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| Home > City Guide - Miami - Getting Around | ||
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Getting Around Public Transport Getting around Miami can be difficult, mainly due to the sheer size of the city. Nevertheless, there are a variety of useful transport options provided by the Miami-Dade Transit Department (tel: (305) 770 3131; fax: (305) 654 6583; e-mail: transit@miamidade.gov; website: www.co.miami-dade.fl.us/transit). At 34km (21 miles), the Metrorail (tel: (305) 770 3131) is the longest elevated rapid transit system in America. It runs from Kendall northwards through South Miami, Coral Gables, downtown Miami and then northwest to the Hialeah district. There are 21 stations – each about a mile apart – and the entire journey takes 42 minutes. Trains run 0500-2400 approximately every 15-20 minutes, every six minutes at peak times and every 30 minutes after 2000. Fares are US$1.25 each way – exact change only is placed in the slot at the entrance turnstiles). The trains connect to the Metrobus and Tri-Rail. Transfer to the Metromover (tel: (305) 770 3131), at the Government Center station or Brickell station, is free. Metrobus (tel: (305) 638 6700, for travel info) operates a comprehensive bus service with 82 routes running 0400-0213 Monday-Friday (with extended hours at weekends). Blue and green bus-stop signs list the routes and destinations. Fares are US$1.25 each way – exact change only is handed to the driver upon boarding. A transfer from bus to bus, or from bus to Metrorail, costs US$0.25. The Electrowave (tel: (305) 535 9160), South Beach’s electric shuttle bus service, provides transportation up and down Washington Avenue (between 16th Street and South Pointe Drive) and along Collins Avenue (between 16th Street and Dade Boulevard) every 12-15 minutes (0800-0200 on Monday-Wednesday, 0800-0400 on Thursday-Saturday and 1000-0200 on Sunday) for just US$0.25 – tickets are purchased on board. It stops at 38 designated stops in the Art Deco District. Downtown Miami is served by the futuristic, driverless Metromover, an elevated, three-loop, fully automated monorail people-mover. This links major business, entertainment and cultural centres, hotels, shopping malls, government buildings and the Brickell financial district and also connects with the Metrorail and Metrobus. It operates every three minutes daily, every 90 seconds during rush hour, 0530-2200, with the Downtown Inner Loop continuing until 2400. The Metromover costs just US$0.25 – exact fare only is placed in the slot at the entrance turnstiles. It is safe, air-conditioned and it also provides unparalleled views of downtown Miami. A monthly Metropass, costing US$60, allows for unlimited travel on the Metrobus, Metrorail and Metromover. This pass is available for purchase from the Transit Information Centre on the second level of the Government Center Metrorail station and at designated outlets (listed on the website). Taxis and Water Taxis Taxis are plentiful but it is not the norm to hail one in the street. They are easily available from taxi stands or most hotels and shopping malls, although it is more common to telephone for one. Firms include Metro Taxi Co (tel: (305) 888 8888), Aventura Taxi (tel: (305) 599 9999), Coral Gables City Taxi (tel: (305) 444 4242) and South Dade Miami Taxi (tel: (305) 448 8888). All service providers offer flat-rate fares (including tolls but not tips) from Miami International Airport to some of the more popular destinations (see the Air section), otherwise visitors should expect to pay US$3 for the first mile and US$2 for each mile thereafter. A tip of 15-20% of the fare is usual and expected. The local waterways are served by a water taxi fleet, which operates two main routes (from Bayside Marketplace to the Fifth Street Marina at the southwestern end of south Beach or to the western end of Lincoln Road) 1000-2300 daily. Fares are US$7 one way, US$12 round trip and US$15 for an all-day pass. Limousines Dolphin Limousine Service Inc (tel: (305) 651 1641; website: www.dolphin-limo.com), Extreme Limousines (tel: (305) 262 7071; website: www.extremelimos.com) and Royal Limousines (tel: (305) 442 1414; website: www.royal-limousines.com) all cater for both business and leisure needs. Visitors should expect to pay around US$150-175 per hour (for a minimum of three hours) or US$170-190 per hour at weekends. Driving in the City Although, Miami’s network of roads is certainly sprawling, driving here is not as fraught as it may appear. Streets and Terraces usually run east–west, while Avenues, Places and Courts are aligned north–south (except in Coral Gables, Coconut Grove, Key Biscayne and Miami Beach). Highway interchanges can be very confusing, so visitors should be sure to read the signs carefully. Main routes include State Road 112 – which leads from Miami International Airport to the major north–south I-95 expressway and onto Miami Beach via the I-195 – and the Dolphin Expressway – the major east–west expressway connecting Florida’s Turnpike to State Road 826, I-95 and Miami Beach. Seven causeways link Miami and Miami Beach and, once there, the A1A (Collins Avenue) is the main thoroughfare running parallel to the coast. The orange ‘sun’ signs visible on selected highways identify official tourist routes – to Coral Gables, Coconut Grove, downtown Miami, Key Biscayne, Miami Beach and the Port of Miami, as well as to Fort Lauderdale, Orlando and Key West. Visitors should note that the practice of cruising along Ocean Drive in South Beach has been illegal for several years, not that it seems to deter posers in their Cadillacs or on their Harley Davidsons. There is plenty of metered parking available in Miami. Visitors should check displayed information for rates and hours of operation. The average rate for parking is approximately US$1 per hour. The fine for an expired meter is US$18 (US$45 if not paid within 30 calendar days). Further information on locations of car parks, hours and rates is available from the Miami Parking System, 190 Northeast Third Street, in downtown Miami (tel: (305) 358 7312). Car Hire Hiring a car is relatively cheap and straightforward. However, drivers must be over 25 years old and possess a valid national driving licence and a credit card to pay a deposit. When arranging car hire, visitors should ask for an all-inclusive rate. This should include all taxes, airport fees and car handling fees. CWD (also known as LDW), which makes the rental company responsible for damage to the car, rather than the driver, and SLI (supplementary liability insurance), also sometimes called top-up liability insurance or EP (extended protection), increases third-party liability cover from Florida’s standard US$20,000 to US$1 million. All visitors should have personal accident insurance (PAI) as part of their standard travel insurance. All-inclusive rates may also include a tank of petrol and additional drivers (otherwise around US$5 per driver). There is usually an extra charge for child seats (US$3-5 per day). Major providers include Alamo, 3355 Northwest 22nd Street (tel: (305) 633 4132; website: www.goalamo.com), Avis, 17760 Collins Avenue (tel: (305) 932 2350; website: www.avis.com), Budget, 3901 Northwest 28th Street (tel: (305) 871 3053; website: www.drivebudget.com), Biscayne, 4801 Northwest 36th Street (tel: (305) 888 0721), Hertz, 3795 Northwest 21st Street (tel: (305) 871 0300; website: www.hertz.com), Interamerican, 1789 Northwest Le Jeune Road (tel: (305) 871 3030; website: www.interamerciancarrental.com) and Thrifty, 2875 Northwest 42nd Avenue (tel: (305) 871 5050; website: www.thrifty.com). It is worth shopping around for the best rates. These vary considerably, from a minimum of around US$150 per week or US$30 per day. Free one-way drop-offs are normally possibly within Florida, although rarely with the cheapest cars. Bicycle Hire There are no hills in Miami so bicycle rental is a cheap and easy way to explore a district. Most rental outlets are in Miami Beach, including the Miami Beach Bicycle Center, 601 Fifth Street (tel: (305) 674 0150). Rates are approximately around US$20 per day and visitors should ask for a sturdy U-type lock, as bicycle theft is common. |
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