The 136th annual Orange County Fair opens today with new food, new rides and steady prices, and getting there just got easier. The Orange County Transportation Authority is bringing back its popular OC Fair Express bus service starting Saturday, July 18, giving visitors a $2 ride straight to the fairgrounds every weekend.
A $2 ride straight to the fair
The OC Fair Express will run every Saturday and Sunday through August 16, with direct service from six locations across Orange County to the fairgrounds in Costa Mesa. Buses depart roughly every 30 minutes from Anaheim’s ARTIC station, the Fullerton Park & Ride, the Goldenwest Transportation Center in Huntington Beach, the Laguna Hills Transportation Center, the Santa Ana Regional Transportation Center and a new stop at the Irvine Train Station.
Riders pay $2 each way using a Wave card, the Wave mobile app, contactless payment or exact cash on board. Youth ages 18 and under ride free through OCTA’s Youth Ride Free program with a Wave card, while seniors get discounted fares. Buses drop passengers just inside the Yellow Gate entrance on the east side of the fairgrounds, and riders should arrive at their stop at least 10 minutes early.
OCTA will mark the return of the service with a free kickoff event at ARTIC in Anaheim on July 18 from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m., featuring games, mascots, crafts, snacks and giveaways. The first 100 attendees get a free ride, and the 10:35 a.m. bus will take guests directly to the fair afterward. The service has carried tens of thousands of riders since it launched in 2011 while easing traffic and parking crunches around one of the county’s busiest events…