Jacksonville/ Transportation & Infrastructure
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Published on November 09, 2024
St. Augustine Announces Free Park & Ride Shuttle for Nights of Lights FestivitiesSource: City of St. Augustine

As St. Augustine prepares for its annual Nights of Lights spectacle, officials have announced the return of the Free Park & Ride shuttle starting Light-Up! Night, slated for Saturday, November 23. According to a release by the City of St. Augustine, the shuttle service will be available to ferry attendees to the historic downtown area, not just on the kick-off night, but throughout the holiday season on key dates including Thanksgiving weekend and several Saturdays in December, culminating with service on Saturday, January 4, 2025. The shuttle's purpose is to alleviate the inevitable traffic that accompanies the holiday season and the parade of lights, an event that draws both locals and tourists alike.

On Light-Up! Night, shuttle services encompass both the main routes from north and west city locations, and a special service on Anastasia Island. The main route pickups will begin from 1:00pm and will conclude operations at 11:00pm, with stops at the St. Johns County Health Department, Broudy's Lot, and the San Marco Lot. Patrons arriving from these points will be dropped off at the Visitor Information Center, providing easy access to the holiday festivities. Anastasia Island's special service, covering only November 23 as per the City of St. Augustine's announcement, runs slightly later from 4:00pm to 11:00pm.

Drivers looking to avoid the hassle of parking downtown during Nights of Lights will have multiple opportunities to use the Free Park and Ride Shuttle. The shuttle operates afternoons and evenings with extended service on both the days following Thanksgiving and the five days succeeding Christmas, an offering crafted to handle the influx of celebrants drawn by the glow of the Nights of Lights. The service will also run on the first Saturday of the new year, January 4, 2025, from the Broudy’s lot exclusively, accommodating the post-holiday crowd surge, noted by the City of St. Augustine.

In light of the increased traffic expected, the St. Augustine STAR Circulator is adjusting its schedule, operating from 10:00am to 5:00pm from November 23 through January 5, 2025. This modified service endeavors to complement the Free Park and Ride shuttle, ensuring that visitors can weave through the city with greater ease, and then returning to their normal hours starting January 6. These coordinated transportation efforts underscore a commitment to ensure that Nights of Lights remains a charming and accessible tradition in St. Augustine, as underlined by the release from the City of St. Augustine.