Getting There

By Plane

The major domestic carriers serving San Antonio are America West (tel. 800/235-9292; www.americawest.com), American (tel. 800/433-7300; www.aa.com), Continental (tel. 800/525-0280; www.continental.com), Delta (tel. 800/221-1212; www.delta.com), Midwest Airlines (tel. 800/452-2022; www.midwestairlines.com), Northwest (tel. 800/225-2525; www.nwa.com), Southwest (tel. 800/435-9792; www.southwest.com), and United (tel. 800/241-6522; www.united.com). Aerolitoral (tel. 800/237-6639; www.aerolitoral.com), Aeromar (tel. 888/627-0207; www.aeromarairlines.com), Continental, and Mexicana (tel. 800/531-7921; www.mexicana.com) offer service to and from Mexico.

For the most current information on what airlines jet into town, call tel. 210/207-3411. Because San Antonio isn't a hub, service to the city has been circuitous in the past, but airlines servicing San Antonio currently provide nonstop flights to such major U.S. cities as Atlanta, Austin, Baltimore, Chicago, Cincinnati, Dallas-Fort Worth, Denver, El Paso, Houston, Kansas City, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Memphis, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Nashville, Newark, Orlando, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, St. Louis, and Tampa.

Immigration & Customs Clearance -- Foreign visitors arriving by air, no matter what the port of entry, should cultivate patience and resignation before setting foot on U.S. soil. Clearing immigration control can take as long as 2 hours. This is especially true in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, when U.S. airports considerably beefed up security clearances. People traveling by air from Canada, Bermuda, and certain Caribbean countries can sometimes clear Customs and Immigration at the point of departure, which is much faster.

By Car

All roads lead to San Antonio. The city is fed by four interstates (I-35, I-10, I-37, and I-410), three U.S. highways (U.S. 281, U.S. 90, and U.S. 87), four state highways (Tex. 16, Tex. 211, Tex. 151, and Tex. 1604), and several Farm-to-Market (FM) roads. In San Antonio, I-410 and Highway 1604, which circle the city, are referred to as Loop 410 and Loop 1604. All freeways lead into the central business district; U.S. 281 and Loop 410 are closest to the airport.

San Antonio is 975 miles from Atlanta, 1,979 miles from Boston, 1,187 miles from Chicago, 1,342 miles from Los Angeles, 1,360 miles from Miami, 527 miles from New Orleans, 1,781 miles from New York, 1,724 miles from San Francisco, and 2,149 miles from Seattle. The distance to Dallas is 282 miles, to Houston 199 miles, and to Austin 80 miles.

The most cost-effective, convenient, and comfortable way to travel around the United States is by car. The interstate highway system connects cities and towns all over the country; in addition to these high-speed, limited-access roadways, there's an extensive network of federal, state, and local highways and roads. Some of the national car-rental companies include Alamo (tel. 800/462-5266; www.alamo.com), Avis (tel. 800/230-4898; www.avis.com), Budget (tel. 800/527-0700; www.budget.com), Dollar (tel. 800/800-3665; www.dollar.com), Hertz (tel. 800/654-3131; www.hertz.com), National (tel. 800/227-7368; www.nationalcar.com), and Thrifty (tel. 800/847-4389; www.thrifty.com).

If you plan to rent a car in the United States, you probably won't need the services of an additional automobile organization. If you're planning to buy or borrow a car, automobile-association membership is recommended. AAA, the American Automobile Association (tel. 800/222-4357), is the country's largest auto club and supplies its members with maps, insurance, and, most important, emergency road service. The cost of joining runs from $63 for singles to $87 for two members, but if you're a member of a foreign auto club with reciprocal arrangements, you can enjoy free AAA service in America.

By Train

Amtrak provides service three times a week, going east to Orlando (via Houston, Lafayette, and New Orleans), and west to Los Angeles (via El Paso and Tucson). Trains leave from the depot at 350 Hoefden St. (tel. 210/223-3226). There is also daily service between San Antonio and Chicago via Austin, Dallas, Forth Worth, Little Rock, and St. Louis. Call tel. 800/USA-RAIL or log on to www.amtrak.com for current fares, schedules, and reservations.

By Bus

San Antonio's Greyhound station, 500 N. St. Mary's St. (tel. 210/270-5834), is located downtown about 2 blocks from the River Walk. This bustling station, which is open 24 hours, is within walking distance of a number of hotels, and many public streetcar and bus lines run nearby. Look for Greyhound's advance purchase specials, companion specials (if you book a full-fare ticket for either round-trip or one-way travel, a companion rides at half-price), and other promotional discounts. For all current price and schedule information, call tel. 800/231-2222 (tel. 800/345-3109 TTY; 800/752-4841 for assistance for customers with disabilities), or log on to www.greyhound.com.