Free weekend shuttles with 12 stops to begin in Griffith Park

Weekend visitors to Griffith Park who go car-free will be able to explore attractions other than the observatory without spending a dime or breaking a sweat. A new hop-on, hop-off shuttle will stop at a dozen locations throughout the park, including Travel Town and the Autry Museum.

The GP Parkline shuttle service, which Mayor Eric Garcetti unveiled Tuesday, will begin operation Saturday. It will run from noon to 10 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.

Park visitors can now take a daily DASH bus from Metro’s Red Line Vermont/Sunset station to the Greek Theatre and Griffith Observatory. The shuttle will provide access to more destinations within the park.

“The foundation was laid with the DASH Observatory Route, and this is yet another piece of the puzzle,” said Ashley Rodriguez of L.A.’s Department of Recreation and Parks. “People can come to the park and get around without a car, which makes the park available to people who never had a way to visit before.”

Five green-and-white branded shuttle buses will run the route connecting the existing DASH and Metro bus stops in and around the park. Buses are expected to arrive at stops every 15 to 20 minutes. Each seats 25 passengers with extra room for strollers and wheelchairs, and a bike rack on the front for cyclists.

“For the first time in its 123-year history, visitors can access all that Griffith Park has to offer without once needing a car,” Councilman David Ryu said in a statement. “The Parkline is free, accessible and efficient —and just one way we are reducing traffic and increasing access in Griffith Park.”

The shuttle is part of a series of upgrades in the park approved in 2016 as a way to reduce air pollution and increase access to the park.