State Fair News

DART institutes special train schedule during State Fair of Texas

The train is a great way to get to the State Fair of Texas.

Photo courtesy of State Fair of Texas

With the State Fair of Texas looming, Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) has created a special schedule for routes to and from the event which will run from September 27-October 20.

Fair days are always busy on DART rail and buses, especially on weekends and gamedays. Here's a brusher-upper on the basics.

Service on Green Line
DART’s Green Line is the one that hits Fair Park, and it's accessible via two stops:

Fair Park Station on Parry Avenue, at the fairgrounds entrance
MLK, Jr. Station, south of R.B. Cullum Boulevard, which provides access to Gate 6 and the Cotton Bowl Stadium

Get familiar with the connections
The Green Line can be reached via DART Light Rail and Trinity Railway Express (TRE). Look for trains marked "Fair Park," "Buckner," or "Lawnview" for Green Line service.

Southbound Red, Blue, and Orange Line riders: Transfer at Pearl/Arts District Station.
Northbound Red and Blue Line riders: Transfer at Akard Station.
Eastbound Orange Line riders: Transfer at Bachman Station.

Hours
Extra Green Line trains will operate between Victory Station and Lawnview Station Monday-Friday 9 am-3 pm, and Saturday-Sunday 9 am-6 pm, running approximately every 10 minutes.

The extra hours will spill over to the Red and Blue lines on weekends, with increased frequency similar to regular weekday hours for the Red and Blue lines, with trains running every 20 minutes on Saturday-Sunday between 6 am-10 pm.

Orange Line trains will run all the way to Parker Road Station throughout the Fair, also with an increased 20-minute frequency, until 10 pm daily.

Non-DART connections
Denton County Transportation Authority (DCTA) connects to DART's Green Line at Trinity Mills Station, but users will need to visit DCTA.net for connection times.

TRE will run on a modified Saturday schedule on all four Sundays during the Fair, with transfers to the Green Line available at Victory Station. For details, visit TrinityRailwayExpress.org/StateFair.

“The State Fair of Texas is just around the corner and DART is ready to help connect you to the fun,” said Bernard Jackson, Senior Execuitve Vice President and Chief Operations Officer for DART. “This event is a favorite for Texans, and welcomes guests nationally and from around the world. We can’t wait to welcome passengers as they experience some of the best of what Texas has to offer, and we are glad to increase service on the weekends to help connect our riders to this incredible event.”

Contactless payments
DART provides four contactless options for purchasing your pass:

GoPass® app: Download it for free from the Apple App Store or Google Play and activate your pass before boarding.
GoPass® Tap card: Purchase and reload your card at participating retailers. This reloadable option provides you with the best fare and can be tapped on a reader at DART stations or buses. (Note: It’s only valid for local fares and not for TEXRail, DCTA, or Trinity Metro.)
Credit or debit card: Use any contactless credit or debit card by tapping it on a reader at a DART station or bus.
Mobile device: Pay with apps like Apple Pay, Google Pay, or Samsung Pay by tapping your device on a reader at DART stations or buses.

Purchase a Local Day Pass for $6, good for DART Rail, local buses, and riding the TRE between DFW Airport/CentrePort Station and EBJ/Union Station. Tarrant and Denton County customers need a Regional Day Pass for $12.

Weapon policy
A reminder that the State Fair of Texas has changed their weapons policy this year and no firearms permitted on the Fairgrounds. Please note DART stations do not have lockers for passengers to store personal items. For additional details and to see other state fair policies, please visit www.bigtex.com.

Football game
DART will operate a modified rail schedule for the Texas-OU game on Saturday, October 12; the kick-off for the game is at 2:30 pm. Visit DART’s Red River Rivalry page for complete details.

$5 off Fair admission with the DART GoPass
DART gets you to your gate and offers you State Fair savings. They have partnered with the State Fair of Texas to offer riders a special promotion; to access these discounts, enter code 24DARTSAVE when purchasing your tickets on www.bigtex.com. This deal is available for any day of the 2024 State Fair season.

festivals state fair

Airport News

DFW Airport seeks local restaurants to fill 14 new open slots

Manning

DFW Airport restaurants

Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) is seeking new restaurants who want to open a location on the premises. According to a release, the airport has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP), inviting local brands and flavors to apply for 14 retail and dining locations across multiple terminals.

“As we build new gates, reimagine existing spaces and construct a new Terminal F, DFW Airport is committed to showcasing our region through our shops and restaurants so that when people travel through our terminals, there’s no denying they have arrived in the heart of Dallas and Fort Worth,” says DFW Chief Revenue Officer Ken Buchanan in a statement. “DFW serves tens of millions of travelers each year, and this is a chance for local businesses to help create an incredible sense of place within our terminals.”

The RFP is open for submissions now through February 2, 2026, and includes 11 food and beverage opportunities and three specialty retail locations across Terminals A, B, E, and F.

Concepts range from fast-casual, fast-food, and grab-and-go concepts to frozen treats, popcorn, cosmetics, and specialty retail.

All proposal submissions must be made through the Bonfire Procurement Platform.

DFW welcomed approximately 87 million customers in 2024, with continued growth projected to surpass 100 million passengers per year before 2030.

The latest RFP opportunity comes as DFW continues to make progress on its $12 billion capital improvement plan, DFW Forward, which is transforming terminals, expanding gate capacity and enhancing the customer experience across the entire airport. In addition to the new Terminal F, DFW is rebuilding Terminal C and expanding gate areas in Terminals A and C – projects that will introduce modern spaces, new amenities and a stronger platform for small and local businesses to grow inside one of the world’s busiest airports.

airport openings