For those just attending Outside Lands this year for the first time, and those who haven't been to the festival for a few years, we give you this primer on your transportation options to get in and out of Golden Gate Park without too much fuss.

When you're trying to go the same place as 75,000 to 100,000 people on the same day, it can make for some serious transportation trials!

BE FOREWARNED, all ye who depend on Uber and Lyft for most of your city transportation needs: Ride-hail services are possibly the least reliable thing you can depend on this weekend, because of sheer number of people trying to take them, and the drivers trying to maximize their fares on a big weekend. You'll get on the app, say, around 1 pm or 2 pm Friday, or around noon on Sunday, and you'll think a driver has been found, but the app will either spin and spin looking for drivers, or it will assign you one and they'll cancel because they found a better fare. You can waste quite a bit of time doing this.

And who knows how Waymos are going to fit in the mix here. This is the first year of Outside Lands that Waymo has been operable throughout the city, with pretty much anyone able to hail one, and the robotaxis could find the clusterfuck at 25th and Fulton very confusing. Also, will the cars be trained to know that there are only two designated pick-up and drop-off areas on either side of the park?! We'll see!!

So, unless you've purchased one of those $45 weekend shuttle passes, you'll be needing to rely on Muni buses, regular old taxis, bicycles, scooters, or your own two feet.

The N-Judah
This will be a fairly solid option for getting in and out of the vicinity of the park all weekend, but note that if you need to go to the box office when you get there, this will put you on the wrong side of the park. The box office is located near Marx Meadow, near 25th Avenue and Fulton Street, and the VIP Will Call is down near the VIP entrance which is at 36th Avenue.

To get into the park, take the N train to 34th Avenue to enter at the South Gate entrance, entering the park at Lincoln Way near 34th and following signs for the entry gates. This is possibly the worst place to enter on Friday, as it is smaller and the line to get in and go through bag-check will be the longest.

When leaving, walk back over to Judah and 34th Avenue, or better yet, walk further west, toward the Ocean, and pick up a train before it gets to one of the stops where the most people will be gathered. These trains will fill up, and you might not get on otherwise and have to wait for the next one.

And, be warned, when the festival lets out, if you've waited til the very end, these trains have been known to go into meltdown mode.

The 5-Fulton, 5R-Fulton, and 5X
Getting into the festival, you'll take the 5 bus from anywhere downtown or Civic Center to Fulton and 30th Avenue (wait for 36th Avenue for VIP). The 5R also works, and will make fewer stops along the way.

Especially at peak arrival times in the early afternoon, these buses will be very full and are not always reliably spaced apart. You're better off catching them as far downtown as possible.

Getting out at night, you'll pick up the Muni buses back to Civic Center at 30th Avenue, where they'll be lined up. These will fill up.

After 9 pm, you may be stuck on a 5X, which will not make any stops and will just shuttle people to Civic Center.

Taxi Stands
There are three designated taxi stands, which are going to be potentially more convenient than trying to call a Lyft or Uber. These are located (see in yellow on the map below) on the south side of Fulton Street between 28th and 29th avenues; on the south side of Fulton Street between 24th and 25th avenues; on the north side of Fulton Street between 33rd and 34th avenues; and on the Sunset side, in the ride-hail pickup zone on Irving Street between 26th and 27th avenues.

Uber/Lyft
Dropoff and pickup zones for ride-hail cars are at the north side of Irving between 25th and 27th avenues, and on the other side of the park, on the north side of Balboa, between 30th and 31st avenues; and on the west side of 30th Avenue, between Balboa and Anza.

Be safe out there, everybody!

Photo: Peppe Ragusa