The COMET and the National Park Service partner to transport people to Congaree National Park to see fireflies
May 21, 2019
The COMET and the National Park Service has formed a partnership to transport area residents and visitors to the Congaree National Park as a trial on Friday, May 24, 2019, Saturday, May 25, 2019 and Sunday, May 26, 2019. Buses will start at the South Carolina State Fairgrounds, 1200 Rosewood Drive, Columbia direct to the Congaree National Park Harry Hampton Visitor Center. Multiple buses will shuttle from the fairgrounds and Congaree National Park every 30 minutes starting at 7 p.m. Last bus will depart the fairgrounds at 9 p.m. and the last bus will depart the Harry Hampton Visitor Center at 10:35 p.m.
Parking is extremely limited at Congaree National Park and the National Park Service is urging people to use The COMET shuttles. Parking is free at the fairgrounds. The fare to ride the shuttle is $2.00 one way or $4.00 for an All-Day Pass, which allows unlimited access to The COMET transit system for the entire day. 50% discount is available for seniors (65 years old & older), persons with disabilities and Medicare card holders. Free rides available for students attending and employees working at Richland One and Richland Two schools, Nephron Pharmaceuticals and Prisma Health employees, DART passengers and children under the age of 15.
Starting July 1, 2019, regular service to Congaree National Park will occur on Route 47 – Eastover, every two hours, Monday through Friday between 5:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m., and Saturday between 9:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. every 2 hours. Route 47 starts at Garners Ferry Walmart and travels through the Lower Richland communities of Eastover, Gadsden and Hopkins.
For additional The COMET information, please call (803) 255-7100, TDD/TTY: 711 through the relay service, email:[email protected] or visit www.catchthecomet.org.
About The COMET
The COMET is a service of the Central Midlands Regional Transit Authority and provides countywide public transit services on 38 fixed routes, two ReFlex services, with a vanpool service, subsidy programs with Lyft and Uber, 10 bikeshare stations in Columbia and DART ADA complementary paratransit service throughout Richland and eastern Lexington Counties. The COMET transports approximately 2.8 million passenger trips a year on a fleet of 81 buses and vans. Transit services are provided under contract with Transdev Service, Inc of Lombard, Illinois. For additional The COMET information, please call (803) 255-7100, TDD/TTY: 711 through the relay service, email: [email protected] or visit www.catchthecomet.org. Catch The COMET…We Will Take You There!
