Your Spring Awakening 2019 Transportation Guide to Poplar Creek

Spring Awakening Music Festival has moved from Chicago to Hoffman Estates for 2019, and we researched all of the transportation options so you don’t have to!

Spring Awakening’s previous homes, Soldier Field and Adams-Medill Park, were located near downtown Chicago. This central location made for easy transportation to and from the festival. However, for 2019, Spring Awakening was unable to return to Adams-Medill Park due to Chicago’s development plans for the site, and SAMF’s new home is Poplar Creek at Hoffman Estates.

The new location is almost three times the size of Adams-Medill, and this year’s SAMF will be bigger and better than ever. With the new northwest suburban location, it’s important to learn now about the travel options to and from the festival. To help you find your way to the festival, we’ve compiled some crucial information you need to know surrounding this year’s transportation options!

Read on for details about all Spring Awakening transportation options, and check our essentials guide for set times, after parties, will call information, and more!

Spring Awakening 2019 Parking & Transportation Information

Spring Awakening’s website boasts that this year is the first in history to provide parking onsite. This will be much easier than trying to find street parking around Chicago, and is available for purchase now! You can buy a weekend pass for a slight discount on SAMF’s website, as well as daily passes. Click the links below to get your parking pass. There will be bike parking available for free all weekend as well.

General Parking – $20 per day, $50 per weekend

Preferred Parking – $35 per day, $95 per weekend

If you’re relying on an Uber, Lyft or Taxi, make sure you’re aware of the location of Poplar Creek. Save the address below in your phone before you leave on Friday, and look for SAMF’s rideshare lot when you’re leaving the festival.

Poplar Creek
5523 Prairie Stone Pkwy,
Hoffman Estates, IL 60192

Although we’re sure there will be enough parking for all attendees, obviously not everyone wants to drive to SAMF’s new location.

Many of us have relied on public transportation in the past, and the good news is that it’s still an option! There are shuttles available to both the CTA Blue Line and surrounding Metra train stations.

Shuttle #1 – Rosemont CTA Blue Line

The Rosemont Blue Line station is the second to last stop before the Blue Line ends at O’Hare Airport. SAMF’s Rosemont CTA Shuttle will run constantly between Poplar Creek and the Rosemont CTA hub, located less than 30 minutes east of Poplar Creek. Hop on this shuttle for easy transportation to downtown Chicago, or to one of the Blue Line stops on the northwest and west sides of the city. Another option would be to find alternate transportation to Rosemont and use the shuttle from there.

Shuttle #2 – Barrington Metra Station

The Metra Pacific Northwest Line Shuttle will travel to and from the Barrington Metra Station located 20 minutes northeast of the festival site. If you live near the Fox River Grove, Cary, Pingree Road, Crystal Lake, Woodstock, or Harvard Metra stations, this shuttle is for you. There’s plenty of trains during the day, but let’s focus on getting home at night.

Every day, there will be a Westbound train leaving from Barrington toward Harvard (and stopping at the stations listed above) at 11:32 PM and 1:32 AM. Additionally, there will be 10:32 PM and 12:32 AM trains on Friday. Considering the festival ends at 10 every night, this is a great option.

Since these are commuter trains, the Eastbound trains toward the city run much less at this hour. The last train leaving for Chicago from Barrington leaves at 12:28 AM on Friday, 10:18 PM on Saturday, and 9:18 PM on Sunday. This means you’d have to leave the festival early on the weekends to make the trains headed to Chicago.

Shuttle #3 – Elgin Metra Station

The Metra Milwaukee District West Line shuttle will travel to and from the Elgin Metra Station located 15 minutes southwest of the festival site. Realistically, this shuttle will be the least used as the train schedule is basically non-existent. Use this shuttle if you live close to Elgin or are coming from any of the surrounding areas and prefer not to drive directly to the festival. Consider parking at the Metra station or getting a ride there and then taking the shuttle.

Elgin is the next to last station on the line, and Westbound trains will run to the Big Timber Road station on Friday. These trains will leave the Elgin station at 10:50 PM, 11:50 PM, and 1:50 AM. Trains will not be running towards Big Timber on the weekend.

There are Eastbound trains from Elgin toward Chicago, stopping in Schaumburg, Bensenville, and more along the way. However, last trains toward the city leave at 10:16 PM on Friday and 10:10 PM on the weekends, so you’ll have to leave SAMF early.

Check the full Metra schedule PDF, and comment below if you have questions!

Hotel Information

Still don’t have a place to stay? Looking to avoid commuting home every day? Did you just realize that your hotel is on the opposite side of Illinois? Well, you’re in luck! SAMF and React Presents have partnered with several hotels in the northwest Chicagoland area, all at discounted rates through their website! Many are still available – click here to book now.