The National Park Service (NPS) will provide shuttle bus services between the Grand Canyon National Park Visitor Center and Tusayan, Arizona beginning on May 28. The Tusayan Route will operate at 20-minute intervals between 8 AM and 9:30 AM daily until September 9.
Since summer is a busy period at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, park visitors can expect up to two-hour wait times at the South Entrance Station between 10 AM and 4 PM. Parking lots can also reach maximum capacity at around 12 NN, according to a news release.
The bus shuttle from Tusayan can help visitors avoid entrance station lines and parking challenges, reducing traffic congestion in the park.
Visitors need a valid park pass, including lifetime or annual passes, to ride the shuttle service. They can buy entrance passes for vehicles, individuals, and motorcycles at the IMAX, Canyon Plaza Resort, Red Feather Lodge, and Westwind Air Service at the Grand Canyon Airport.
They can buy the passes from automated machines at The Grand Hotel and the IMAX, and online at https://www.recreation.gov/sitepass/74282.
For visitors with RVs and those pulling a trailer can park at one of the “park and ride” lots and then take the shuttle, unless they have a campground reservation in the park.
The first bus into the park leaves Tusayan at 8 AM from the IMAX Theater. The first bus departing the Grand Canyon Visitor Center leaves at 8:25 AM. The last buses leave IMAX at 9:45 PM and Grand Canyon Visitor Center at 9:30 PM each night.
After making four trips in Tusayan, the shuttle heads to the Grand Canyon Visitor Center, where visitors can access trails, scenic viewpoints, and the free in-park shuttle bus system.
NPS ensured the shuttles are wheelchair accessible, runs on clean-burning compressed natural gas, and have bike racks that can hold three bicycles.
“We are pleased to provide this service to park visitors and local residents again in 2022,” said Grand Canyon National Park Superintendent Ed Keable.
“Riding the shuttles helps protect resources, reduces crowding on park roadways, and reduces our carbon footprint. The Tusayan Route has not operated since the start of the pandemic in 2020, so we hope visitors and residents will use and enjoy it this year.”
Due to the COVID pandemic, various public health measures may be in place, including capacity limits and face mask requirements. For current measures, please visit the park website here. Additional shuttle bus information is available online at www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/shuttle-buses.htm.
For real-time traffic updates, check out the South Entrance Station webcam at https://www.nps.gov/grca/learn/photosmultimedia/webcams.htm.