By Plane

Most major U.S. airlines fly to both Phoenix/Scottsdale’s Skyharbor and Tucson International. Phoenix is the more centrally located of the two airports and is about 2 hours closer to the Grand Canyon South Rim. If a trip to the Grand Canyon is your only reason for visiting Arizona, also consider flying into Las Vegas; it’s a half-hour farther away but sometimes has lower airfares and better car-rental rates.

By Car

Arizona is bordered on the west by California and Nevada, on the north by Utah, on the east by New Mexico, and on the south by Mexico. I-10, which passes east-west through the state, runs from Los Angeles all the way to Jacksonville, Florida; both Phoenix and Tucson are directly on I-10, about 2 hours apart. I-40 also runs east-west across the state, just south of the Grand Canyon, connecting to Albuquerque and to Los Angeles (via I-15). I-8 leads west from Casa Grande, halfway between Phoenix and Tucson, to San Diego. There are two short north-south interstates in Arizona: I-17 links Flagstaff with Phoenix, about a 2 1/2-hour drive (add another 1 1/2 hours to get to the Grand Canyon), and I-19 runs south from Tucson to Nogales, on the Mexican border, about a 1-hour drive.

By Train

Amtrak (www.amtrak.com; tel. 800/872-7245) runs two trains through the state but neither stops in Phoenix. The Sunset Limited runs through Tucson on its route between Los Angeles and New Orleans, stopping also in San Antonio and Houston, Texas. The trip from Los Angeles to Tucson takes 10 hours and starts at $61. The Southwest Chief stops in Flagstaff and some smaller northern Arizona cities on its way from L.A. to Chicago.

By Bus

Greyhound (www.greyhound.com; tel. 800/321-2222) and Trailways (www.trailways.com; tel. 877/467-3346) serve several cities in Arizona. One Greyhound line runs across I-40 through Flagstaff, another from Flagstaff through Phoenix and Tucson to Nogales. You can easily get from Phoenix to L.A. or San Diego; Phoenix–L.A. fares start as low as $22.

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.