Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport; credit Soul Of America
Phoenix Transportation
Airport
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) is one of the 10 busiest airports in America. Plenty of flights go to all points across North America. Hotel shuttles and Taxis are plentiful and cheap from PHX Airport to downtown Phoenix, only a few miles to the north.
Car Rentals: Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, Hertz, and National serve PHX, is just minutes east of downtown.
Train Station
Amtrak station at 401 South 4th Avenue, Maricopa, AZ, which is a Phoenix suburb.
Amtrak Sunset Limited is limited. The good news, if you can call it that, is that Amtrak plans to increase it to daily roundtrips in this corridor:
Sunset Limited: Los Angeles-Phoenix-El Paso-San Antonio-Houston-New Orleans
Rapid Transit
Valley Metro Light Rail is a 26-mile route that connects to the PHX Airport People Mover, major attractions downtown, east and north Phoenix, Tempe and Mesa. Cost is around $2 ride and day passes are available.
Phoenix is expanding the light rail system in all directions over the next 10 years. VALLEY METRO SYSTEM MAP
A free DASH bus circulates around downtown Phoenix every 6 to 10 minutes.
Freeways
Phoenix Freeway System is centered around downtown and PHX Airport. The 101 Freeway Loop links West Phoenix, Sun City, Glendale, North Phoenix, Scottsdale, Tempe and Chandler to divert traffic away from the overcrowded airport and downtown Phoenix. Car pool lanes and ramp metering help traffic flow a bit smoother on this well landscaped freeways.
Nevertheless, one should allow extra time to destinations along Interstate 10 and Interstate 17 freeways. There is always massive congestion during Rush Hour.