Local Travel Info
Internal Flights and Major International Airports
The good news for Florida is more than 110 non-stop flights can whisk you out of Miami International Airport to international destinations. Miami offers 10 non-stop flights to Europe with 19 one-stop direct flights to cities in Florida, the continental US, Latin America and Europe. Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood services 70 US airports daily and 38 international destinations with non-stop flights. Other international airports include:- Tampa International, Jacksonville International, West Palm Beach International and Orlando International and St. Petersburg-Clearwater International.
Getting To and From the airport
Miami International Airport
One of Florida’s main airports Miami International is well connected by numerous services offered by Miami-Dade Transit Department – this include scheduled local city bus service (bus station is on Level 1 of Concourse E); a mass metro rail service; a fixed rail system for downtown Miami and Brickell and TriRail commuter train for Broward and Palm Beach counties. Taxis and shuttles are available from the Arrivals Level outside the Baggage Claims areas. Wheelchair accessible taxis and shuttles are available on request.
Travel cost by taxi to the city centre is about US$22 and US$8 by shuttle (estimate is per person as fare may vary according to additional passengers).
West Palm Beach International
Florida’s West Palm Beach International is located 6km (4 miles) from Palm Beach. The public bus service connects various points across West Palm Beach departing from Level 1. TriRail runs trains to Miami. Supershuttle provides door-to-door services but must be booked in advance. Many hotels will provide transport for guests. Taxis are readily available as well.
Orlando International Airport
Florida’s public transport facilities can be found on the Ground Transportation Concourse on Level 1 of Terminal 1. Lynx buses numbers 11, 41 and 51 depart every 30 minutes between 5:30am and 11:30pm, for downtown Orlando, the trip taking 40 minutes and travel costs is $1.50. Taxis are available on Level 1 on both sides of the Main terminal and may carry up to 9 passengers with metered rates.
Fort Lauderdale – Hollywood International
Florida’s Fort Lauderdale-Hollywoord International is served by 24 airlines including Air Canada, Air Jamaica, Continental, Delta, TWA and United. The airport is 40 km (25 miles) north of Miami and 8km (5miles) from the beaches of Fort Lauderdale. Shared shuttle vans can be booked at the transporattion desk located in each terminal. They offer a door-to-door service from the airport to most local destinations. Local bus services and Tri-Rail feeder buses operate from bus stops outside of the terminal buildings. A train service connects the airport with Miami International. Yellow cabs are available 24 hours a day from the lower levels of each terminal and the cost will be about $70 to the city centre for up to five people sharing.
Jacksonville International Airport
Florida’s Jacksonville International Airport is 20 minutes from the city centre. All ground transportation services from the airport including car rentals, taxis, limos, are all located on the lower level of the terminal building adjacent to the baggage claim. Some hotels offer pick up services and shuttle vans doing a door-to-door service to nearby destinations – if possible, booking should be done in advance. AMTRAK and Greyhound buses serve the city well. The local bus service Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA) is available seven days a week to 50 routes and also include an Automated Skyway Express, a monorail system serving the city centre.
Tampa International Airport
Florida’s Tampa International Airport has been rated the nation’s best for the past 10 years by the International Passenger Traffic Association. Tampa International is serviced by major airlines such as British Airways, Air Canada, American, Continental, Delta, US Airways, Northwest, Southwest and others. Public transport to and from Tampa is operated by Hillsborough Area Regional Trnasit (HART). For coaches and charter buses, the passenger pick and drop-off points are located in the bus spaces of the Commercial Ground Transportation Quadrants. Limos, taxis, car-hire and point-to-point shuttles are also available with AMTRAK trains stoppping at the station on Nebraska Avenue. A Thruway bus service operates from this station and HART bus services make getting around the city and nearby sights and attraction relatively easy. Taxis cost as little as $20 to the city.
St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport
Florida’s St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport offers a variety of affordable ground transportation services including taxis & shuttles, on-site car rentals and some nearby hotels offering door-to-door shuttle services. Yellow Cabs, Yellow Shuttle, United Cab, Metro Cars, Super Shuttle and Clearwater Greyhound is available fr0m the airport. Yellow Cab rates are $2.45 first ¼ mile and $0.50 each additional ¼ mile.
Travel Cost
By Local Bus
Travel cost in Florida from most airports varies according to the distance travelled. By including these four different modes of ground transpotation. From Miami International Airport by local bus - Mon-Fri only every 30-60 mins 0626-1905. Cost: $2 per trip. Travel Time - To Miami Springs 14 mins, to MDC Wolfson Campus 46 mins. By Taxi – costs to the airport area $10-14. To Downtown Miami $24/15-20 mins. To the Seaport/Cruise ship terminal $24. To South Beach $32/20-40 mins. To Bal Harbor, Surfside & Indian Creek Village flat rate $43. To North Miami Beach (Aventura, Golden Beach & Sunny Isles) flat rate $37-52. To Key Biscayne flat rate $41. To Miami Springs $15. To Coral Gables $14-19. To South Hialeah $13. To North Hialeah $29. To Kendall $32-44. To Homestead $75-80. To Hallandale $58. To Fort Lauderdale $72-82. To Hollywood $63. To Port Everglades $77. Please note - A fuel surcharge of $1 has now been added to all fares. This is in addition to the fares shown above.
By Long Distance Bus
Shuttles leave Miami Airport heading for the Keys daily at 1100, 1300, 1500, 1700, 1900 & 2100. To Key Largo $60 adult one way/1 hour 15, Marathon $60/2 hrs 30 & Key West $80/3 hrs 45.
By Train:
TriRail to Fort Lauderdale & West Palm Beach - Cost: $2 - $9.25 depending on distance traveled. Other trains schedules and prices are included in the travel for the respective cities in Florida.
Super Shuttle
In Florida, prices are different for hotels and residences. Extra people going to the same address in the same party cost less. The following prices include the $1 fuel surcharge. To Airport Area Hotels $9-11 (extra person $8), To Downtown Miami $15 (hotel)/$17 (residence)/$8 (extra person). To Coconut Grove $15/$18/9. To Key Biscayne $23/$23/$11. To Seaport/Cruise ship terminal $15 per person. To North Miami $16/$19/$9. To South Miami Beach $20/$20/$9. To North Miami Beach & Bal Harbor $21/$21/$11. To Sunny Isles $26 (residences)/$11 (extra person). To Coral Gables $13-18/$13-18/$9-11. To South Hialeah $11/$11/$9. To North Hialeah $19/$19/$11. Miami Springs $13/$13/9. To Doral Country Club Area $18/$18/$11. To Kendall $18-26/$18-26/$11-13. To Homestead $51/$41/$13. To Hallandale $25/$31/$13. To Fort Lauderdale $41/$36/$10 & Hollywood $26/$33/$13. To Port Everglades $31.
Florida by Rental Car
Car rental agents operate outside the terminal building of all the Florida airports and be easily reached on a shuttle service. Passengers arriving at Fort Lauderdale Terminal 1 should follow the sins to Concourse B Pedestrian Bridge. The other terminals have a shuttle bus service located outside the baggage area which will takes passengers to all the major car rental agents like Alamo, Hertz, Avis, Budget, Enterprise, National, Thrifty and Dollar. As a good example of prices – Budget offers a daily rate of $10.95 one-way weekday on a compact sedan; $10.95 for the intermediate; $12.95 for the standard; $14.95 for the full size; $16.95 for minivans; $15.95 for intemediate SUV; $16.95 standard SUV(5 passengers); $16.95 for convertible and $16.95 standard SUV (7 passengers). You can rent a rent a Mid-size car for $229.99/week when you rent for 5 days or more at one of the participating rental car locations in Florida. Offer available for pick up February 26th through May 16, 2009. 24 hour advanced reservations required.
To book car rental in Florida online, view our Car Hire section for Florida. We offer Ok Alpha users the latest special offers and best rates available for car hire in Florida. We advise you book your Florida hire car in advance so you can pick it up and drop it off directly at the airport.
Florida Drivers Licenses Requirements
The operator of a vehicle must possess a valid driver’s license and vehicle registration while driving. In Florida, automobile insurance is mandatory. Proof of insurance, registration and a driver’s license are requested from drivers anytime a police officer or state trooper performs a rountine traffic stop.
Rules for drivers in Florida
All drivers and passengers must use seat belts in a moving vehicle. Florida law requires all children under the age of 6 years old to ride in a federally approved child safety seat. The cost of violating this law is a $60 fine. And three points on your license. The speed limit in business and residential areas is 30MPH. The interstate limit is 70MPH and roads and highways are a 55MPH. Open containers of alcohol is strictly forbidden. The penalty for DUI is very severe in Florida. There are also fines or jail time for littering from your car.
Drivers may dial *FHP on Florida interstates and highways in an emergency to reach the Florida Highway Patrol (state police).Some interstate highways have tolls - The Florida Turnpike (Ocala to Homestead), Alligator Alley (1-75 between Miami and Naples), and the Bee Line Expressway (Orlando to Cape Canaveral) are examples. Many coastal islands have bridges at which a fare is also charged.
Buses in Florida
One of Florida’s main airports Miami International is well connected by numerous services offered by Miami-Dade Transit Department – this include scheduled local city bus service (bus station is on Level 1 of Concourse E); the public bus service connects various points across West Palm Beach from the airport departs from Level 1. Buses leaving Ground Transportation Concourse on Level 1 of Terminal 1 are the Lynx buses numbers 11, 41 and 51 departing every 30 minutes between 5:30am and 11:30pm, for downtown Orlando, the trip takes 40 minutes and travel costs is $1.50. From Fort Lauderdale the local bus services and the Tri-Rail feeder buses operate from bus stops outside of the terminal buildings. The Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA) is available seven days a week to 50 routes including an Automated Skyway Express, a monorail system serving the city centre.
Taxis in Florida
Taxis are available from the Arrivals Level outside the Baggage Claims areas of all the major airports. Yellow cabs are available 24 hours a day from the lower levels of each terminal and the cost will be about $40 - $70 to most city centres for up to five people sharing.
Cycling in Florida
Florida has more than 300 bicycle shops. Most shops are listed in Florida Bicycle Association Shop Directory. Bicycle rentals are available at some shops and resorts. Online “Yellow Pages” can be used to find shops. Bicycle lanes – 4ft shoulder pavements or wide outside lanes are present on approx. 2/3 of the centerline-miles of the state’s highway system that are open to bicycles. General protective gear such as helmets, gloves and possible rear-view mirror is recommended. Most shops will also loan secure locks for bikes in the event of theft.
Water Transport in Florida
The Tampa Water Shuttle offers transportation alternatives for inner Tampa Bay/Downtown Tampa servicing all the waterside hotels and nightspots as well as pickup at waterside homes on Davis Island, Harbour Island, and along Seddon Channel. The shuttle operates 7 day a week from 8am to 11pm and prices start from $8.00 to a round trip for $15.00 to an unlimited daily for $30.00 per person.
Hitch hiking in Florida
Hitchhiking is legal in Florida, as with all U.S. states, but hitchhikers are prohibited from entering the interstate highways. Hitchhikers should keep in mind that they may be hassled by cops more often in areas that have large elderly populations or wealthy residents, as these folks tend to call in any 'suspicious-looking' person they see in their area. Stick to major service junctions along the interstate highways (truck stops, rest areas, etc, on the edge of city limits) and you should do fine.
Warning! It is illegal to hitchhike anywhere along the Florida Keys scenic highway (US Highway 1), so make sure you have a through ride originating from the city of Homestead, south of Miami, if heading into the Keys. Credits: Portions of the Florida travel information are from Florida Travel Guide at wikitravel. See also Florida hitchhiking laws.
