Exploring Grand Rapids on the DASH

The Downtown Area Shuttle , or DASH, is a system of bright pink buses connecting key downtown Grand Rapids locations and parking lots. DASH provides visitors and residents a convenient way to travel to and from downtown attractions, restaurants, shops, entertainment venues and community spaces. And get this – it’s totally FREE to ride!

Hours of operation with live updates

All stops along the DASH route are visited every 8 minutes, so you don't have to wait long for a ride. No tickets or passes are needed, making boarding quick and easy. Buses travel clockwise in a one-directional loop, providing intuitive hop-on/hop-off access to key downtown locations.

 Current operational hours for the DASH route are:

• Monday - Friday, 7am-midnight
• Saturday, 11am-1am
• Sunday, 11am-5pm

You can get real-time DASH departure times on the Transit and MyStop mobile apps available for Android and iOS.

Offering convenience throughout downtown

The DASH route services key areas of downtown, including the convention neighborhood, Heartside, and the Bridge Street Entertainment District , both east and west of the Grand River. There are tons of destinations within a five-minute walk of each stop, making it an easy way to get around.

You can ride your bike to any of the DASH stops and use the DASH bike rack to transport it to your destination. If you’re driving, you can park your car one of four DASH parking lots:

• Area 8 lot (325 Winter Ave NW)
• Scribner Lot (309 Scribner Ave NW)
• Area 7 lot (301 Mt. Vernon Avenue NW)
• Area 9 lot (250 Seward Avenue NW)

(Parking rates at DASH lots range from $3 - $5 a day.) There’s a bus stop at each lot, so just hop on the DASH there and go where you want to go. Alternatively, you can park at any of the other lots, ramps and meters around downtown – you just may have to pay more and take a short walk to catch the bus.

In addition to being convenient, the DASH is an incredibly accessible mode of transportation: all DASH buses are wheelchair-friendly and air-conditioned. Strollers and trained service animals are allowed as well.

You can find more details, from how-to-ride instructions to parking locations and prices, at the DASH website.

Here are a few ideas to get you started:

If you’re waiting for a bus, look for the sidewalk markers and signs that mark designated stops. Signal the driver that you want to board. Stay back from the curb until the bus comes to a complete stop. Board the bus at the front door; the rear door is for exiting passengers. If you need a boarding ramp, ask the bus operator.

If you’re on the bus, The DASH bus driver will need to be signaled that you'd like to make a stop. To do that, just pull the cord above your seat when you're about a block away from your stop to let the driver know your stop is coming up. If you're not sure where your stop is, talk to your bus driver when you board and they will assist you.

Museums

DASH brings you within steps of the many museums downtown. It’s a quick walk from the Museum District stop to visit the Grand Rapids Public Museum and the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum.

The Ottawa stop brings you steps away from the Grand Rapids Art Museum  and a few blocks from the Grand Rapids Children’s Museum . Get off at the Commerce stop to visit the Grand Rapids African American Museum & Archives –  it’s about a four-minute walk away.

Theatres and Concert Venues

Take the DASH to your next event at one of Grand Rapids’ many downtown entertainment venues. The DeVos Place stop is right in front of DeVos Performance Hall. The Ottawa stop is steps away from both GLC Live at 20 Monroe  and Van Andel Arena . The Cherry stop is a short walk from The intersection. The Commerce stop is a block or so from The Pyramid Scheme and a five-minute walk from the Grand Rapids Civic Theatre.  

Have tickets for an Acrisure Amphitheater show? The DASH extends its route and service time on performance nights at this world-class outdoor performance venue. The expanded route stops right near the amphitheater, starting two hours prior to showtimes, all the way until midnight. So you can park elsewhere around downtown, including in DASH lots, and be transported to amphitheater before and after the show. (DASH lot event parking ranges from $6-$10 – the bus remains free!)

Family Fun

Make your family outing even more fun by riding the DASH to your destination – it can be an exciting (and instructive) public transit adventure for kids.

To visit Rosa Parks Circle   for warm-weather festivals or cold-weather ice skating with the family, exit the bus at the conveniently named Rosa Parks Circle stop. Exit the DASH at DeVos Place to access Calder Plaza, the site of many community celebrations and gatherings throughout the year. From the bus stop, cross Monroe Ave at the crosswalk and enter the City-County Administration Buildings to take the stairs or elevator up to Calder Plaza.

Hotels

The DASH also runs along several popular Grand Rapids hotels, allowing overnight visitors to get around the city without having to drive. If you’re headed to the Amway Grand Plaza, the JW Marriott or the Courtyard by Marriott hop off the DASH bus at the Rosa Parks Circle stop. Exit the DASH bus at the Museum District stop to access the Holiday Inn. If you’re heading to CityFlatsHotel or The Finnley Hotel, get off at the Ottawa stop.

The AC Hotel and Residence Inn by Marriott are easily accessible from the Ottawa stop, while Homewood Suites by Hilton and Hyatt Place are a block or two from the Rosa Parks Circle stop. The Canopy by Hilton hotel (and the Studio Park entertainment complex it’s part of) is convenient to the Cherry stop. On the west side of the Grand River, the Las Canchas stop is a three-minute walk from The BlueJay boutique hotel.

Food & Dining

There are more than 180 restaurants, breweries, bars, coffeehouses and sweets shops downtown, virtually all of them within a quick walk of one or more DASH stops.

The Scribner and Summer stops let you out on Bridge Street, which over a few short blocks includes two breweries (Küsterer Brauhaus   and New Holland Brewing - The Knickerbocker ), a craft beverage taproom (Broad Leaf Underground Bar), two Mexican restaurants (Condado Tacos   and Maggie's Kitchen  ), a burger joint (Nonla Burger ), cocktail room (Drip Drop ), Italian restaurant (Fratelli’s Kitchen and Bar  , an upscale casual American restaurant (Butcher’s Union), a sushi place (Kawa Sushi & Bar), breakfast/brunch destination (Morning Belle West Side ), bookstore (Cellar Bird Books ) and more.

Want to shop for your own food fixings? Get off at the Las Canchas stop to browse the Las Canchas Farmer’s Market, held at every Wednesday night in the summer. The market features 20+ local farms and food vendors plus non-food vendors, food trucks and more. Las Canchas also features three free futsal courts, open 24/7.

The Rosa Parks Circle stop brings you to a hub of exceptional cuisine. You're just steps away from The Kitchen by Wolfgang Puck  and MDRD , two of eight food-and-drink establishments in the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel. Also nearby: Allora , a fine coastal Italian restaurant; Margaux , a French bistro inside the JW Marriott; The Chop House , a classic steakhouse; and Roam by San Chez , a global street food concept. You’re also close to the restaurants of Monroe Center, including international eateries Uccello’s (Italian), Cinco de Mayo (Mexican) and Garden District (Cajun) as  well as sweet-tooth favorites like Kilwin’s Chocolates & Ice Cream , Sugar Bar Sips and Sweets  and Sweet Yo’s .

The Commerce and Arena South stops have a lot to offer as well, from the cozy ambiance of Lantern Coffee Bar and Lounge  to the tropical theme of Max’s South Seas Hideaway . Other must-try restaurants located nearby include Luna  (hip, modern Mexican fare), Peppino's Pizzeria & Sports Grille  (Italian foods and 70 big-screen TVs) and Stella's Lounge  (amazing stuffed burgers). The Arena South stop is less than a half mile walk from the Grand Rapids Downtown Market, home to 20+ artisan food vendors and restaurants.

The Market stop is a five-minute walk from world-ranked Founders Brewing Co., while the Weston stop brings you close to Grand Woods Lounge, Bistro Bella Vita and Two Sons Pizza.

The DASH is part of the city’s award-winning Rapid bus system, which offers affordable fares on 25+ buses that travel all over the city. All rides start and end at downtown’s Rapid Central Station, which is a block or so away from the DASH Cherry stop.