Everyday, there is always an event in the famous historical Fort Worth Stockyards. Fort Worth Stockyards, or Stockyards, is known to be “where the west begins”. In other words, that’s where the cowboys/cowgirls and Wild Wild West begins. Imagine traveling back in time and living during the times of cowboys/cowgirls and other Texas ranchers. Almost every weekend, there is a rodeo, cattle auction, country or Tejano music concerts, and ride the famous Grapevine Vintage Railroad train traveling from Stockyards to other parts of Fort Worth. Traveling by car is easy to attend the Stockyards but parking can be expensive (and confusing). The best way to travel to Stockyards is using Trinity Metro (Fort Worth’s public transportation) Orange Line Shuttle Bus.
Things to do at the Stockyards
Cattle Drive
Everyday (except holidays) at 11:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. (16:00), there is a Cattle Drive in front of the Livestock Exchange Building on Exchange Avenue. A group of cowboys escorts a large herd of cattle’s onto the streets.
Shopping and Restaurants
There is several retailers (sell authentic boots, cowboy hats, spurs, and other Texan Cowboys/Cowgirls attire) and restaurants (mostly Texas barbecue).
Traveling to the Stockyards
Traveling from Downtown Fort Worth or DFW Airport to the Stockyards is easy. I highly recommend to purchase a Local Day Pass so you can spend more time (without thinking when the ticket will expire). Local Day Pass expires after midnight. As of September 2025, the price of a Local Day Pass is $4.00. For more information about Trinity Metro’s fares, please visit their official fare webpage.
Downtown Fort Worth
If starting your journey from Downtown Fort Worth, there are several buses that stops directly to the Stockyards. I recommend boarding the Trinity Metro Orange Line Shuttle Bus from Fort Worth Central Station (starting point of the route). The ride to Stockyards is around 10-15 minutes. Orange Line arrives every 10-15 minutes and operates everyday from 5 a.m. to 1 a.m. (next day; midnight).
DFW Airport (Terminal B)
If you have a long layover at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (or DFW Airport), take the TEXRail from Terminal B and exit at North Side Station. From North Side Station, transfer to Orange Line. The bus ride between North Station Station to Stockyards is around 10 minutes.
The ride between Terminal B to North Side Station is around 35 minutes. TEXRail departs from DFW Airport Terminal B every hour.
Downtown Dallas
The distance from Downtown Dallas to Stockyards may be a long journey, but it is doable using the train and bus. The trip may last almost two hours. For this journey, I highly recommend in purchasing a Regional Day Pass for $12.00 (per person) since you will be traveling to another city, Fort Worth. Regional Day Pass is unlimited transfers/rides within DART (Dallas area), Trinity Metro (Fort Worth area), and DCTA (Denton area).
There are two options to travel from Dallas, riding the Trinity Railway Express (TRE) or TEXRail.
Option 1: TRE & Orange Line Bus
First option (recommended; only two transfers), during the weekdays and Saturday, take the Trinity Railway Express from Union Station or Victory Station in Downtown Dallas. Exit at Fort Worth Central Station in Downtown Fort Worth. In Fort Worth Central Station, transfer to Trinity Metro Orange Line Shuttle Bus.
TRE train departs every hour. The travel time between Downtown Dallas to Fort Worth Central Station takes around 45 minutes. The whole journey (TRE and Trinity Metro Orange Line) would take around one hour.
The only disadvantage about this route is that TRE does not operate on Sundays.If you are planning to go Stockyards on Sunday, you have to go with option 2 (see below this phrase for more details).
Option 2: DART Orange Line, TEXRail & Orange Line Bus
Second Option (three transfers), take the Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) Orange Line to DFW Airport. Orange Line terminates at DFW Airport Terminal A. At DFW Airport, there is a small hallway that leads you to DFW Airport Terminal B (where TEXRail is station). Once you have arrived to DFW Airport Terminal B Station, board the TEXRail. Exit North Side Station and transfer to Trinity Metro Orange Line.
DART Orange Line departs every 15-20 minutes and TEXRail departs every hour. The whole journey (including Orange Line, TEXRail and Trinity Metro bus) would take around 2.5 hours.
Grapevine
There is a rail connection to Fort Worth Stockyards, but it is only operational during the weekends or special events. Grapevine Vintage Railroad is a train service travels between Fort Worth Stock Yards to Grapevine (a small town located north of Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport). Grapevine is known for producing wines. For more information about this vintage train, please visit Grapevine Vintage Railroad for schedules and fares.
Fares
There are three ways to purchase a ticket.
- Ticket Vending Machine (Cash Only)
- Credit Card Wireless Tap Reader (Credit Card)
- GoPass App (Credit Card)
If using credit or debit card, please download the GoPass app on your phone and purchase the ticket there. Based on my observations, DART is removing credit card reader from the ticket vending machine.
However, if you do not want to use the app, you can tap your credit card (if it has a wireless reader) on the Credit Card Fare Card Reader.
When a fare inspector ask you that they want to see your proof of payment, show them your credit card and they have a fare scanner that will validate if you tap your credit card.
From Dallas
If you’re traveling from Dallas, purchase a Regional Day Pass for $12.00 (full fare adult). The Regional Day Pass gives you unlimited bus and rail ride for the whole day. The pass is transferable to any Dallas DART, Fort Worth Trinity Metro, and Denton DCTA.
From DFW Airport Terminal B or Downtown Fort Worth
Purchase a Trinity Metro Local Day Pass for $4.00. This gives you unlimited bus and rail ride for Trinity Metro only.
Opinion
I really enjoyed my visit at the Stockyards on a Monday. However, I read and heard that there are more events during the weekends (especially on a Saturday).
It is more authentic and tradition than the Houston Live Stock Rodeo (HLSR) in Houston. HLSR is more commercial, overprice, chaotic, and superficial. However, the Stock Yards is more traditional and family friendly. It felt that I was in the past during the 1800s Wild West. I was surprise that there were more foreign visitors visiting the Stockyards. At the Cattle Drive, a cowboy asked the audience where they from and the majority are out of the United States.
My friend from Spain enjoyed his visit at the Stockyards. He told me that he felt that he was a cowboy for that day. In addition, he enjoyed some good barbecue and bought several Texans attires (hat, belts and boots).
I would definitely visit the Stock Yards during the weekends and try out some of the great Texas barbecue restaurants and enjoy the rodeo and fairs.
Archive Information
Before Spring 2025, Trinity Metro used to operate Bus Route 15, that travels between Fort Worth Central Station and North Side Station. After Spring 2025, Trinity Metro rebranded Route 15 as the Orange Line Shuttle Bus. Orange Line is the same as Route 15, but with a different name.
