Planning a trip to Albuquerque
Arriving
Albuquerque is the transportation hub for New Mexico, so getting in and out of town is easy.
By Plane -- The Albuquerque International Sunport (tel. 505/842-4366; www.cabq.gov/airport) is in the south-central part of the city, between I-25 on the west and Kirtland Air Force Base on the east, just south of Gibson Boulevard. Sleek and efficient, the airport is served by most national airlines and two local ones.
Most hotels have courtesy vans to meet their guests and take them to their respective destinations. In addition, Airport Shuttle of Albuquerque (tel. 505/765-1234; www.airportshuttleabq.com) runs services to and from city hotels. ABQ Ride (tel. 505/243-7433; www.cabq.gov/transit/index.html), Albuquerque's public bus system, also makes airport stops. There is efficient taxi service to and from the airport, and there are numerous car-rental agencies.
By Train -- Amtrak's "Southwest Chief" arrives and departs daily to and from Los Angeles and Chicago. The station is at the Alvarado Transportation Center, 300 Second St. SW (at the corner of Lead and Second; tel. 800/USA-RAIL [872-7245] or 505/842-9650; www.amtrak.com).
By Bus -- Greyhound/Trailways (tel. 800/231-2222; www.greyhound.com) and TNM&O (tel. 505/243-4435; www.tnmo.com) arrive and depart from the Alvarado Transportation Center, 300 Second St. SW (at the corner of Lead and Second).
By Car -- If you're driving, you'll probably arrive via either the east-west I-40 or the north-south I-25. Exits are well marked.
Visitor Information
The main office of the Albuquerque Convention and Visitors Bureau is at 20 First Plaza NW (tel. 800/284-2282 or 505/842-9918; www.itsatrip.org). It's open Monday to Friday 8am to 5pm. There are information centers at the airport, on the lower level at the bottom of the escalator, open daily 9:30am to 8pm; and in Old Town at 303 Romero St. NW (Ste. 107), open daily 10am to 5pm. Tape-recorded information about current local events is available from the bureau after 5pm weekdays and all day Saturday and Sunday. Call tel. 800/284-2282.
City Layout
The city's sprawl takes awhile to get used to. A visitor's first impression is of a grid of arteries lined with shopping malls and fast-food eateries, with residences tucked behind on side streets.
If you look at a map of Albuquerque, you'll notice that it lies at the crossroads of I-25 north-south and I-40 east-west. Focus your attention on the southwest quadrant: Here, you'll find both downtown Albuquerque and Old Town, site of many tourist attractions. Lomas Boulevard and Central Avenue, the old Rte. 66 (US 66), flank downtown on the north and south. They come together 2 miles west of downtown near Old Town Plaza, the historical and spiritual heart of the city. Lomas and Central continue east across I-25, staying about half a mile apart as they pass by the University of New Mexico and the New Mexico State Fairgrounds. The airport is directly south of the UNM campus, about 3 miles via Yale Boulevard. Kirtland Air Force Base -- site of Sandia National Laboratories -- is an equal distance south of the fairgrounds, on Louisiana Boulevard.
Roughly paralleling I-40 to the north is Menaul Boulevard, the focus of midtown and uptown shopping, as well as the hotel districts. As Albuquerque expands northward, the Journal Center business park area, about 4 1/2 miles north of the freeway interchange, is expanding. Near there is home to the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta and the new Balloon Museum. East of Eubank Boulevard lie the Sandia Foothills, where the alluvial plain slants a bit more steeply toward the mountains.
When looking for an address, it is helpful to know that Central Avenue divides the city into north and south, and the railroad tracks -- which run just east of First Street downtown -- comprise the dividing line between east and west. Street names are followed by a directional: NE, NW, SE, or SW.
Maps -- The most comprehensive Albuquerque street map is distributed by the Convention and Visitors Bureau, 20 First Plaza NW (tel. 800/284-2282 or 505/842-9918).
Getting Around
Albuquerque is easy to get around, thanks to its wide thoroughfares and grid layout, combined with its efficient transportation systems.
By Public Transportation -- ABQ Ride (tel. 505/243-7433) cloaks the arterials with its city bus network. Call for information on routes and fares.
By Taxi -- Yellow Cab (tel. 505/247-8888) serves the city and surrounding area 24 hours a day.
By Car -- The Yellow Pages list more than 30 car-rental agencies in Albuquerque. Among them are the following well-known national firms: Alamo, 3400 University Blvd. SE (tel. 505/842-4057; www.alamo.com); Avis, at the airport (tel. 505/842-4080; www.avis.com); Budget, at the airport (tel. 505/247-3443; www.budget.com); Dollar, at the airport (tel. 505/842-4224; www.dollar.com); Hertz, at the airport (tel. 505/842-4235; www.hertz.com); Rent-A-Wreck, 2039 Yale Blvd SE (tel. 505/232-7552; www.rentawreck.com/nm.htm); and Thrifty, 2039 Yale Blvd. SE (tel. 505/842-8733; www.thrifty.com). Those not located at the airport itself are close by and can provide rapid airport pickup and delivery service.
Parking is generally not difficult in Albuquerque. Meters operate weekdays 8am to 6pm and are not monitored at other times. Only the large downtown hotels charge for parking. Traffic is a problem only at certain hours. Avoid I-25 and I-40 at the center of town around 8am and 5pm.
Fast Facts
Area Code -- In 2007 New Mexico added a new area code. The northwestern section, including Santa Fe and Albuquerque, retained the 505 code, while the rest of the state changed to 575.
ATMs -- You can find ATMs all over town, at supermarkets, banks, and drive-throughs.
Business Hours -- Offices and stores are generally open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, with many stores also open Friday night, Saturday, and Sunday in the summer season. Most banks are also open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. Some may be open Saturday morning. Most branches have ATMs available 24 hours. Call establishments for specific hours.
Currency Exchange -- Foreign currency can be exchanged at any of the branches of Bank of America (its main office is at 303 Roma NW; tel. 505/282-2450).
Dentists -- Call the Albuquerque District Dental Society, at tel. 505/237-1412, for emergency service.
Doctors -- Call the Greater Albuquerque Medical Association, at tel. 505/821-4583, for information.
Emergencies -- For police, fire, or ambulance, dial tel. 911.
Hospitals -- The major hospital facilities are Presbyterian Hospital, 1100 Central Ave. SE (tel. 505/841-1234, or 505/841-1111 for emergency services), and University of New Mexico Hospital, 2211 Lomas Blvd. NE (tel. 505/272-2111, or 505/272-2411 for emergency services).
Hot Lines -- The following hot lines are available in Albuquerque: rape crisis (tel. 505/266-7711), poison control (tel. 800/432-6866), suicide (tel. 505/247-1121), and Psychiatric Emergency Services (tel. 505/272-2920).
Internet Access -- Fedex Kinko's provides high-speed Internet access at five locations throughout the city. Two convenient ones are 6220 San Mateo Blvd. NE at Academy Boulevard (tel. 505/821-2222) and 2706 Central Ave. SE at Princeton Boulevard (tel. 505/255-9673).
Library -- The Albuquerque/Bernalillo County Public Library's main branch is at 501 Copper Ave. NW, between Fifth and Sixth streets (tel. 505/768-5140). You can find the locations of the 17 other library facilities in the area by checking online at www.cabq.gov/library.
Liquor Laws -- The legal drinking age is 21 throughout New Mexico. Bars may remain open until 2am Monday to Saturday and until midnight on Sunday. Wine, beer, and spirits are sold at licensed supermarkets and liquor stores. It is illegal to transport liquor through most Native American reservations.
Lost Property -- Contact the city police at tel. 505/768-2229 or 505/768-2278.
Newspapers & Magazines -- The daily newspaper is the Albuquerque Journal (tel. 505/823-7777; www.abqjournal.com). You can pick up the Alibi (tel. 505/346-0660; www.alibi.com), Albuquerque's alternative weekly, for free at newsstands all over town, especially around the University of New Mexico. It offers entertainment listings and alternative views on a variety of subjects.
Pharmacies -- Walgreens (www.walgreens.com) has many locations throughout Albuquerque. To find one near you, call tel. 800/WALGREENS (925-4733). Two centrally located ones that are open 24 hours are 8011 Harper Dr. NE at Wyoming Boulevard (tel. 505/858-3134) and 5001 Montgomery Blvd. NE at San Mateo (tel. 505/881-5210).
Police -- For emergencies, call tel. 911. For other business, contact the Albuquerque City Police (tel. 505/242-COPS [2677]) or the New Mexico State Police (tel. 505/841-9256).
Post Offices -- To find the nearest U.S. Post Office, dial tel. 800/275-8777. The service will ask for your zip code and give you the closest post office address and hours.
Radio -- The local AM station KKOB (770) broadcasts news and events. FM band stations include KUNM (89.9), the University of New Mexico station, which broadcasts Public Radio programming and a variety of music; KPEK (100.3), which plays adult contemporary music; and KHFM (95.5), which broadcasts classical music.
Taxes -- In Albuquerque, the sales tax is 6.875%. An additional hotel tax of 6% will be added to your bill.
Television -- There are five Albuquerque network affiliates: KOB-TV (Channel 4, NBC), KOAT-TV (Channel 7, ABC), KQRE-TV (Channel 13, CBS), KASA-TV (Channel 2, FOX), and KNME-TV (Channel 5, PBS).
Time -- As is true throughout New Mexico, Albuquerque is on Mountain Standard Time. It's 2 hours earlier than New York, 1 hour earlier than Chicago, and 1 hour later than Los Angeles. Daylight saving time is in effect from mid-March to early November.
Transit Information -- ABQ Ride is the public bus system. Call tel. 505/243-7433 for schedules and information.
Useful Telephone Numbers -- For road information, call tel. 800/432-4269 and for emergency road service (AAA), call tel. 505/291-6600.
Weather -- For time and temperature, call tel. 505/821-1111. To get weather forecasts on the Internet, check www.accuweather.com and use the Albuquerque zip code, 87104.
