Getting Around, Riverside Travel and Transport

(Riverside, California - CA, USA)

For most travelers based in Riverside, there will be times when it is hard to travel around if you have not invested in a rental car to meet your personal transport needs, especially if you are planning multiple excursions around Southern California.

It is certainly worth noting that traffic congestion can often prove somewhat problematic and so it is sensible to time your travel outside of peak commuting hours, particularly if your route includes either Arlington Avenue or Magnolia Avenue.

Public bus transport is provided by the Riverside Transit Agency, Amtrak California, Greyhound and Megabus, which between them comfortably cover the Inland Empire region of South California (Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario Metropolitan Area), the distant San Joaquin Valley (including Fresno) and connecting states. An informal taxi rank is often in existence along Fairmount Avenue, conveniently sited close to a bus terminal.

LA Ontario International Airport (ONT) / Arriving by Air

Address: 1923 East Avion Street / East Airport Drive, Ontario, California (CA), 91761, USA
Tel: +1 909 937 2700
The LA Ontario International Airport sits near downtown Riverside, being a little over 15 miles / 24 km away and to the northwest, where it lies close to both the Ontario Motor Speedway Park and the Cucamonga Guasti Regional Park. This public airport boasts annual passenger figures of more than six million and is called home by many well-known airlines, such as Aeromexico, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta, Southwest, United Airlines, United Express and US Airways.

Ground transport available at Ontario's airports comes in the form of charter buses, car rental, courtesy shuttles and taxi cabs, which between them offer a variety of competitively priced travel options for those headed to Riverside. There are also a number of South California Bus providers based onsite, including the Antelope Valley Transit Authority, Foothill Transit, the Morongo Basin Transit Authority, the Mountain Area Regional Transit Authority, the North San Diego County Transit District, the Orange County Transportation Authority, the Palo Verde Valley Transit Authority, the Riverside Transit Agency and the Victor Valley Transit Authority.

Car Rental

Running through the city, the Riverside Freeway (US-91) links destinations such as San Bernardino to the northeast and Corona to the southwest. Those with a hire car who are intending to travel southwards, all the way to San Diego, can simply follow Interstate I-215 (Escondido Freeway) before joining the I-15.

Buses

A popular downtown public transit service is available in the city on Vine Street, where it is provided by the Riverside Transit Agency (RTA) and based at two stations - located within the downtown district and also next to the Galleria at Tyler shopping center. These city buses regularly transport passengers and commuters along 15 main routes, being accompanied by further trolley buses. However, most buses finish at 20:00 or thereabouts, meaning that if you have to travel late at night, you will need to rely upon taxis for the journey back to your hotel.

Trains

The city is home to an important Metrolink transport hub, where commuter trains travel around the Orange County Monday to Sunday, between Oceanside and San Bernardino. These trains connect many leading destinations as they head along this scenic route, stopping off at San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano, Irvine, Tustin, Santa Ana, Orange, Anaheim and Corona. An additional Metrolink railway station lies on the southwestern side of the city, conveniently situated just off the Riverside Freeway (US-91), exit 55B.

Amtrak trains are also on hand and regularly travel to and from Riverside's downtown railway station, stopping here as part of their lengthy Los Angeles to Chicago route.

Taxis

Should you wish to book a taxi, popular choices include Inland Empire Taxis (operated by Express Transportation Systems - tel: +1 951 369 3581) or 1800 Taxi Cabs (tel: +1 800 829 4222 or +1 951 400 5009).