Miami Getting there & around

Getting there & around

Miami is a major international airline hub, particularly for American Airlines, and it’s the first port of call for many flights from Latin America. Most flights come into Miami International Airport (MIA), although many are also directed to Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport (FLL). Seeing as it is located at the tip of the USA, Greater Miami is more of a termination of highways and rail lines, rather than a major land-transit interchange area. Fort Lauderdale attracts pleasure boaters from around the world, while the Port of Miami is the largest cruise port in the world; Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, Discovery and Oceania, among others, all set out from here. Flights, tours and rail tickets can be booked online at www.lonelyplanet.com/travel_services.

Contents

Local transport

Taxi

Outside MIA and the Port of Miami, where taxis buzz around like bees at a hive, you will use a phone to hail a cab. A consortium of drivers has banded together and formed a Dispatch Service (305-888-4444). If the dispatch service is busy, try Metro (305-888-8888), Sunshine (305-445-3333) or Yellow (305-444-4444) for a ride.

Taxis in Miami have flat and metered rates. The metered fare is $3.90 for the first mile, and $2.20 each additional mile, but given the cost of fuel in America, this could well change by the time you read this. You will not have to pay extra for luggage or extra people in the cab, though you are expected to tip an additional 10% to 15%. Add about 10% to normal taxi fares (or a dollar, whichever is greater). If you have a bad experience, get the driver’s chauffeur license number, name and license plate number and contact the Taxi Complaints Line (305-375-2460).

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Air

Airport

Miami is served by all major carriers via two main airports: Miami International Airport (MIA) and the Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport (FLL), half an hour north. MIA (305-876-7000; www.miami-mia.com) is the third busiest airport (after JFK and LaGuardia in New York City) in the country. Just 6 miles west of Downtown, the airport is open 24 hours and is laid out in a horseshoe design. There are left-luggage facilities on two concourses at MIA, between B and C and on G; prices vary according to bag size.

The Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (954-359-1200; www.broward.org/airport; 320 Terminal Dr), about 30 miles north of Miami just off I-95, often serves as a lower-cost alternative to MIA, especially because it’s serviced by popular, cut-rate flyers including Southwest Airlines and JetBlue.

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Car & motorcycle

Finding your way here from other points in the USA is not hard; follow any other major Interstate to I-95 south, which will eventually take you directly into Downtown Miami. Be aware that gasoline prices are not so cheap these days: in early 2008 they averaged $3.20 a gallon (a bit less than 4L) in Miami. From New York, expect a 19-hour trip without stops. And remember that speed limits change from state to state.

The urban sprawl of metro Miami means most visitors, unless staying in one neighborhood, will end up driving. Though getting around is quite easy to figure out, expect serious rush hour traffic from 7am to 9am and 4pm to 6pm weekdays, as well as constant snarls along Collins Ave and Ocean Dr during high season, especially on weekends. Dixie Hwy (US Hwy 1) often gets backed up and clogged, and this holds particularly true for those heading south into the Florida Keys, where it’s the only road around. The Downtown area near Brickell was a nightmare during this research, but this was partly because of construction projects. It’s a safe bet that anywhere where construction is occurring will equal serious driving headaches.

On the bright side, traffic is really light in the Everglades.

Rental

All the big operators, and a host of smaller or local ones, have bases in the Miami/Fort Lauderdale area, and advance reservations are advisable, especially in high season. Car rental companies in the area include the following:

Alamo (800-327-9633; www.alamo.com)

Avis (800-831-2847; www.avis.com)

Budget (800-527-0700; www.budget.com)

Continental (305-871-4663; www.continentalcar.com)

Thrifty (800-367-2277; www.thrifty.com)

Rental rates in Florida tend to be lower than in other big American cities, though they do fluctuate, depending on the company, day of the week and season. Expect to pay about $200 a week for a typical economy car at most times; around the Christmas-holiday time, however, you could pay upwards of $900 a week for the same vehicle. Phone around to compare prices, and know that booking ahead usually ensures the best rates. Most companies include unlimited mileage at no extra cost, but taxes and a host of surcharges increase the final bill, as could insurance. While many credit cards cover a loss/damage waiver, or LDW (sometimes called a collision/damage waiver, or CDW), meaning that you don’t pay if you damage the car, as well as liability insurance, you should make absolutely certain before driving in the litigious USA.

Bring your driver’s license if you intend to rent a car; visitors from some countries may find it wise to back up their national license with an International Driving Permit, available from many local auto clubs (including the Automobile Association of America; www.aaa.com). Most operators require that you be at least 25 years of age and have a major credit card in your own name.

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Boat

Though it’s doubtful you’ll be catching a steamer to make a trans-Atlantic journey, it is quite possible that you’ll arrive in Miami via a cruise ship, as the Port of Miami (305-371-7678; www.miamidade.gov/portofmiami), which received nearly four million passengers in 2003, is known as the ‘cruise capital of the world.’ Arriving in the port will put you on the edge of Downtown Miami; taxis and public buses to other local points are available from nearby Biscayne Blvd.

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Train

The main Miami terminal of Amtrak (305-835-1222, 800-872-7245; www.amtrak.com; 8303 NW 37th Ave) connects the city with the rest of continental USA and Canada. Travel time between New York and Miami is a severe 27 to 30 hours and costs $99 to $246 one-way. The Miami Amtrak station has a left-luggage station, which costs $2 per bag.

Around Miami the Metromover (www.miamidade.gov/transit), equal parts bus, monorail and train, is helpful for getting around the Downtown area. It offers visitors a great perspective on the city and a cheap – it’s free! – orientation tour of the area. The one- and two-car, rubber-wheeled, computer-controlled (and therefore driverless) vehicles operate on three lines on two elevated-track ‘loops, ’ covering Downtown as far south as the Financial District Station of Brickell Ave and as far north as the School Board Station up on NW 15th St and NE 1st Ave. You can transfer to the Metrorail at Government Center.

Metrorail (www.miamidade.gov/transit), meanwhile, is a 21-mile-long heavy rail system that has one elevated line running from Hialeah through Downtown Miami and south to Kendall/Dadeland. Trains run every five to 15 minutes from 6am to midnight. The fare is $1.50, or 75¢ with a Metromover transfer. The regional Tri-Rail (800-874-7245; www.tri-rail.com) double-decker commuter trains run the 71 miles between Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties. For longer trips (to Palm Beach, for instance), Tri-Rail is very inefficient. Fares are calculated on a zone basis, and the route spans six zones. The shortest distance traveled costs $4 round-trip. The most you’ll ever pay is for the ride between MIA and West Palm Beach ($11 round-trip). No tickets are sold on the train, so allow time to make your purchase before boarding. All trains and stations are accessible to riders with disabilities. For a list of stations, go to the Tri-Rail website.

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Bicycle

Miami may be flat as a pancake, but it’s also plagued by traffic backups and speedy thoroughfares, so judge the bike-ability of your desired route carefully. It’s a perfectly sensible option in South Beach, though, as well as through most Miami Beach ’hoods and, of course, on Key Biscayne. Use a sturdy U-type bike lock, as mere chains and padlocks do not deter people in these parts.

Bicycles are allowed only on specific Metrorail and Tri-Rail routes; you can also bike across the causeways.

Rental

There are several places in South Beach and on Key Biscayne to rent bicycles for a fee of about $20 a day.

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