CMA Fest

WeGo runs a special CMA Fest Express commuter-rail service from Lebanon into Nashville's Riverfront Station, which sits directly inside the festival footprint at the downtown riverfront stages, steps from the pedestrian bridge to Nissan Stadium. In 2026 it ran on the Saturday of the fest: Lebanon 4pm, Hamilton Springs 4:08, Martha 4:15, Mt. Juliet 4:25, Hermitage 4:35, Donelson 4:45, arriving Riverfront 5pm; return departs Riverfront 1am. Advance purchase only, via ticketsnashville.com (linked from the WeGo event page). Free parking at outlying stations; none at Riverfront. Note this serves regional day-trippers, not BNA arrivals, the Donelson and Hermitage stations are however a short rideshare from the airport for anyone deliberately combining the two. Nashville has no Amtrak service (none since the 1970s). Amtrak sells only Thruway coach connections into the downtown bus station.

For attendees arriving overland: Greyhound and FlixBus share the downtown Nashville Bus Station at 709 Rep. John Lewis Way S in SoBro, roughly a 10-15 minute walk from the Broadway/Lower Broad festival footprint and about 20-25 minutes on foot (or a short rideshare) from Nissan Stadium via the pedestrian bridge. Amtrak sells connecting Thruway coach tickets into the same station.

Bus between BNA's Ground Transportation Center (Level 1, Terminal 2 Garage) and the Elizabeth Duff Transit Center at WeGo Central downtown, a few blocks from the Broadway festival footprint and the free downtown stages. Nissan Stadium is then a 10-15 min walk across the John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge. Express runs about 20 minutes, local runs 35-45 minutes. Pay on board via QuickTicket, contactless card/mobile wallet, or exact cash; each fare includes a 2-hour pass. CMA Fest's own Getting Around page points attendees to WeGo as a driving alternative.

Uber and Lyft pick up from BNA's Ground Transportation Center, Terminal Garage 2, Level 1. CMA Fest's official Getting Around page confirms rideshare operations continue there during the airport's construction (which began June 1). Downtown is a 15-25 min ride. During the festival itself, expect surge pricing around stadium-doors time (~8pm) and after shows; the festival closes streets across the downtown core, so drivers drop at the footprint perimeter rather than at venues. Airport-regulated metered taxis queue at the same Ground Transportation Center with a city-set flat rate downtown.

Typically $70-130 a night off-peak guide, higher on festival dates

Typically $170-300 a night off-peak guide, higher on festival dates

Typically $350-700 a night off-peak guide, higher on festival dates

1 International Plaza, Nashville, TN 37217

Typically $100-190 a night off-peak guide, higher on festival dates

590 Donelson Pike, Nashville, TN 37214

Typically $100-190 a night off-peak guide, higher on festival dates

Severe, well-documented surge during CMA Fest week: short-term-rental analysts put booked ADR at roughly $424-467/night in the downtown/East Nashville/Music Row zones, a 22-35% premium over Nashville's ~$347 trailing average, with some downtown listings above $700/night and multi-night minimums common. Book far ahead. East Nashville just across the river is a popular walkable-ish compromise near the stadium side of the footprint.

No camping is offered at CMA Fest itself (downtown multi-venue fest), but Hipcamp lists hundreds of private-land camping/glamping options across the wider Nashville area (farm stays, glamping domes, vintage trailers, from roughly $10/night, average ~$45/night) as a budget alternative during the hotel surge week, a realistic play for attendees with a car willing to drive in and park/rideshare from the fringe each day. Not walkable to any stage; factor in the no-stadium-parking reality downtown.