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Memphis is in western Tennessee, on the eastern banks of the Mississippi and Wolf Rivers and right on the border of the state of Mississippi. Downtown stretches along the backside of the bluffs that overlook the river. The civic centre is bisected by the north-south Mid-America Ped Mall, where only the sound of feet and trolleys is heard. The intersection of Beale and 3rd Sts, just a few blocks east of downtown, is the centre of the tourist district. Memphis International Airport is 20min south of downtown by car. The Greyhound bus station is downtown, and the Amtrak train station is less than a kilometre south of downtown.
Getting There
Memphis International Airport (www.memphisairport.org; 2491 Winchester Rd) is 19km (12mi) southeast of downtown via I-55. Try City Wide Cab Company (tel: 901 324 4202) or Yellow Cab (tel: 901 577 7777). The Downtown Airport Shuttle (DASH; tel: 901 522 1677) serves most downtown hotels. Greyhound (tel: 901 523 1184; 203 Union Ave) runs frequent buses to Nashville (4hrs); Little Rock, AR; and New Orleans, LA (8-10hrs). Central Station (tel: 901 526 0052; 545 S Main St), the Amtrak terminal, has been restored to its original 1914 splendor. The City of New Orleans bus goes to Chicago, IL (10hr) and New Orleans, LA (9hr).
Getting Around
If you wanted to explore Memphis beyond the downtown and Beale St areas, the easiest way is by car. Rental agencies are located at the airport.
Memphis is easy to get around by bicycle, provided you're not visiting during the sweltering summer, but rentals are hard to find. Cycling isn't part of the local culture, and there are no bike lanes or other special provisions for riders.
Local buses are run by the Memphis Area Transit Authority (MATA; tel:9017227171; www.matatransit.com). The Main Street Trolley (tel:9012746282) runs vintage trolley cars on a loop from the Amtrak station to the Pyramid via Main St and Riverside Dr.
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