Getting There

By Plane

The $581-million Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (tel. 512/530-ABIA; airport code AUS) opened in 1999 on the site of the former Bergstrom Air Force Base, just off Highway 71 (Ben White Blvd.) and only 8 miles southwest of the capitol.

Not only did the airy glass-and-granite structure replace an outdated facility with an expanded new one, but it also was designed to capture the spirit of Austin from the moment you step off the plane. The passenger terminal, named after the late Texas Congresswoman Barbara Jordan, boasts a stage area for performances by Austin musicians, hosts local businesses like BookPeople and an Austin City Limits gift shop, and features Austin food concessions such as Amy's Ice Cream, Matt's El Rancho, and The Salt Lick -- with prices comparable to those in town. This was also the first airport in the country to go wireless, and, as of the summer of 2004, the first to get a live TV broadcast stream. Since Austin is such a hotbed of high tech, the airport's even got a geek's dream of a website, www.ci.austin.tx.us/austinairport, featuring a virtual reality tour of the terminal, flight schedules, links to airlines and car-rental companies, descriptions of concessions, the latest bulletins on noise-pollution control, and more. For those wanting nonvirtual data, there's an information booth on the lower level of the terminal open daily from 7am to 11pm.

Taxis from the major companies in town usually form a line outside the terminal, though occasionally you won't find any waiting. To ensure off-hour pickup in advance, phone American Yellow Checker Cab (tel. 512/452-9999) before you leave home. The ride between the airport and downtown costs around $25.

If you're not in a huge rush to get to your hotel, SuperShuttle (tel. 800-BLUE VAN or 512/258-3826; www.supershuttle.com) is a less expensive alternative to cabs, offering comfortable minivan service to hotels and residences. Prices range from $10 one-way ($18 round-trip) for trips to a downtown hotel to $14 ($24 round-trip) for trips to a central hotel and $18 ($26) for trips to a hotel in the northwestern part of town. The drawback is that you often must share your ride with several others, who may be dropped off first. You don't have to book in advance for pickups at the airport, but you do need to phone 24 hours ahead of time to arrange for a pickup if you're leaving town.

For 50¢ you can go from the airport to downtown or the university area on a city bus called the Airport Flyer (Rte. 100). It runs until about midnight. The passenger pickup is outside the arrival gates, close to the end of the concourse. Busses depart about every 40 minutes. You can grab a route schedule from the city's visitor information office, by the baggage carrousels. Or you can download it from the website. Capital Metro Transit (tel. 512/474-1200 or TTY 512/385-5872; www.capmetro.org), or click on the "Parking-Transportation" section of the airport website.

Most of the major car-rental companies -- Advantage, Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Hertz, National, and Thrifty -- have outlets at the airport, and you can now stroll across the road from the terminal building to pick up (and drop off) your car. The trip from the airport to downtown by car or taxi can take anywhere from 20 to 45 minutes, much more if you're headed to north Austin. During rush hour, there are often backups all along Highway 71. Be sure to slot in extra time when you need to catch a flight.

The Quickest Route -- If you're heading downtown from the airport, you're best off taking Riverside Drive -- one of the first exits on Highway 71 after it splits off of Highway 183. Riverside will meet the I-35 freeway at Town Lake -- follow the right-hand lane as it feeds you on to a bridge that is parallel to the freeway. After you cross the water, make a left at any of the cross streets that go under the freeway. If you want to get to north or northwest Austin, take Highway 183 all the way, again avoiding often-congested I-35.

By Train

The Amtrak station (tel. 512/476-5684) is at Lamar and West First Street, in the southwest part of downtown. There are generally a few cabs waiting to meet the trains, but if you don't see one, you'll find a list of phone numbers of taxi companies posted near the pay phones. Some of the downtown hotels offer courtesy pickup from the train station. A cab ride shouldn't run more than $5 or $6 (there's a $3 minimum charge).

By Bus

The bus terminal is near Highland Mall, about 10 minutes north of downtown and just south of the I-35 motel zone. There are some hotels within walking distance, and many others a short cab ride away; a few taxis usually wait outside the station. If you want to go downtown, you can catch either bus no. 7 (Duval) or bus no. 15 (Red River) from the bus stop across the street. A cab ride downtown -- about 10 minutes away on the freeway -- should cost around $10.