Planning a trip to Tampa
Getting to Tampa
Tampa International Airport (tel. 813/870-8770), 5 miles northwest of downtown Tampa, is the major air gateway to this area (St. Petersburg–Clearwater International Airport has limited service). Most major and many no-frills airlines serve Tampa International. All of the major car rental companies have offices here, too.The SuperShuttle Express (tel. 800/258-3826) operates van services between the airport and hotels throughout the Tampa Bay area. Yellow Cab (tel. 813/253-0121) and United Taxi (tel. 727/777-7777) serve the airport. Minimum fare from the airport is $15 and the average fare to downtown Tampa is $25.
Amtrak trains arrive downtown at the Union Station, 601 Nebraska Ave. N. (tel. 800/872-7245).
In 2024, it was announced that the Brightline train was looking at adding a Tampa station somewhere along Interstate 4 to extend train service from Orlando to Tampa sometime in late 2026.
Getting Around Tampa
The public transportation situation has improved dramatically with its nostalgic and free TECO Line Street Car System (tel. 813/254-4278), a new but old-fashioned 2 and 1/3-mile streetcar system, complete with overhead power lines, that hauls passengers between downtown and Ybor City via Centennial Park, with 11 stops. The cars run every 15 minutes (every 12 minutes during peak hours Friday to Sunday from 1 to 9pm). It’s a fun way to explore the city, but most visitors will find they still need a car to see everything they wish to see.Visitor Information
Drop into Visit Tampa Bay, 201 N. Franklin St. (tel. 813/223-2752) for advice, maps and brochures. The Ybor City Visitor Information Center, 1600 E. 8th Ave. (in the Centro Ybor Complex), (tel. 813/241-8838; Mon–Sat 10am-4pm, Sun noon-4pm), also distributes info and has good exhibits on the area’s history.Getting Around
Like most other Florida destinations, it's all but impossible to see Tampa's sights and enjoy its best restaurants without a car. You can get around downtown via the In Town Trolley, which runs north-south between Harbor Island and the city's North Terminal bus station on Marion Street at I-275. The trolleys run every 10 minutes from 6am to 6pm Monday through Friday. Southbound, they follow Tampa Street between Tyler and Whiting streets, and Franklin Street between Whiting Street and Harbor Island. Northbound trolleys follow Florida Avenue from the St. Pete Times Forum to Cass Street. The trolleys cost 25¢ and are operated by the Hillsborough Area Regional Transit/HARTline (tel. 813/254-4278; www.hartline.org), the area's transportation authority, which also provides scheduled bus service ($1.75-$2.75) between downtown Tampa and the suburbs. Pick up a route map at the visitor center .
The transportation situation has gotten somewhat better, not to mention nostalgic, with the TECO Line Street Car System (tel. 813/254-HART [4278]; www.tecolinestreetcar.org), a new but old-fashioned 2 1/3-mile streetcar system, complete with overhead power lines, that hauls passengers between downtown and Ybor City via the St. Pete Times Forum, Channelside, Garrison Seaport, and the Florida Aquarium. The cars run every 30 minutes; one-way fares are $2.50, $1.25 seniors and children 17 and under. Check with the visitor center or call HARTline for schedules.
Taxis in Tampa don't normally cruise the streets for fares, but they do line up at public places, such as hotels, the performing arts center, and bus and train depots. If you need a taxi, call Tampa Bay Cab (tel. 813/251-5555), Yellow Cab (tel. 813/253-0121), or United Cab (tel. 813/253-2424). Fares are $2 at flag fall, plus $2.25 for each mile.
Getting There
Tampa International Airport (tel. 813/870-8770; www.tampaairport.com), 5 miles northwest of downtown Tampa, is the major air gateway to this area (St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport has limited service). Most major and many no-frills airlines serve Tampa International, including Air Canada, AirTran, American, America West, British Airways, Continental, Delta, JetBlue, Lufthansa, MetroJet, Midway, Midwest Airlines, Northwest, Southwest, Spirit, United, and US Airways.
Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, Hertz, National, and Thrifty all have rental-car operations here.
The Limo/SuperShuttle (tel. 800/282-6817 or 727/527-1111; www.supershuttle.com) operates van services between the airport and hotels throughout the Tampa Bay area. Fares for one person will range from $20 for a one-way trip to $40 to $60 round-trip, depending on your destination. Taxis are plentiful at the airport; the ride to downtown Tampa takes about 15 minutes and costs $15 to $25.
Amtrak trains arrive downtown at the Tampa Amtrak Station, 601 Nebraska Ave. N. (tel. 800/872-7245; www.amtrak.com).
