Getting In, Getting Around Houston

Because of Houston's heat, most people opt to travel around the city by car. Learn the best routes to take by reading the following Houston transportation primer.

From the Airport

Rental car: Most travelers fly into George Bush International Airport since it's the largest airport serving the city. More than 40 million travelers passed through its gates in 2005, and many of them took a free shuttle to the consolidated car rental facility on the east side of JFK Boulevard, less than five minutes from the airport.

Advantage, Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, Hertz, National, and Thrifty are grouped together to make renting a car easier. The rental cars are covered and close, so after a long flight, travelers can locate and rent a car with relative ease.

©2006 Greater Houston Convention and Visitor's Bureau The Metro can get you to and from the airport, as well as around the city.

Taxi: If taking a taxi is part of your travel plans, simply step outside and hail a cab. Or better yet, ground transportation employees will hail one for you outside each terminal. The taxi fares in Houston are based on the flat Zone Rate (assigned to each area) or the meter rate, whichever is less, but take note of other charges such as the late night surcharge of $1 per trip between 8 pm and 6 am. The fees start at $20 to go downtown and top out at $58 to travel West of Interstate 10. So what's the good news? Senior citizens receive a 10 percent discount.

Public transportation: The Houston Metropolitan Transit Authority, usually called Metro, provides bus service from the airport to Houston. You can catch a bus on the south side of Terminal C, and it's best to check Metro's Web site for route information. A one-way fare costs $1 or you can buy a one-day pass for $2, which has unlimited use for 24 hours from the time of purchase.

Hotels often offer shuttles to and from the airport, so hotel customers should check with the concierge about their transportation options.

Driving In

Rush hour: All the cars in Houston have to go somewhere, so be prepared for some type of slowdown depending on the time of day you arrive in town. If you caught a Red Eye flight and find yourself in Houston just in time for rush hour, it may be best to just hang out at the airport for a while. Houston's freeways slow to a crawl most mornings between 7 am and 9 am and most evenings from 4:30 pm and 7 pm, after which time most freeways can be smooth sailing.

If you are driving, take Highway 59 into downtown, instead of Interstate 45. Highway 59 is a bigger freeway and less congested, no matter what time you travel.

Rules of the road: Houstonians are a busy bunch, and there's always someplace to go and something to do. That can-do attitude also means the freeways and roads around town are bustling. Road construction is an ongoing fact of life, but visitors would do well to avoid one particular stretch of road if possible.

Interstate 10, or I-10, is undergoing an expansion that will take years to complete, so opt for the Westpark Tollway instead. The Westpark Tollway is a new road and is a good alternate because it goes from east to west and travels from the Galleria to the Grand Parkway.

Getting Around Town

Public transportation: Metro offers two modes of transportation throughout the city. The bus system runs from 4:30 am until 12:45 am Monday through Thursday, 4:30 am to 2:15 am Friday, 5:30 am to 2:15 am Saturday, and from 5:30 am to 12:45 am until Sunday. The buses stop at every other corner along its route. One-way fare is $1, or you can purchase a Day Pass for $2 for unlimited use of local service for 24 hours from the time of purchase. The bus routes are extensive and reach to the far corners of the city.  

Many tourists most likely will prefer the 7.5-mile MetroRail as the transportation of choice in Houston because of its route. The new rail system runs through Downtown, Midtown, the Museum District, the Texas Medical Center, Reliant Park, and the South Fannin Park & Ride lot. That route carries visitors to the hub of Houston's museum scene and right down Main Street in downtown where restaurants, bars, and clubs are found. The fare is $1.

Taxis, on foot, or by bike: Houston taxis cost $3 for the first mile and about $1.50 for each additional mile. While there are plenty of cabs zooming around the city, they are concentrated around the airports, the Galleria, and downtown Houston.

If a visitor is on the outskirts of the city, they'll need to call a cab in advance. If a trip to Houston will be more than a day or two, a visitor may want to look into renting a car.

Downtown Houston is really the only place where visitors would find themselves traveling on foot. Walking to the cluster of bars, restaurants, and clubs in downtown is the best way to see and be a part of the nightlife scene.

If your feet become tired, another option is a pedicab to take you to your next destination. Pedicab drivers pedal around downtown, especially at night when walking to and from a parking lot in high heels is a sure way to put a damper on an evening out. The Pedicabs generally hold two people and cost between $5 and $10 a ride.

Now that you know the basics of getting around, you can begin planning what you'll do in Houston. From exciting sporting events and interesting museums to great cooking and the space center, Houston has numerous special events and attractions to entice its guests. Find out more on the next page.