Go Metro to the 2025 Rose Parade and Rose Bowl Game between Oregon and Ohio State!

Credit: Tournament of Roses

It’s time to start gearing up for the 136th Tournament of Roses parade and the 111th Rose Bowl game, which pits Oregon versus Ohio State! There are also two other big Tournament of Roses events: Bandfest and Floatfest.

Want to avoid all the traffic and parking hassles getting to and from Pasadena? Go Metro! Keep reading to learn how to make your journey seamless and stress-free.  

How to get to the Rose Parade 

If you’re visiting L.A. or new to using Metro, our A Line light rail train serves Pasadena and is the easiest way to reach Pasadena.

If you’re coming from outside the Pasadena area, transfer to the A Line at 7th/Metro pr Union Station in downtown Los Angeles. If you’re taking Metrolink, transfer to the A Line at Union Station (more info below). It’s also easy to catch the A Line at many other stations between Azusa and Long Beach.

Here are two useful maps: the top is our rail and busway system and the bottom map shows the A Line stations nearest the Rose Parade route:

More on the A Line stations closest to the parade:  

• Del Mar Station: Walk 0.3 miles north to Colorado Boulevard or .8 miles to the parade’s start at Green Street and Orange Grove Boulevard. 

• Memorial Park Station: Walk 0.2 miles south to Colorado Blvd. 

• Lake Station: Walk 0.4 miles south to Colorado Blvd. 

• Allen Station: Walk 0.4 miles south to Colorado Blvd. 

• Sierra Madre Villa Station: This station is one mile from the end of the parade route but it’s the station to use to reach Floatfest to see the floats after the parade. More info below.

We’re also running extra service on our rail system to accommodate everyone headed to Pasadena for the parade and/or game. 

On New Year’s Eve and early New Year’s Day (Dec. 31 to Jan. 1), we’ll be running service all night on the A, B, D and E Lines with additional early morning service to help get you to Pasadena on time for the parade. The C and K Lines will run until 2 a.m. January 1 and then resume service at 4 a.m.

To plan your transit trip, visit metro.net or use the Transit, Moovit, or Google Maps apps. If you’re driving to a Metro station, here’s our page that shows which stations have parking — many of the lots are free on New Year’s Day.

Metrolink Regional Rail service

To help you reach the parade, Metrolink is also offering special early morning trains on several lines, including Antelope Valley, Orange County, San Bernardino, Ventura County and 91/Perris Valley. Metrolink tickets include free transfers to Metro for easy connections to the A Line at Union Station. 

Special Fares: A $10 Holiday Pass is available via the Metrolink app or at ticket machines under “Special Event Tickets.” 

How to ride to the Rose Bowl Game 

The Rose Bowl game between Oregon and Ohio State kicks off at 2 p.m. Gates open at 11 a.m. for pre-game festivities. If you want to avoid parking expenses and hassles, Go Metro!

• Take the A Line to Memorial Park Station, turn right when exiting and then walk 0.4 miles to the free shuttle buses on Corson Street. 

• Shuttle service runs from 10 a.m. until two hours after the game ends. 

Bandfest

Enjoy the sounds of marching bands performing their parade routines at the annual event at Pasadena City College (PCC) on Dec. 29 and 30.

The A Line’s Allen Station is a .9-mile walk from PCC’s Robinson Stadium. By bus, Metro Bus Line 180 stops at Colorado & Hill on the north side of the PCC campus. Metro Bus Line 267 stops at Del Mar & Hill near Robinson Stadium.

Floatfest — i.e. post-parade float viewing

See the stunning Rose Parade floats up close at Floatfest near Victory Park: 

There is shuttle bus service from Sierra Madre Villa Station at these dates and times on Jan. 1 from 12:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Jan. 2-3 at 6:30 a.m. (with priority for seniors and mobility-impaired riders) and regular service from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. 

Regular fares apply; TAP card users can enjoy free transfers between services. 

Helpful tips for all Tournament of Roses events

• Fares: Regular fares are $1.75 per one-way trip or $3.50 roundtrip with free transfers for two hours, or $5 for unlimited rides all day. 

• TAP Cards: Save time and skip the line! Load your TAP card with round-trip fare before the events and avoid long lines at TAP vending machines after.  You can also download the TAP app through Google Play Store or the Apple App Store.  Access your TAP card in our Google or Apple Wallet for an easy, contactless way to pay for transit.  

• Customer Support: Call 323.GO.METRO (323.466.3876) for trip planning help. 

Safety First 

If you encounter an issue, call 888.950.SAFE (7233) or use the free Transit Watch app to report the issue to our safety staff by phone. For emergencies, dial 911.  

We wish you a happy new year!