Date: June 28, 2011
YARTS to Provide New Service originating from El Portal
Yosemite National Park will begin a new Park and Ride program beginning July 1, 2011. The inaugural program will bring visitors from El Portal to Yosemite Valley along Highway 140 and is designed to alleviate traffic congestion by reducing the number of private vehicles entering the park. The Park and Ride service will be available to visitors on weekends from July 1 through September 5, 2011. The service will also be offered the Friday and Monday of the 4th of July and Labor Day weekends.
Remote parking for visitors wishing to utilize this service will be located along Foresta Road, in El Portal, near the Yosemite National Park Maintenance Complex. There will be signs along the roadway and park personnel onsite to provide assistance and guidance for visitors wishing to park their vehicles.
Visitors are highly encouraged to use this new service when visiting Yosemite Valley from El Portal. Once in Yosemite Valley, visitors can utilize the free park hybrid shuttle buses that provide transportation to most of the most popular destinations in Yosemite Valley. The shuttle buses, with stops every 10 minutes, operate daily from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
The Yosemite Area Regional Transportation System (YARTS) has been providing bus service along the Highway 140 corridor from Merced to Yosemite Valley for park visitors and park employees since 2000. The YARTS service is designed to reduce private vehicles entering and exiting the park on a daily basis. YARTS also provides service over the Tioga Road into Mammoth Lakes during the summer season. All gear, including bicycles and hiking equipment, can be brought on any YARTS bus.
All fares to Yosemite include gate fees. Bus services between Yosemite Valley and El Portal costs $7 per adult, $5 per child under 12 years of age. Children under 12 ride free with the purchase of one adult ticket. Senior discounts and family package are also available. For more information on bus schedules and bus fares, please visit: www.YARTS.com.
