Cities with cheap public transit to get from airport to downtown?
Nov 22nd, 2009, 06:59 PM
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Cities with cheap public transit to get from airport to downtown?
Just a curious question for you all who travel a lot:
Which cities (anywhere in the world) have a cheap public transit option to get from the airport to downtown?
I tend to travel mostly in US and Europe, and while many airports have public transits to get to the city, they aren't cheap - easily $5-10 a ride on train or airport bus. I suppose places with lower cost of living such as parts of Asia or S America do have cheaper options.
Anyway, I recently came back from Barcelona, which is hardly a cheap city. But one can travel from the airport to downtown for only €0,77. This is the case if you buy the T-10 ticket (10 rides for €7,70). The entire trip between the airport & downtown (free shuttle + train + free metro transfer) costs one ride, therefore 77 euro cents. I thought that was an incredible deal.
Even here in Boston where Logan is not far at all, a subway ride from Logan to downtown is $1.70.
Which cities (anywhere in the world) have a cheap public transit option to get from the airport to downtown?
I tend to travel mostly in US and Europe, and while many airports have public transits to get to the city, they aren't cheap - easily $5-10 a ride on train or airport bus. I suppose places with lower cost of living such as parts of Asia or S America do have cheaper options.
Anyway, I recently came back from Barcelona, which is hardly a cheap city. But one can travel from the airport to downtown for only €0,77. This is the case if you buy the T-10 ticket (10 rides for €7,70). The entire trip between the airport & downtown (free shuttle + train + free metro transfer) costs one ride, therefore 77 euro cents. I thought that was an incredible deal.
Even here in Boston where Logan is not far at all, a subway ride from Logan to downtown is $1.70.
Nov 22nd, 2009, 07:35 PM
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Madrid is cheap too. You have to pay a couple Euros supplement to a standard metro fare, but it's still not very much. I think you can get 10 metro tickets for less than €6. So you could do the trip for about €2,60.
But I recommend taking the metro to Nuevos Ministerios, plus the Cercanias train to Sol or Atocha and the cost of that train is about €1,20. I suppose this might all add up to $5 by the time you are done, with the €2 Euro supplement, the €0,60 metro, and the €1,20 Cercanias train, and you have $5 as being expensive.
Vancouver currently has a cheap airport option with the new Canada Line from the airport to downtown, although the price will jump quite a bit after the Olympics. If it's after 6:30 PM, the price will be $2.50. After the Olympics, if you took the local buses instead, then you could get into downtown for $2.50, after 6:30 PM. Otherwise, I think it's more like $3.50.
Seattle is around $2.25 for the airport to downtown, with its new light rail transit system.
Portland is pretty cheap with the MAX train.
If you really wanted to do so, you can take the metro from the Mexico City airport to the center for about 2 pesos, less than twenty cents.
From EZE airport at Buenos Aires, I have read there is a public bus you can take, but it's a rather hair-raising experience. The price is about fifty cents or something.
In San Diego, I am pretty sure you can take a public bus to the airport for a reasonably cheap fare.
Although I did not do so, I think you can get to the airport by public bus in El Paso for about $1.25.
There are other options I can think of that are more in the $10-20 range.
But I recommend taking the metro to Nuevos Ministerios, plus the Cercanias train to Sol or Atocha and the cost of that train is about €1,20. I suppose this might all add up to $5 by the time you are done, with the €2 Euro supplement, the €0,60 metro, and the €1,20 Cercanias train, and you have $5 as being expensive.
Vancouver currently has a cheap airport option with the new Canada Line from the airport to downtown, although the price will jump quite a bit after the Olympics. If it's after 6:30 PM, the price will be $2.50. After the Olympics, if you took the local buses instead, then you could get into downtown for $2.50, after 6:30 PM. Otherwise, I think it's more like $3.50.
Seattle is around $2.25 for the airport to downtown, with its new light rail transit system.
Portland is pretty cheap with the MAX train.
If you really wanted to do so, you can take the metro from the Mexico City airport to the center for about 2 pesos, less than twenty cents.
From EZE airport at Buenos Aires, I have read there is a public bus you can take, but it's a rather hair-raising experience. The price is about fifty cents or something.
In San Diego, I am pretty sure you can take a public bus to the airport for a reasonably cheap fare.
Although I did not do so, I think you can get to the airport by public bus in El Paso for about $1.25.
There are other options I can think of that are more in the $10-20 range.
Nov 22nd, 2009, 07:47 PM
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There are single-ride city buses from both IAH and HOU to Houston Downtown. $1.25.
Here, in L.A., one can spend only $1.25 to get from LAX to Downtown, but requires two changes. From BUR, there's single-ride buses (and Rapid buses) to downtown from just outside the airport, again $1.25.
Even in Asia, it depends on where. Like there's no super cheap way from HKG to Central Hong Kong. But in nearby Macau, airport bus costs MOP$4.2, or about US$0.53.
Here, in L.A., one can spend only $1.25 to get from LAX to Downtown, but requires two changes. From BUR, there's single-ride buses (and Rapid buses) to downtown from just outside the airport, again $1.25.
Even in Asia, it depends on where. Like there's no super cheap way from HKG to Central Hong Kong. But in nearby Macau, airport bus costs MOP$4.2, or about US$0.53.
Nov 22nd, 2009, 07:53 PM
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I was just checking my previous trip reports. I remember the public transit in Budapest being quite cheap; but getting from the airport to downtown requires 2 tickets (no free transfer) which cost 580HUF (~USD 2.70).
OTOH, for Berlin which is a more expensive city than Budapest, a single ride to Tegel (free transfer) is not that much more @ €2,80.
Obviously, the farther away the airport is, most likely the more expensive it costs.
El Prat (BCN) - 10km
Tegel - 8km
Budapest Ferihegy - 16km
Logan - 6km
It'll be funny if we calculate the actual cost per distance.
OTOH, for Berlin which is a more expensive city than Budapest, a single ride to Tegel (free transfer) is not that much more @ €2,80.
Obviously, the farther away the airport is, most likely the more expensive it costs.
El Prat (BCN) - 10km
Tegel - 8km
Budapest Ferihegy - 16km
Logan - 6km
It'll be funny if we calculate the actual cost per distance.
Nov 23rd, 2009, 12:06 AM
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The Moscow airports have cheap public transportation.
There is a shuttle from Domodedovo to a Metro station. I think the shuttle is free and the Metro is ~ 22 rubles (about 75 cents). I used Metro and the Aero Express train (250 rubles).
Metro 22 rubles and an express train 250 rubles gets you to Sheremetyevo.
Bus and metro from St Petersburg LED is around 90 rubles.
Metrobus from Dulles Airport to D.C. is $3.
There is a shuttle from Domodedovo to a Metro station. I think the shuttle is free and the Metro is ~ 22 rubles (about 75 cents). I used Metro and the Aero Express train (250 rubles).
Metro 22 rubles and an express train 250 rubles gets you to Sheremetyevo.
Bus and metro from St Petersburg LED is around 90 rubles.
Metrobus from Dulles Airport to D.C. is $3.
Nov 23rd, 2009, 06:40 AM
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Midway Airport is about 12 miles SW of the Chicago Loop and O'Hare is about 18 miles NW. A one-way L fare from either is US$2.25. The trip is about 45-minutes from MDW and around 60-minutes from ORD.
Minneapolis has a light rail from the airport to downtown that's $1.75 during non-peak times and $2.25 during rush hour.
Baltimore's light rail is only $1.60 from the airport to the inner harbor.
Last year, I took an express bus to and from the airport in Austin, Texas. The fare was only $1.50 and the ride was around 35 minutes.
In Toronto, there is an express bus from Pearson Airport to the Kipling Subway station. The fare is Cdn$2.75 and the transfer is free.
Minneapolis has a light rail from the airport to downtown that's $1.75 during non-peak times and $2.25 during rush hour.
Baltimore's light rail is only $1.60 from the airport to the inner harbor.
Last year, I took an express bus to and from the airport in Austin, Texas. The fare was only $1.50 and the ride was around 35 minutes.
In Toronto, there is an express bus from Pearson Airport to the Kipling Subway station. The fare is Cdn$2.75 and the transfer is free.
Nov 23rd, 2009, 07:44 AM
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Athens has the metro from the airport to center of Athens but it is not really very cheap - but a lot cheaper than a 50 euro taxi ride ! It is about 45 minutes from airport to Athens center. I was there last April but can't remember if it was 7 euros or ?. Oh well.
Nov 23rd, 2009, 09:52 AM
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Ah, Austin... Yes, I've taken that airport bus a few times before. Is it really $1.50? When I took that last in 2006, it was only $0.50! Actually, according to this http://www.capmetro.org/riding/airport.asp the fare is now $0.75. AUS is 5 miles from downtown.
I forgot to mention DFW, which is about 20 miles from downtown Dallas. One can take the TRE train to Union Station in Dallas for $2.50.
I forgot to mention DFW, which is about 20 miles from downtown Dallas. One can take the TRE train to Union Station in Dallas for $2.50.
Nov 23rd, 2009, 12:42 PM
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Madrid €1 (or €0.74 with a 10-ride-ticket) if you take bus 200 or 204+metro (and not metro directly from the airport which has a "whopping" €1 surcharge)
Berlin €2.10 (Tegel airport)
compare with
Dublin €6 (bus; but you can get a day pass for local Dublin buses plus the airport link for the same price)
Munich €9.20 (slow and expensive, but less traffic jam-prone than bus or taxis)
Stockholm Arlanda €23 (airport train)... ouch, but it is fast!!
Berlin €2.10 (Tegel airport)
compare with
Dublin €6 (bus; but you can get a day pass for local Dublin buses plus the airport link for the same price)
Munich €9.20 (slow and expensive, but less traffic jam-prone than bus or taxis)
Stockholm Arlanda €23 (airport train)... ouch, but it is fast!!
Nov 23rd, 2009, 04:06 PM
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Atlanta: MARTA train from inside the airport all the way to downtown (and beyond, anywhere on the system) for $2.25. No charge for luggage.
Very speedy too, on the order of 20 minutes or less from ATL to Five Points.
Very speedy too, on the order of 20 minutes or less from ATL to Five Points.
Nov 24th, 2009, 06:45 AM
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NYC, just $2.25 from LGA. Of course, it can take an age, but it's dirt-cheap.
Sadly, though you can take the subway to JFK (and it also takes an age ... more than an age from certain parts of town), you have to pay the rip-off fare of $5 to use the Airtrain to get to the terminal from the subway station, so the minimum to and from JFK is $7.25.
Sadly, though you can take the subway to JFK (and it also takes an age ... more than an age from certain parts of town), you have to pay the rip-off fare of $5 to use the Airtrain to get to the terminal from the subway station, so the minimum to and from JFK is $7.25.
Nov 24th, 2009, 09:59 AM
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In DC, the airports are (Reagan) National--metro less than $2 to the center of the city; bus from Dulles to L'enfant Plaza, 30 miles for $3.10; bus plus metro from BWI to downtown, $5 or less, depending on time of day.
