at least check out what you%26#39;ll be dealing with).

Phone: 502-636-5511 (program it into your phone)

After the Derby, there will be long lines of people waiting to hire cabs. I see the lines for cabs %26amp; shuttles as we leave each year. They are LONG (looks like hours). Be aware.

The buses (T.A.R.C) will also be running. And I believe they alter the schedules/routes (i.e. add more buses) to bring people in %26amp; out of Churchill Downs area. http://www.ridetarc.org/

There are also all sorts of shuttles going back in forth from large hotels %26amp; major parking areas. Here%26#39;s an article I found by googling ';shuttles kentucky derby';. courier-journal.com/article/…ARCHIVES

You could also try to hire a private driver to pick you up %26amp; drop you off using CraigsList.com or something similar. Best of luck.

Getting around on Derby Weekend

Did you contact the Days Inn to see if they are running a shuttle? Most airport hotels do for a small fee.

Hey there!

I%26#39;m going to be a 10 year Derby Oaks veteran this year (YEAH!), and I tend to operate as the logistics manager for a group of about a dozen intoxicated people. Use the TARC shuttle to the Expo center. I can%26#39;t say this loudly enough!

Papa John Stadium is ok, but its really hard to get out of when everyone is leaving. Parking and driving near the stadium...forget it! The Days Inn might have a shuttle, which will be fine for getting there...but will leave you in a lurch for getting back. Same with cabs. Getting there is fine. The cab line getting out is at LEAST an hour long.

The parking at the EXPO center is easy to get out of since it lands right on the highway and is a quick drive right to and from the front door of Churchill downs. Be aware though, if you don%26#39;t have tickets and are going to the infield...infield chairs have to walked around to gate 3. Its not that far, but I usually send the crew into the infield and walk everyone%26#39;s stuff around, so newbies with us can take pictures at the ';nice'; gate, gate 1. Also, one year when the queen showed up, there was a problem with the shuttle, in that they shut down all Louisville traffic to get her out of town. That backed up the busses BADLY. That year we just walked because the entry gate to the Expo center is maybe a mile from the track (it was about a 15 min. brisk walk.) But otherwise, I much prefer the Expo center/Tarc Bus combination to all other cab/shuttle combinations. And believe me, I%26#39;ve tried them all.

I%26#39;ve stayed at the Days Inn airport a couple years, you are in for a treat! Bring a cooler and lawn chairs and have a blast in the lot. If you are planning on going to the Outback across the street...make a reservation NOW! Trust me.

HAVE A GREAT TIME...and Welcome to Derby!

Just a heads up on the shuttle. It is the most reliable form of transport, but TARC lost out to Miller Transportation on the bid this year. There%26#39;s a price increase, plus parking fees:

http://www.millertransportation.com/derby.pdf

I do hope they are using their air conditioned buses and not school buses, but it%26#39;s hard to tell at this point.

Thanks so much for all of the helpful responses. Looking forward to flying out tomorrow.