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From April 23-25, 2026, Downtown and the North Shore will be the place to be in Pittsburgh. With the city expecting up to 700,000 visitors for the 2026 NFL Draft, how will residents and visitors move around? A multimodal transportation plan was designed to help residents and visitors enjoy the 2026 NFL Draft in an organized way, whether by transit, car, bike or foot.

Pittsburgh Regional Transit

PRT will operate expanded service April 23-25, with additional frequency and capacity on some routes, to safely and efficiently move fans between neighborhoods, park-and-ride locations, and the official draft footprint.

  • Pittsburgh Regional Transit recommends choosing transit over driving to reduce congestion and help you get to your destination safely.

  • Pittsburgh Regional Transit has provided a flowpage to answer how you can get around from different areas of the city. Click here to find your routes and schedule.

  • Most bus routes will be running their Saturday schedules on Thursday and Friday to minimize road congestion.

  • Most importantly, know your route, check the app, and allow yourself extra time for travel.

Draft weekend service includes:

  • Saturday-level service systemwide (April 23–25)

  • Weekday-level service on high-ridership corridors, including:

    • P1-East Busway

    • G2-West Busway

    • 54-North Side – Oakland – South Side

  • Four limited-stop draft bus routes operating from the north, south, east and west

  • Increased light rail service to Downtown and the North Shore

  • Additional service on the 28X-Airport Flyer

In addition to regular fares, a special Draft Pass will be offered in the Ready2Ride app beginning April 1. The pass will provide unlimited rides for seven days for $25.

Football Flyer Routes and Regional Access

To reduce congestion and move large volumes of fans directly to the event areas, PRT will operate four special “Football Flyer” bus routes during draft week. These routes will operate approximately every 15 minutes from 10 a.m. to 1 a.m. Thursday, April 23, and Friday, April 24, and every 30 minutes on Saturday, April 25, during those same hours.

Football Flyers:

  • 99N – Will start at the McCandless Park and Ride (9700 McKnight Road), travel to the Ross Park and Ride (5204 Perry Highway) and will use the HOV lanes on I-279.

  • 99E – Will start at the Monroeville Mall and serve every station along the East Busway.

  • 99S – Will start at the Large Park and Ride (219 Peters Creek Road) and serve every station along the South Busway.

  • 99W – Will start at the University Boulevard Park and Ride (9000 University Boulevard), serve every stop on the West Busway, the Lower Station of the Duquesne Incline, and the Lower Station of the Monongahela Incline.

All four Football Flyers will drop off and pick up passengers near Point State Park in Downtown Pittsburgh and near PNC Park on the North Shore.

Light Rail Service

PRT will also increase light rail (T) service between Downtown and the North Shore during peak draft hours.

The Red Line and Blue Line will operate from South Hills Village to North Side Station and will run every 15 minutes from 10 a.m. to 1 a.m. The Silver Line will operate from Library to Washington Junction where riders can transfer to the Red or Blue Lines. Allegheny Station will be closed from April 22-25. Riders should use North Side Station during that period.

Use of park-and-ride lots along the light rail system is highly encouraged. All lots will be open, and most are free:

  • Library Park and Ride (4100 Brownsville Road)

  • West Library Park and Ride (6229 Library Road)

  • Bethel Park and Ride (5081 Brightwood Road)

  • Washington Junction Park and Ride (400 Library Road)

  • *South Hills Village Garage (1038 Village Drive)

  • St. Anne’s Park and Ride (960 Rockwood Ave.)

  • Castle Shannon Park and Ride (700 Mt. Lebanon Blvd.)

  • *Memorial Hall Park and Ride (1134 Grove Road)

  • Mt. Lebanon Park and Ride (600 Shady Drive East)

  • Dormont Park and Ride (1428 Biltmore Ave.)

  • Potomac Park and Ride (2930 Belrose Ave.)

  • *Wabash Park and Ride (155 West Carson St.)

* Indicates lots that are paid parking

Road Closures and Traffic Changes

To support a safe and secure event environment, as well as a highly walkable experience for attendees, select streets in and around Downtown and the North Shore will be temporarily closed to vehicle traffic during draft week.

These closures have been carefully planned in coordination with public safety and transportation partners to balance event operations with the needs of residents, businesses, and commuters.

  • Phase 1 Closures (March 28-April 12): Art Rooney Avenue, West General Robinson Street (to Tony Dorsett Drive), Scotland Avenue

  • Phase 2 Closures (April 13-April 21): Casino Drive (from Sproat Way), North Shore Drive (to Chuck Noll Way), Reedsdale Street (to Tony Dorsett Drive), Chuck Noll Way, Tony Dorsett Drive, along with the closures in Phase 1

  • Phase 3 Closures (April 22–April 25): Sproat Way, North Shore Drive (from Chuck Noll Way to Mazeroski Way), Mazeroski Way, West General Robinson Street, Lacock Street, Federal Street, I-279 Southbound Exit 1B ramp, Route 65 southbound ramp to Fort Duquesne Bridge, Route 65 Northbound ramp from Fort Duquesne Bridge, T1 ramp from Reedsdale Street, Sixth Street Bridge (Roberto Clemente), Seventh Street Bridge (Andy Warhol), Sixth Street, Fort Pitt Bridge on ramp from 10th Street Bypass, Commonwealth Place, Liberty Avenue Extension, Penn Avenue (from Stanwix Street to Ninth Street), Liberty Avenue/PPG Paints Arena Exit off Fort Pitt Bridge, and 279 HOV. Along with closures from Phase 1 and 2

  • Phase 4 Closures (April 26-May 1): Casino Drive (from Sproat Way), North Shore Drive (to Chuck Noll Way), Reedsdale Street (to Tony Dorsett Drive, Chuck Noll Way, Tony Dorsett Dive, I-279 Southbound Exit 1B, along with the closures in Phase 1

  • Phase 5 Closures (May 2-May 6): Reedsdale Street, Chuck Noll Way, Tony Dorsett Drive, along with the closures in Phase 1

  • Phase 6 Closures (May 7-May 10): Art Rooney Drive, West General Robinson Street (to Tony Dorsett Drive), Scotland Avenue

Organizers have been meeting for weeks with business owners and residents in the impacted area to inform them of the closures and to answer any questions they may have. Slight modifications will be made to the road closure plan to provide access for various businesses and PNC Park events. Road closure reminders will be disseminated in advance of the start of each phase. Updates will also be posted on the NFL OnePass app, nfldraftpittsburgh.com and pittsburghpa.gov.

Pirates Game Day Access on the North Shore

Transportation and road closure plans have been designed to accommodate Pittsburgh Pirates’ home games at PNC Park.

On game days occurring during the weekends before and after the NFL draft, select road closures and traffic patterns will be adjusted to support fan access to the ballpark and surrounding areas.

Fans attending Pirates games can expect continued access to the North Shore, with clearly marked routes, available parking options and public transit service operating to support game day travel.

Additional details, including specific access routes and timing adjustments, will be shared in advance of each game to help fans plan ahead.

Getting Between Downtown and the North Shore

Traveling between Downtown and the North Shore will be easy and accessible throughout draft week, with several convenient options available for both residents and visitors.

  • On Foot: Fans can walk across the Roberto Clemente Bridge — closed to vehicle traffic during the event — offering a safe, convenient, scenic and uniquely Pittsburgh way to reach the North Shore. The pedestrian path encourages fans to explore local shops, restaurants and businesses as they walk by and take in Pittsburgh’s skyline, bridges and iconic rivers.

  • Light Rail (T): Free service is available between Downtown and the North Shore via the Gateway, Wood Street, Steel Plaza, First Avenue and North Side stations, providing a quick and reliable connection across the river.

  • By River: The Gateway Clipper Fleet will offer free fan transportation between Point State Park and the North Shore, providing another convenient way to travel across the full event campus.

Visitors are encouraged to choose the option that best fits their plans. Fans are encouraged to download the NFL OnePass app for all real-time event information. For more information, riders can visit www.rideprt.org.

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