As we get ready to welcome 2019…here’s everything you need to know to Go Metro to the Tournament of Roses Parade and the Rose Bowl Game on Jan. 1, 2019.
A volunteer decorating their float.
Street and paid parking is limited near the parade route and traffic is usually extremely congested after the parade — just when people start arriving for the game. Take it from a Pasadena resident: if you drive, expect it to take up to an hour or more to escape Pasadena. But you can bypass all of that by taking the Metro Gold Line.
- Del Mar Station (walk two blocks north to the parade route)
- Memorial Park Station (walk two blocks south of the parade route)
- Lake Station (walk four blocks south to parade route)
- Allen Station (walk four blocks south to parade route)
The rest of Metro Rail will also run enhanced service on Jan. 1 through 9 p.m. Due to the large crowds expected to come out for the Rose Parade, large items such as umbrellas, chairs and coolers will NOT be permitted on the trains that day.
There is parking available at many Metro Rail stations, including Gold Line stations. Some lots are paid, some are free, be sure to check here before you head out. It’s eight dollars a day to park at Los Angeles Union Station. There are also many paid parking in lots in downtown Los Angeles that are near the Red/Purple Line subway that can be used to connect with the Gold Line at Union Station.
Getting to the Rose Bowl
Take the Metro Gold Line to Memorial Park Station in Pasadena; then it’s just a short walk to Parsons Parking Lot B for the free shuttle that drops you off next to the stadium. Rose Bowl shuttle service begins at 9 a.m. on Jan. 1 and runs until two hours after the game.
If you are riding a Metro bus after the game, please check the individual timetables for last bus times leaving Pasadena as buses will be operating on a Sunday/Holiday schedule. Game day parking at the Rose Bowl or the Parson’s lot costs $40.
Getting to the Post Parade Area for Float Viewing via Metro
After the parade, floats are displayed near Victory Park in Pasadena. To view the floats, take the Gold Line to the Sierra Madre Villa Station. Go the first level of the adjacent Gold Line parking garage to board a shuttle to the float viewing area.
On Jan. 1, shuttle service to the Post Parade viewing area runs from 12:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. Return service to Sierra Madre Villa Station will continue until 5:30 p.m. On Jan. 2, shuttle service from the station to Post Parade Park will begin at 7 a.m. and end at 3 p.m. Return service to Sierra Madre Villa Station will continue until 5:30 p.m.
Purchasing Metro Fare
Fares on Metro Rail are loaded on reusable TAP cards which can be purchased at all Metro Rail stations for $2; the machines at Metro Rail stations accept cash and credit cards. The regular one-way fare is $1.75 and includes two hours of free transfers. Some tips to speed your journey:
- Load your TAP card with $3.50 round-trip fare in stored value when starting your trip to avoid long lines at TAP vending machines after the event.
- A Day Pass is $7.
- TAP cards cannot be shared; each person must have their own TAP card. Two children four and under can ride free with each paying adult.
More fare information can be found here.
Other Transit Options
Below is the Metro and Metrolink map for our area. Metro runs the area light rail, subway and bus system that criss-crosses Los Angeles County. Metrolink runs commuter rail that serves the five-county area in addition to one station in northern San Diego County (Oceanside). The best way to take Metrolink to Pasadena is to take the Antelope Valley Line or San Bernardino Line to Union Station, then transfer to the Gold Line. Click here for more Metrolink service information.
Categories: Go Metro
A suggestion for the Marketing Dept and those responsible for the TAP program. Work with the Tournament of Roses and Pasadena to make a special run of TAP cards themed around the Rose Parade (and maybe the game, as long as there are no corporation names/logos used.) Every year on Dec 30 until the end of Jan 2, stock the TAP vending machines in Pasadena with these cards. Also, the customer service folks that are selling the cards at the stations should be giving them out. Afterward, Metro puts their stock away until next year. LAUS and the easternmost station on the GL might be good locations for the cards too. The extra press coverage that the program could generate would be helpful.