Getting Around, Montgomery Travel, Transport and Car Rental
(Montgomery, Alabama - AL, USA)
When considering your transport options, you will need to plan ahead a little and decide upon how far you are intending to travel during your time in Montgomery. Trolleys and buses are perfect for getting around the city, and if you are intending to explore more of Alabama, then air-conditioned coaches and hire cars are your best bets.
With Montgomery enjoying a well-placed setting in Alabama, on the southern side of the very heart of the state, renting a car makes a lot of sense if you wish to travel outside of the capital and explore the surrounding towns.
The Greyhound bus station on the West South Boulevard is open 24-hours a day and suits those looking for long-distance luxury coach transport to destinations such as
Atlanta (
GA),
Birmingham (
AL),
Chattanooga (
TN), Gainesville (GA), Meridian (MS) and
New Orleans (
LA).
Montgomery Airport (MGM) / Arriving by Air
Address: 4445 Selma Highway, Montgomery, Alabama (AL), 36108, USA
Tel: +1 334 281 5040
Montgomery Airport (Dannelly Field) may be rather on the small side, but it is extremely close to the city center. The facility is just under 9 miles / 14 km to the southwest and is best reached by taking Interstate I-65, joining the Selma Highway (US-80) at exit 167. Airlines servicing the airport include American Eagle, Delta Connection and US Airways, which between them travel to Atlanta,
Charlotte and
Dallas. Ground transportation options at Montgomery's airport include a comprehensive choice of car rental companies (Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, Hertz, National and Thrifty), as well as buses laid on by the Montgomery Area Transit System (MATS), hotel shuttles and taxis.
Of note, the Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport is by far the state's biggest air facility and is quite reachable from Montgomery, being some 95 miles / 153 km to the northwest, via the I-65.
Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport (BHM)
Address: 5900 Airport Highway, Birmingham, Alabama (AL), 35212, USA
Tel: +1 205 595 0533
Birmingham-Shuttleworth Airports Guide
Car Rental
There are two major thoroughfares that intersect Montgomery and provide fast transport connections for those who have opted to rent a car. Interstate I-85 heads northeastwards all the way to Atlanta (approximately three hours away), while the I-65 is a north to south highway, connecting Birmingham to the north and crossing over the state border into Tennessee. Drive southwestwards along the I-65 and you will reach the northwestern tip of the beautiful
Florida coastline.
Parking in downtown Montgomery is easy to come by and comes in the form of two garages on Molton Street and Monroe Street, along with inexpensive metered street parking.
Buses
Bus and trolley transport in the capital is run by the Montgomery Area Transit System (MATS). Close to 5,000 passengers travel on local buses each day, with popular stops including the Auburn University campus, the Cramton Bowl stadium, the EastChase Mall, the Intermodal Center, the Gibbs Village area, the Paterson Field baseball stadium and the Walmart supermarket.
Trains
Montgomery has featured good train connections to the rest of the state for many years, although its Amtrak service ended in the mid-1990s and its Victorian-style Union Station is now used for commercial purposes. The red-brick Union Station building is an especially grand structure and became a National Historic Landmark in the year 1976.
Taxis
Taxi transport in Montgomery is extremely popular when you need to just travel short distances, with pick-ups from your hotel door being simple to arrange by phone. Taxis to and from the airport offer fixed-rate fares, which are made all the more affordable if you are able to share your journey with other passengers. Local taxi cab companies include:
- Capital City Cab Company - tel: +1 334 625 1068
- Checker and Deluxe Inc. - tel: +1 334 241 0034
- Concierge Shuttle Service - tel: +1 334 538 6383
- Independent Taxis - tel: +1 334 395 0040
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