Tucson Gem Shows Free Shuttles and New Parking

Shuttle runs through February 14

To ease traffic congestion, free shuttle service will takes visitors to almost all of the shows. Just park at one of several lots to get around Tucson.

ParkWise and the City of Tucson offer a free local shuttle service, GemRide, to  most Tucson Gem, Mineral & Fossil Showcase sites. The new Tucson Sun Link Street Car now provides an alternative way to get around Downtown.

Show visitors are suggested to park in one of the three city-owned parking lots downtown to catch a GemRide shuttle ride. Parking lots are open from 8 am - 8 pm daily (MST). The daily fee at most lots is between $5-8.

Individual shows may also provide their own shuttles and parking, sometimes at a cost or complimentary. Each location has a different policy. Contact the show directly.

Free Shuttle Stops & Parking Lots:

A free shuttle service provided by the city ParkWise program, which operated the city-owned parking garages and lots. This years shuttle has 30 semi-coch seats and TV screens with visitor information.

There are four routes with at least one route stopping at almost every gem show. Several new shows have been added along the GemRide routes most routes operate from January 31-February 14 between 7:00am until 7:00 pm.

The four Gem Loops are the Downtown Loop, the Kino Loop, Mineral & Fossil Loop and the TGMS Express.

Free GemRide Shuttles originate from the designated Downtown Parking HUBS:

• 22nd Street / I-10 Parking HUB (I-10 frontage road at 22nd Street)
• Congress Street Parking HUB (Congress Street west of I-10)
• Tucson Convention Center Parking HUB (Granada Street Entrance). $8 daily parking rate for shows located at the TCC.
• Tucson Expo Center Parking HUB (Irvington at I-10)

There are some metered parking spaces and independent lots through Downtown Tucson.

There is additional parking at the

• Pennington Street Garage (110 E. Pennington Street at Scott Ave.). $8 per day; $5 flat fee on evenings and weekends.
• City/State Garage (498 W. Congress, 1 block east of I-10). $8 daily rate, closed on weekends.
• Centro Garage $3 flate rate; $5 flat fee on evenings Thursdays through Saturdays.

Free Shuttles will link the above garages to the downtown parking HUBS and City of Tucson Shuttle, on most days.

For information on Tucson Downtown parking visit downtowntucson.org/get-around/parking.

For parking and other information visit GemRide.com.

Shuttle Maps

Shuttle maps will be part of the Gem Show guide are available at the Tucson International Airport, the Visitor Center in La Placita Village at 100 S. Church Avenue and at all shuttle stops by February 2. The maps are distributed at all show locations as part of the official show guide and the shuttle schedule will be printed in the Colored Stone Guide. Print out Shuttle Map PDF

The main Tucson Gem and Mineral Show is held at Tucson Convention Center Exhibition Hall and the Arena. Dozens of others gem shows are held throughout downtown Tucson and nearby hotels.

For additional GemRide information call (866) PARK GEM - (866) 727-5436 - between 8 am - 8 pm (MST) February 1-17, 2008. Wheelchair-accessible vehicles are available with 24-hour notice, call (866) 727-5436.

Use the new Downtown Street Car

SunLink, the new Tucson streetcar, operates through the Gem Show and covers from Downthown, through Fourth Avenue to the University of Arizona. A seven-day pass is $13. A one-day pass is $3.50 and can be loaded on a SunGo card or ticket. Cash is not accepted on the street car. For more information visit sunlinkstreetcar.com or suntran.com.