San Diego – One of the region’s most vibrant and celebrated events, the San Diego Pride Parade and Festival, returns to Hillcrest on Saturday, July 19, drawing more than 250,000 participants and spectators. With large crowds and limited parking expected, the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) encourages everyone to “Ride to Pride” and take transit to the festivities.
“I encourage everyone attending this weekend’s Pride festivities to take transit,” said Stephen Whitburn, MTS Board Chair and San Diego City Councilmember for District 3. “MTS offers a fast, easy, and stress-free way to Ride to Pride and be part of one of San Diego’s most vibrant celebrations.”
Several MTS bus routes offer direct or nearby service to the parade and festival. Rapid 215 and Route 7 are some of the best options, running every 15 minutes or better to University Avenue and Park Boulevard—just three blocks from the parade's starting point. Route 7 connects riders to the free Pride Shuttle, operated by San Diego Pride, with service to Park Boulevard and Presidents Way. Additional routes serving the parade and festival area include Routes 1, 3, 10, 11, and 120. Both Route 3 and Route 120 provide service to the Pride Festival entrance at Balboa Park.
Due to road closures in Hillcrest, several MTS bus routes will be detoured on Saturday, July 19, from 6:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Routes 1, 3, 10, 11, and 120 will experience temporary changes. Riders are encouraged to plan ahead and check the full list of detours and service impacts by visiting the MTS Pride Parade & Festival webpage or calling (619) 233-3004, available 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. for trip planning support.
MTS will also take part in this year’s Pride Parade, showcasing its newly wrapped “Ride to Pride” bus. MTS employees, family, and friends will march alongside the bus in celebration of LGBTQIA+ communities across the region.
Transit Tips for Pride Riders:
Paying for Fares: Eventgoers should download the PRONTO app ahead of time and load at least $5 on the virtual card, which covers a round-trip fare for adults. Riders must tap or scan their PRONTO card/app before boarding to ensure a smooth and speedy ride.
Contactless Payment: Spectators now have the option to simply tap a credit card or other contactless payment options, such as a smartphone or smartwatch, on a bus validator to pay for a one-way ride ($2.50, valid for two hours). This allows attendees to speed up boarding times.
Each rider must have their own PRONTO card or app, or other payment method; fares cannot be shared across devices or payment methods.
Families ride for less: On weekends, two children (12 and under) ride free with every paying adult—no ticket needed. All youth 5 and under ride free all day, any day; no pass required. Youth 18 and under ride free with a registered Youth PRONTO card or app through the Youth Opportunity Pass program (must have a valid Youth PRONTO card).
Make your Pride experience traffic-free, stress-free, and full of color—ride MTS and celebrate safely with the community.
About MTS
The Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) operates 92 bus routes and four Trolley lines in 10 cities and unincorporated areas of San Diego. MTS is a leader in advancing initiatives to create a greener, cleaner and better-connected transit system in San Diego. Each weekday more than 250,000 passenger trips are taken throughout the MTS system taking people to work, school, health appointments and other essential trips. In FY 2024, MTS served more than 75 million riders. For service schedule updates, news, alerts and more information on how you can use public transportation, go to www.sdmts.com.
