Ride the Dillos
It’s a little known fact that there are FREE trolleys called Dillos which run through the core of downtown Austin. It’s a great way to check out some of the sites around town, or perhaps you just want to get away from the crowds and find somewhere quieter to eat that doesn’t have a queue.
There are 5 different lines, which you can catch mostly off Congress or the Blue line that stops in front of the Convention Center (only through the lunch hours 11am-2pm).
Stops are marked by a sign with a picture of an armadillo and the trolleys tend to come every 15 to 20 minutes. But note, there is quite a number of blocks between stops. I highly suggest that you refer to the Schedules and Map links I’ve provided below. Take note that each map highlights the various destinations you can reach on the Dillo.
- Complete Dillo Map
- Silver ‘Dillo - East/West between Pleasant Valley and Veterans’ Drive via 5th and 6th.
- Orange ‘Dillo - Memorial Statium (UT campus) to South Congress
- Red ‘Dillo - 22nd and Guadalupe to ACC’s Rio Grande campus, down Congress to Cesar Chavez and West to the Park and Ride lot at Austin High School.
- Gold ‘Dillo - Same as the Red, except the Gold continues south on Congress to Barton Springs Road, then West to the Park and Ride lot on Toomey Road.
- Blue ‘Dillo - Runs only during lunch (11am-2pm) Congress and MLK to 15th St. then south on San Jacinto to the Austin Convention Center. The blue then heads back to MLK via Lavaca.
More info about public transit in Austin can be found at the Capital Metro Transit site which includes a handy dandy trip planner, info on late night owl services and Airport Flyer service.
During my first year at SXSW. I took a Dillo up to the University of Texas, which had a nice little strip of stores on Guadalupe. It was a nice ride up Congress and through some quaint neighborhoods. It’s worth the trip if you have some extra time on your hands.
