Locattion » Transportation

Book Travel

The official ESA travel agent, Joseph Vengersammy with First in Service Travel, has arranged for discounted flights to Albuquerque. Please note there is a $35 fee for using his service. Contact Joseph by email at joseph@1stinservice.com, by phone at 212-398-6555 ext. 1290, or by mail at 130 West 42nd Street, Suite 401, New York, NY 10036.

 Those who arrive by air will find all Albuquerque destinations are within 20 minutes of the airport, Albuquerque International Sunport (www.cabq.gov/airport/). This full-service airport is served by eight major airlines (American, Delta, Northwest, Continental, Frontier, Southwest, United, and US Airways), and offers nonstop service to 39 US cities. Weather-related delays are few and far between as the area enjoys 310 days of sunshine per year.

Ground Transportation

A wide variety of ground transportation options are available to take visitors from the Albuquerque International Sunport to their accommodations. These run the gamut from the city’s public mass transportation system (ABQ Ride: http://www.cabq.gov/transit), to local 24-hour shuttle operators (e.g., Sunport Shuttle: http://www.sunportshuttle.com/), to taxicabs, to limousine and rental car services. One-way bus fare from the airport to the Albuquerque Convention Center is $2. Between the airport and the downtown convention center area, the current Sunport Shuttle fare is approximately $11 per one way trip for the first person and $5 for each additional passenger in a group and $20 per round trip and $10 for each additional passenger in a group. A typical cab fare from the airport to any one of the city’s seven hotel districts is currently between $14 and $20.

Train

Albuquerque is also served by Amtrak and the train station is within a few blocks of the Albuquerque Convention Center. Amtrak’s Southwest Chief route runs daily between Chicago and Los Angeles, through the vast expanse of the fabled American West. Onboard the Southwest Chief, travelers may enjoy Superliner Sleeping and Dining Car accommodations and spectacular views from our renowned Sightseer Lounge Car. For more information, please refer to the Southwest Chief Route Guide (www.amtrak.com/pdf/routeguideswchief.pdf).

Cab

Two major cab companies serve the Albuquerque area: Albuquerque Cab Company (505.883.4888) and Yellow Checker Cab Co., Inc. (800.243.7499). One cannot flag a cab in the city, but staff of local hotels and restaurants can call for service when visitors need rides.

Public Buses

Albuquerque offers several options for moving people from place to place affordably and quickly. The city’s premier public transportation system, Rapid Ride utilizes a fleet of 18 60-foot, articulated buses, running along two routes (Red and Blue) connecting Old Town, Downtown, and Uptown, and fares are just $1 per trip. Each bus can accommodate up to 86 people and offers passengers free wireless Internet access via 83 hot spots along the route that establish a connection from zone to zone. New Flyer buses are powered by cutting edge technology: a diesel electric hybrid engine that has an extremely low level of emissions while providing power and improved gas mileage. Rapid Ride buses also are low-floor, allowing for speedy passenger and wheelchair access.

The Rapid Ride Red Line runs at 10-minute intervals between 5:30 am and 8 pm, 7 days per week along an 11-mile route. The route provides access from the West Side to: the BioPark, Old Town, Downtown, the University of New Mexico (UNM), Nob Hill, the NM Expo at the State Fairgrounds, the new International Market, and the Uptown shopping area. There is a Park & Ride lot at each end of the route and there is no charge to park in either lot.

Rapid After Dark is a late-night extension of the Rapid Ride Red Line service and runs at 20-minute intervals between 8 pm and 3 am on Friday and Saturday nights from May 23 to September 21. Rapid After Dark provides later service to Albuquerque's four entertainment districts (Old Town, Downtown, Nob Hill, and Uptown), affording riders extended access to restaurants, clubs, movie theaters, museums, concert events, shopping, and special events.

The Rapid Ride’s newer Blue Line runs from 5:30 am to 9 pm Monday through Friday, and from 6 am to 9 pm on Saturdays. It connects Albuquerque’s West Side to the UNM campus with a route that originates at the Northwest Transit Center and encircles UNM, serving both the hospital and main campus.

For even more affordable transportation within a more compact area, the City offers D-Ride, a free “Downtown Get Around Bus” that circulates between the Alvarado Transportation Center and downtown businesses on weekdays. Or, for wider ranging transportation, visitors may utilize the New Mexico Rail Runner, light rail Train service from Santa Fe to Albuquerque and south to Belen. Fares range from $1 (free if purchased online) to $7 and shuttle service between Sunport and Rail Runner stations is provided by ABQ Ride.