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Getting there
Airport
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport is located east of downtown Phoenix, Arizona and only about a five-minute drive to the city. Sky Harbor is a large airport and served by most major airlines. Sky Harbor has three terminals: Terminal 2, Terminal 3, and Terminal 4. The complimentary Airport Shuttle Bus offers transportation between the terminals.
Each terminal is equipped with a multi-level parking garage. There are two long-term economy parking lots on the east and west sides of the airport and two economy garages, Garages A and B, located on the east side of the airport all of which have regularly scheduled free shuttle service to the terminals.
The new Stage & Go Lot is an area west of the Terminal 2 parking garage designated for drivers who are waiting to pick up arriving passengers free of charge.
Ground Transportation
There are many car rental agencies that serve Sky Harbor. Travelers can get to the Rental Car Center by taking the complimentary, multi-colored “Rental Car Shuttle” that stops at the airport curb at the baggage claim level located just west of Sky Harbor.
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport
©Phoenix Convention & Visitors Bureau
Super Shuttle offers passengers 24-hour service to and from their home, business, or hotel to Sky Harbor Airport. Super Shuttle serves the entire Metropolitan Phoenix area. A ride to downtown costs about $10.
Valley Metro, Phoenix's city bus, services all three Sky Harbor terminals through the Red Line and Route 13.
Three Taxi companies service Sky Harbor. The average fare to downtown Phoenix by taxi is about $12. Limousines also service Sky Harbor. A ride from the airport to downtown Phoenix costs about $15.
Trains
Amtrak no longer services Phoenix directly but the Sunset Limited route does service the Arizona town of Maricopa about 25 miles (40 km) south of downtown Phoenix. The Sunset Limited route starts and ends in Los Angeles, California and New Orleans, Louisiana. (The route normally continues to Orlando, Florida but due to complications from Hurricane Katrina service has been suspended until further notice.)
The Southwest Chief route services Flagstaff, Arizona located 125 miles north (201 km) of Phoenix. The route runs between Chicago, Illinois and Los Angeles, California. Amtrak does offer one daily thruway bus service connection to Flagstaff.
Commuter Train
The Metro Light Rail is expected to begin service in December 2008.
Interstate Buses
Greyhound buses service Phoenix seven days a week. There are four routes in and out of town. One route travels south through Tucson. Another route travels north from Phoenix and splits east and west at Flagstaff, Arizona. The other two routes travel west into California splitting toward the San Diego and Los Angeles areas.
Driving
There are two main interstates that run through Phoenix. Interstate-10 (I-10) runs north-south and is the main route south to Tucson, Arizona. Before merging with I-17, I-10 curves west and heads to Los Angeles, California. I-17 leads to Flagstaff, Arizona and is the route to take when traveling to the Grand Canyon. The U.S. Route 60 heads east out of the valley. Highway 87 leads northeast out of Phoenix. U.S. Loop 101 makes a loop and connects the north, east, and west sides of the Valley.
Written by: Elizabeth Blair
Top Photo: Phoenix Skyline © USATourist.com
