Getting There

By Plane

The Major Airlines -- Memphis is served by the following airlines: American Airlines (tel. 800/433-7300); Delta (tel. 800/221-1212); KLM (tel. 800/374-7747); Northwest (tel. 800/225-2525); United Airlines (tel. 800/241-6522); and US Airways (tel. 800/428-4322).

Getting Into Town From the Airport -- The Memphis International Airport (tel. 901/922-8000) is located approximately 11 miles (18km) south of downtown Memphis off I-240. From the airport to East Memphis, it's about 9 miles (14km). The route into either downtown or East Memphis is on I-240 all the way. Generally, allow about 20 minutes for the trip between the airport and downtown, and 15 minutes between the airport and East Memphis -- up to an hour more during rush hour.

Airport Shuttle Service (tel. 901/274-6282) operates a shuttle service between the Memphis International Airport and select downtown hotels (Peabody, Hampton Inn, Radisson, Wyndham, Marriott, Comfort Inn, Sleep Inn, Holiday Inn-Select, and Best Western). Rates are $10 one-way and $17 round-trip per person. It operates 7 days a week. For group reservations or more information, call tel. 901/522-1677.

Although there is no direct bus service from the airport to downtown Memphis, it is possible, with a change of bus en route, to make this trip on Memphis Area Transit Authority (MATA) buses (tel. 901/274-6282). These buses, however, do not run very often and are not very convenient for visitors. The buses run every 1 to 2 hours until about 5:30pm Monday through Saturday, and until 5:15pm on Sunday, and the fare is $1.25. From the lower level at the airport, take no. 32, the East Parkway/Hollywood bus, to Airways and Lamar Avenue. Transfer to no. 10, the Lamar bus (which runs about every hour on weekdays, fewer times on Sat) or the no. 56, the Union/Kimball bus (running about every half hour on weekdays), which will take you downtown. If you want to take the bus, the best bet is to call MATA or ask a bus driver for the latest schedule information.

A taxi from the airport to downtown Memphis will cost about $23; to East Memphis it will cost about $20. There are usually plenty of taxis around, but if you can't find one, call Yellow/Checker Cab (tel. 901/577-7777) or City Wide Cab Company (tel. 901/324-4202). The first mile is $2.90; after that, it's $1.40 per mile. Each additional passenger is 50¢ extra.

By Car

Memphis is a crossroads of the South and is within an 8-hour drive of many major Southern cities. Here are some driving distances from selected cities: Nashville, 210 miles (338km); New Orleans, 393 miles (633km); Chicago, 544 miles (876km); St. Louis, 311 miles (501km); and Dallas, 466 miles (750km).

The main routes into Memphis include I-40, which connects Memphis with Nashville and Raleigh to the east and Little Rock and Oklahoma City to the west. I-55 passes through the southwestern corner of the city and connects Memphis to New Orleans in the south and to St. Louis and Chicago to the north.

If you're coming in from the east and trying to get to downtown Memphis, I-40 is slightly faster than I-240. From I-40, take Danny Thomas Boulevard, or take I-40 to I-240 and get off at Union Avenue. If you're heading to East Memphis, take I-240. Poplar Avenue is the main East Memphis exit.

If you are a member of the American Automobile Association (AAA) and your car breaks down, call tel. 800/365-4840 or 800/AAA-HELP for 24-hour emergency road service. The AAA office in Memphis is at 5138 Park Ave., Memphis, TN 38117 (tel. 901/761-5371).

By Train

Amtrak (tel. 800/872-7245) serves Memphis with a route that goes from Chicago through Memphis to New Orleans on the City of New Orleans. The coach fare between Chicago and Memphis at press time was between $84 and $150 each way, while fares between Memphis and New Orleans were about $86. If you arrive in Memphis on an Amtrak train, you'll find yourself at Central Station, 545 S. Main St. (tel. 901/526-0052), near Calhoun Street. This historic railway station has been completely renovated into a combination transportation center with public bus and Main Street Trolley connections and retail complex. However, the neighborhood around the station remains quite run-down. If arriving by train, you should take a cab or the Main Street Trolley to your hotel.

By Bus

The Greyhound bus station is at 203 Union Ave. (tel. 901/523-9253), in the heart of downtown Memphis and within 2 blocks of the Peabody Hotel. Greyhound Lines (tel. 800/231-2222) offers service to Memphis from around the country, and, in fact, Memphis is where Greyhound got started. At press time, the walk-up fare between New York and Memphis was $92 one-way and $165 round-trip. The non-discounted fare between Chicago and Memphis was $57 one-way and $98 round-trip.

Package Tours

The best way to find out about package tours is to contact a travel agent.

The Delta Queen Steamboat Company, Robin St. Wharf, 1380 Port of New Orleans Place, New Orleans, LA 70130-1890 (tel. 800/215-7938), offers paddle-wheel steamboat tours that include Memphis on the itinerary. Call ahead for current information.