What are the considerations of going to and from the airport? You’ve been busy planning a trip, figuring what to pack.
You might have hotel reservations, museum reservations as well as rental car reservations…. but before you leave on your trip, you have to get to the airport, and when you arrive in your destination, you must get from the airport to the city…. but HOW?
You can actually research this in advance if you like. Put “getting to and from the airport” into your search engine, and you will find pages telling you the choices for getting to and from almost any airport in the world.
Most major airports offer several options. You will have taxis and private limos. Usually there will be buses, sometimes special “airporter” buses that take you to a downtown central location, sometimes hotel buses that will drop you off right at your hotel. You may be able to take a train or perhaps a subway into town.
Virtually all airports will inform you to beware of “unofficial” taxis. Official taxis may use meters or they may have a set rate for airport runs. Check to see what you ought to be paying before you jump into any vehicle. At some airports, there could be a counter where you pre-pay for a taxi.
Buses may require tickets purchased at a desk inside the airport… others may let you pay the driver.
For those who have made a hotel reservation, check to see if they have a free or inexpensive courtesy shuttle for getting to and from the airport.
In case you haven’t researched this beforehand on the internet… or even if you’ve done a small amount of research…. you can always ask at the tourist help desk you will find in most major airports. The staff there can generally tell you the lowest priced and/or fastest way to get into town.
Remember what’s most important to you. Buses are cheap, but could possibly get stuck in traffic. The subway will whisk you to town, but may require a walk to your hotel. A taxi might seem like the most expensive choice, but a shared taxi might not be as expensive as you think and can whisk you right to the front door.
Then you’ll find the fun ways of getting to and from the airport… in exceptional cases. In Venice, you might take a water bus or water taxi from the airport. There is even a water shuttle or water taxi to take you to the airport in Boston!
I think the most exotic transportation we had getting to and from the airport was when we flew into Tiger Tops in Nepal… and saw elephants waiting to take us to the lodge!
Of course if you are on a tour, you do not have to worry about this… your tour company should have your guide or a representative at the airport to meet you.
If this all sounds confusing… it’s not. Just look around and ask questions at the airport or at your hotel desk. There will be a concierge or an information desk to assist you.
David Henry is a Travel Industry expert and has been providing discount holidays for over 25 years. The next time you decide to book a package holiday or holiday accommodation please visit online travel discounts. This site searches up to 70 of the top travel web sites to find the best deal then allows you to book direct to make great savings.