Airport-to-City Transit

Sometimes the hardest part of a trip is figuring out how to get from the airport to downtown. Here’s some basic information for a sampling of major airports in the U.S. and abroad, adapted from Salk International’s 1999 Airport Transit Guide. The detailed survey of hundreds of airports is available for $9.95 from Magellan’s Travel Catalog, telephone (800) 962-4943.

These data can change without notice, but were current when the guide was published in November.

Most services (taxis excepted) are not available after 11 p.m.

CHICAGO, O’Hare International.

Taxi: $28 to $33; shared, $15.

Shuttle/coach: Continental Airport Express to downtown hotels; fare, $16. Tel. (312) 454-7800.

Train: CTA Blue Line from terminal inside O’Hare (follow rail-car signs) direct to the Loop (downtown); fare, $1.50. Good choice for travelers with only carry-on luggage. Tel. (312) 836-7000.

HONOLULU, Honolulu Internationl.

Taxi: $15 to business district, $22-$26 to Waikiki.

Shuttle/coach: Airport Express to Waikiki drops off at most hotels. Fare, $8. Tel. (808) 566-7333.

Bus: No. 19 or No. 20 to downtown and Waikiki. Fare, $1. Baggage must be small enough to place on lap or under seat.

LAS VEGAS, McCarran International.

Taxi: Fares run $9-$18 to the Strip, $18-$25 downtown.

Shuttle: Several companies, stop at all major hotels. Fare, $3.75-$5 to the Strip, $5.50-$8 downtown.

Bus: Fare, $1.

LONDON, England; Gatwick.

Taxi: 40-50 pounds ($69-$86) to central London.A

Train: Gatwick Express to Victoria Station; fare: 8.90 pounds ($15.35). Thameslink trains to five central London stations; fare, 8.60 pounds ($14.85).

Shuttle/coach: Flightline No. 777 to Victoria Coach Station ( 1/2 mile from Victoria Station). Fare, 7.50 pounds ($12.95). Tel. 011-44- 0990-747777.

LONDON, England; Heathrow.

For all airport bus/coach information: tel. 011-44-0990-747-777

Taxi: Fare to Central London, 35 pounds ($60).

Shuttle (coach): Airbus A1 to Victoria Station, A2 to Russell Square, Euston Station; fare, 6 pounds ($10.35). Tel. 011-44-0171-222-1234.

Bus: National Express has frequent daily service to Central London for 6.25 pounds ($10.75). Tel. 011-44-0181-745-5445 or 011-44- 0171-730-0202.

Train: Heathrow Express (new) to London Paddington Station; standard fare, 10 pounds ($17.25). Hotel Express Shuttle bus link from Paddington to eight hotels around Marble Arch and Oxford Street; fare, 2 pounds ($3.40). (Upon exiting Paddington, follow signs to “Hotel Coaches.”)

Underground: Heathrow terminals are stations on the Piccadilly Line. Moving walkways accommodate baggage carts to the Underground stations, but there may be stairs at some exits. Buy ticket at counter or from machine: 3.30 pounds ($5.65) to Piccadilly.

MEXICO CITY, Benito Juarez.

Taxi: Fare to Zona Rosa, 80 pesos ($9.60). Buy trip ticket at Authorized Taxi Service booth in baggage claim area. Authorized cabs are white and yellow with an airplane logo. Authorities caution against using nonauthorized cabs.

Shuttle: Service to hotels meets flights; fare, 24 pesos ($2.90).

Train: Subway entrance is one block to left outside terminal, marked by an “M” on a pylon. Fare, 80 centavos (10 cents). Good choice for traveler with no more than a carry-on bag (no luggage). To Zona Rosa, take train to Pantitlan, change to Observatorio (Line 1), get off at Insurgentes.

NEW YORK, Kennedy International.

Airport transit information: tel. 800-AIR-RIDE (247-7433).

Taxi: Flat rate from airport to Manhattan: $30 plus tolls.

Shuttle/coach: New York Airport Service from all terminals, $13 to Manhattan. Tel. (718) 706-9658. Drop-offs are 42nd Street near Grand Central Terminal and 42nd Street and 8th Avenue. From there, shuttle is available to hotels.

SuperShuttle to Manhattan from all terminals; see Ground Transportation Information counter or use courtesy phone. Fare, $12. Tel. (800) 666-4287.

Gray Line Air Shuttle to Manhattan from all terminals. See Ground Transportation Information counter or use courtesy phone. Fare, $14. Tel. (212) 315-3006.

NEW YORK, Newark International Airport.

Taxi: To Manhattan, $34 to $55. .

Bus: Olympia Trails Express to downtown Manhattan (World Trade Center) and midtown (Grand Central or Penn Station). Fare, $10 to $20. Tel. (212) 964-6233.

Gray Line Air Shuttle to midtown; fare, $14. Arrange at Ground Transportation Information counter in terminal.

Airlink/NJ Transit No. 302 shuttle to Newark’s Penn Station for rail connections to Manhattan on NJ Transit ($2.50), Amtrak ($7) and PATH ($1). Shuttle, $4; operates 24 hours. Tel. (800) 772-2222.

OAKLAND, Calif., Oakland International.

Taxi: To San Francisco, $25 to $30.

Train: Air-BART shuttle from center island outside terminal to BART station. Fare, $2 (use ticket machine in terminal; drivers do not accept cash). BART to downtown San Francisco, $2.75 (use ticket machine). BART information, tel. (510) 465-BART. Bay Area Travel Information: tel. (510) 817-1717.

PARIS, France, Charles de Gaulle (CDG).

Taxi: 220 francs ($39) to Etoile, Place de la Concorde, Place de l’Opera; 220 to 250 francs ($39 to $45) to Left Bank.

Shuttle/coach: Air France coach from CDG 2: Halls A and C, Exit 5; Halls B and D, Exit 6. From CDG 1, Gate 34 arrival level. Etoile (Arc de Triomphe); fare, 60 francs ($10.75). Gare Montparnasse (TGV Atlantique) from CDG 2: Halls A and C, Exit C2; Halls B and D, Exit B1; from CDG 1, Gate 34 arrival level; fare, 70 francs ($12.50).

Bus: Roissybus from CDG 1, Gate 30 arrival level; CDG 2, Halls A and C, Exit A10; Halls B and D, Exit D12; to Place de l’Opera, Metro and RER rail connection; fare, 45 francs ($8). Limited luggage space.

Rail note: French Rail’s new airport terminal allows passengers to go directly (bypassing Paris) by high-speed trains to Lyon, Avignon, Nice and Lille, and through Paris to the Chunnel and other points. Information in the U.S.: tel. (800) 438-7245. Internet: https://www.raileurope.com.

ROME, Italy, Leonardo da Vinci (Fiumicino).

Taxi: 60,000 to 70,000 lire ($36 to $42) to central Rome. Fiumicino Guide strongly advises using only licensed taxis with meters.

Train: Nonstop to Roma Termini (central station); fare, 13,000 lire ($8).

SAN FRANCISCO, San Francisco International. Ground transport information: (800) SFO-2008.

Taxi: $29 downtown.

Shuttle/coach: SFO Airporter to downtown hotels; fare, $10. Information: tel. (415) 495-8404.

Several firms operate door-to-door service on a prearranged basis. Fare to the city, $8 to $21; to Marin County, $20 to $75. Reservations and information: Airport Connection, tel. (650) 401-8300;VIP Airport Shuttle, tel. (408) 378-8847; Marin Door-to-Door, tel. (415) 457-2717; Xpress Shuttle, tel. (800) 4-SHUTTLE.

Bus: SamTrans No. 7F to Transbay Terminal, 1st Street at Mission, downtown; fare, $3 exact change.

Train: SamTrans No. 3X bus (boarding area upper level) to BART station; fare, $1.10. BART fare to downtown, $2.25.

SEATTLE, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.

Taxi: $28 to $30.

Shuttle/coach: Gray Line Airport Express to downtown, stops at hotels; fare, $7.50. Information: tel. (206) 626-6088.

Shuttle Express door to door, shared-ride van service on demand; fare to downtown, $18. Tel. (206) 622-1424.

TOKYO, Japan, New Tokyo International Airport (Narita).

Taxi: Fare to downtown, a 90-minute to 2-hour ride: 20,000 yen ($180).

Shuttle/coach: Airport Limousine Bus, 2,900 yen ($26) to Tokyo City Air Terminal at Hakozaki-cho.

Train: From Keisei Station under Terminals 1 and 2, to Keisei Ueno Station: Skyliner Express, 1,920 yen ($17.25), all seats reserved; Limited Express, 980 yen ($8.80); purchase tickets at counter in airport.