Good news for anyone visiting the Grand Canyon National Park this summer. The popular park and ride shuttle service is resuming after a two-year hiatus during the COVID-19 pandemic. Meanwhile, this couldn’t be a better time to resume the service just ahead of the summer crowds. The park and ride shuttle service takes visitors from the community of Tusayan, just outside the park’s gate into the park.

Grand Canyon National Park shuttle service is back

From May 28, the Grand Canyon National Park will resume the Purple Route, running between the park’s visitor center at the South Rim, and the gateway town of Tusayan, Arizona. Meanwhile, between the hours of 8 am and 9:30 pm daily, the service departs every 20 minutes, up until September 9.

According to the park, as crowds of hikers descend on Grand Canyon during the busy summer months, visitors can expect delays. On the park’s website, it reads that people can expect “up to two-hour wait times at the South Entrance Station between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., and parking lots can reach capacity as early as 12 p.m.” However, it is possible to monitor the traffic at the South Entrance on the park’s webcam here.

For this reason, the park urges visitors who are not staying in the park itself to consider the shuttle service. This regular service avoids the long queues of traffic, along with frustration over parking.

Speaking of the shuttle service, Ed Keable, superintendent of Grand Canyon National Park explained the benefits.

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.

How to use the Tusayan shuttle service

As regular visitors to Grand Canyon know, lodging inside the park is not only expensive but often sells out months in advance. Because of this, Tusayan, located just outside the park’s gates of the South Rim entrance is a great option. This is especially so for those who waited to book, or need affordable accommodations. In fact, the shuttle service provides truly convenient access to the park.

To be able to use the shuttle service, visitors must have a daily park entry pass, annual or lifetime pass before boarding. These can be purchased in person at the IMAX, Canyon Plaza Resort, Red Feather Lodge, or the Westwind Air Service at Grand Canyon Airport.

The passes are also available through automated machines at the Grand Hotel or IMAX. Alternatively, they can be purchased online through the recreation.gov website. It should be noted that, at least for now, passengers should have their own face mask/covering when boarding the bus.

Hiker shuttle from North to South Rim

As the crow flies, North Rim and South Rim in Grand Canyon are only 10 miles apart. However, hiking from one rim to the bottom and back up to the other side is around 24 miles. Meanwhile, by vehicle, this is a 220-mile (5-hour) drive around the edge of the canyon.

Meanwhile, a shuttle is available to transport hikers who want to leave their vehicles on one side. The Trans-Canyon Shuttle transports hikers to want to hike the rim-to-rim trail to the other side, ready to start their journey. This private shuttle service reopens on May 15, 2022. However, it should be noted that reservations are recommended and the fare is $90 one way.

Enjoy a summer visit to the Grand Canyon National Park, taking advantage of the shuttle service wherever you can. This way, everyone in the group, including the driver, gets the chance to enjoy sweeping views along the way.