| Car |
 |
Travel by car is easiest, and you'll find plenty of places to rent a car at Miami International Airport or throughout the Metro Dade region. The city is crisscrossed by numerous expressways (some of which charge tolls) and linked to Miami Beach, Key Biscayne, and other popular waterfront destinations by various causeways. The street numbering system is easy to follow, with the intersection of Miami Avenue and Flagler Street as the dividing lines of four quadrants. Watch for numbered streets (e.g., 25th Street) running east-west and numbered avenues (e.g., 29th Avenue) running north-south, and designations such as NE, SW, etc. to pinpoint your exact location. Blue signs with an orange sun mark the routes to major attractions to help keep tourists on the well-beaten path. Highways are very crowded; drive with maximum alertness and expect the unexpected from your fellow drivers. While the Miami area provides numerous public transportation options, mass transit likely won't cover many of the destinations generally preferred by visitors and works best for those remaining close to downtown or traveling between downtown and a handful of select, outlying locations.
| Public Transport |
|
 Miami Rapid Transit Map
You'll find water taxis running between hotels and attractions, taxicabs lining up at the airport and around popular tourist areas, and three rapid rail services (as well as buses) covering routes all over the Metro Dade area. (Call 305-770-3131 for transit information.) Public transportation does not run 24 hours daily, so call for schedules if you plan to use it. Rapid Rail Services: The three mass-transit rail services are Metrorail, Metromover, and Tri-Rail. Tri-Rail, a European-style, two-tiered train with a "view top" is the commuter train running between Palm Beach and Miami, and fares range from $2.50 to $5.50, depending on the amount of zones traveled through. Metrorail, an elevated train, costs $1.50 and has 22 different stations throughout metropolitan Miami; be aware that service stops at midnight. The Metromover, a small computerized train, is free and shuttles passengers to various points around two loops in the downtown area. Bus: Look for MDTA (Metro Dade Transit Authority) Metrobuses at stops marked by blue and green signs, covering 100 routes throughout the area. Fare is $1.50. Taxi: You'll find both water taxis and ordinary taxicabs in the areas around hotels and tourist destinations. Taxicabs from the airports generally charge a flat fee that varies according to destination; otherwise the cost is $3.70 to get into a cab and $2.20 for each additional mile, with additional cost for waiting time but no extra charge for additional passengers. If you need to arrange a pick-up, call Yellow (305-444-4444) or Metro (305-888-8888).
| Airport |
|
 Miami International Airport (MIA)
Miami International Airport (MIA), the metropolitan area's only commercial airport, is located seven miles west of the downtown area and is the country's ninth busiest. Transportation from the airport to downtown Miami: Bus: Metrobuses leave every 30 to 40 minutes for downtown (route 7), every 30 minutes for Coral Gables and South Miami (route 37 southbound), to Hialeah every 30 minutes (route 37 northbound), to Miami Beach every 20 to 30 minutes (route J), and to Coconut Grove every 30 minutes (route 42). (Call 305-770-3131 for schedule). Shuttle: For affordable, on-demand service 24 hours daily, try SuperShuttle (305-871-2000), a van service that transports passengers between the airport and local hotels (and in some cases even to private residences with advance notice). A ride from the airport to downtown costs around $12. Taxi: Taxis charge flat fees to some destinations, metered fees to others. Expect to pay $14 to $19 to Coral Gables, $24 to go downtown, and $40 if you're going to Key Biscayne. For trips within the immediate area of the airport, you can take a flat-fare ARTS (Airport Region Taxi Service) cab for $7 in the ARTS inner zone or $10 in the ARTS outer zone.
|
Explore another city in Florida
|
|
Please call ahead to confirm details. We do our best to give you current information, but facts can change. Please let us know if you find something's changed.
|
Miami Rapid Transit Map
Miami International Airport