MetroRail Sees Record Usage During SXSW 2013

Capital Metro is reporting more record high ridership numbers from this year's South by Southwest Festival.

Capital Metro says boardings were up from last year by almost 7,000 on MetroRail for the first several days of SXSW. Capital Metro even had to operate an additional train after hours to carry more than 100 passengers still waiting on the platform. The trains on Saturday are starting at 10 a.m. – a few hours earlier than usual.

The bus service has also been popular. Capital Metro could not provide preliminary figures on ridership, but the transit company says many buses have been at full capacity. Unlike previous festivals, Capital Metro has reworked their bus routes and detoured many to Guadalupe and Lavaca Streets in order to focus on the congestion. Capital Metro says reports of schedule delays have dropped 29 percent from last year's SXSW festival. 

The company is expecting its most significant usage to happen this weekend.

Click here for an interactive map of SXSW street closures.