All of your essential Thanksgiving holiday travel tips for Dallas-Fort Worth
Fort Worth, Texas – Travel is always a big thing during the holidays, and while it’s down due to COVID-19, people are still moving around and still need tips. In fact, with COVID-19, they may need tips more than ever.
Here’s what to know about holiday travel in Dallas-Fort Worth, whether it’s trains, planes, or buses.
TEXRail
On Thanksgiving Day, November 26, TEXRail and The Dash will operate on their regular schedules. Trinity Railway Express (TRE) and the ZIPZONEs in Crowley and Mercantile will not operate. Bus, ACCESS paratransit, and ZIPZONEs in Alliance and Near Southside will operate on Sunday schedules.
Customer care locations will be closed, but representatives are available from 8 am to 5 pm Thursday by calling 817-215-8600.
On Friday, November 27, TEXRail, buses, ACCESS paratransit, all ZIPZONEs and The Dash will operate on regular schedule. TRE will operate on a Saturday schedule.
The customer care kiosk at Fort Worth Central Station will be open 8 am to 5 pm The retail sales office will be closed. Customer care representatives will be available from 5 am to 10 pm Friday by calling 817-215-8600.
TRE and DART
The Trinity Railway Express (TRE) will not operate Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 26 and will provide Saturday service on Friday, Nov. 27.
Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) buses, light rail trains and the Dallas streetcar services will operate on a Sunday schedule on Thurs., Nov. 26, and a Saturday schedule Fri., Nov. 27 for North Texas riders.
DART and TRE holiday changes will continue until regular scheduled transit service resumes Saturday, Nov. 28.
DART Mobility Management’s Paratransit Call Center will be closed Thursday through Sunday. Clients wishing to schedule trips by phone for any of the four days will need to do so by Wednesday, Nov. 25. Clients can also now schedule, view and cancel trips 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at www.DART.org/paratransit.
DART’s Customer Information Center will be closed Thanksgiving Day and open Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The administrative offices, Customer Care Center, and Lost and Found will be closed both Thanksgiving Day and Friday.
Schedule information can be found at DART.org, TrinityRailwayExpress.org or by calling 214.979.1111.
DFW Airport
American Airlines is offering limited-time availability to its exclusive Five Star Service for purchase to all customers, no matter what cabin they are traveling in. Even, shudder, coach, at a discounted rate of 50 percent off for families or groups of three or more. This limited-time promotion is only available for travel November 20-January 10, 2021. It’s at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport as well as airports in Austin, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Francisco, and Washington, DC.
Benefits include Flagship First Check-In, access to the Admirals Club lounge, escort to the departure gate, boarding on-demand and priority re-accommodation, escort to luggage retrieval, and curbside greeting. Call Five Star Service at 877-578-2702 and use code Holidays50.
Buses
Dallas-based Greyhound was one of the few transportation providers that remained open throughout the past year and has gathered valuable insight on navigating these challenging times and promoting safe practices.
Some of their tips include:
- Know the COVID-19 rules in the city and/or state you’re traveling to
- Bring a mask. If you forget one, ask a Greyhound team member for assistance.
- Bring wipes and hand sanitizer to keep at your seat for added comfort
- Create as much space between you and other passengers as possible
- Socially distance yourself when lining up to board the bus and when waiting in the terminal
- Travel during the week or overnight to avoid crowds
They also recommend that you plan ahead on getting to and from the station, as some cities may not have rideshare options.
Carry cash as a backup, keep your important items in your carry-on bag, bring a blanket or neck pillow, and bring snacks.