Getting Around, Carson City Travel, Transport and Car Rental

(Carson City, Nevada - NV, USA)



Exploring the city's center and West Side is easy to do on foot, although public transport is never far from hand if you are looking to travel outside of downtown Carson City. Sightseers should consider following the Kit Carson Trail, where blue lines lead you along the sidewalk and connect various attractions and sights of a historical nature.

January and February can be chilly months, so if you are out and about on the sidewalks at this time of the year, be sure to wrap up well. The summer months couldn't be more different and on the sunniest of days, temperatures soar to over 31°C / 88°F. Therefore, if you've chosen a rental car as your mode of transport, be sure that it comes with air conditioning as standard. Highway US-395 (Carson Street) is the main thoroughfare, while Interstate I-580 (North-South Freeway) heads northwards to Reno and Sparks.

A public transit service (Jump Around Carson) and plentiful taxis serve as your easiest way to travel around Carson City itself. Travelers should be aware that there have not been any passenger trains since the middle of the 20th-century, following the closure of the Virginia and Truckee Railroad.


Reno-Tahoe International Airport (RNO) / Arriving by Air

Address: 2001 East Plumb Lane, Reno, Nevada (NV), 89502, USA
Tel: +1 775 328 6400
The closest major international airport to Carson City is the busy Reno-Tahoe International Airport, which resides just under 30 miles / 48 km to the north, in Washoe County. This busy transport hub is easy to reach, since it is connected by Interstate I-580 (North-South Freeway / Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Highway) and the adjacent US-395 for virtually the entire 40-minute journey. As you travel from Reno to Carson City, you will pass by Huffaker Park, the Davis Creek Park and the Washoe Lake State Park.

This airport is Nevada's second-busiest, after only the McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas. Each year around five million passengers fly in and out of Reno, served by airlines such as Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, American Eagle, Delta Connection, United Express and US Airways. The ground transport on offer at the airport is certainly extensive and comes in the form of buses and shuttles, taxis and limos, and a choice of car rental companies (including Advantage, Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise and Thrifty).

It may be worth noting that Carson City does actually have its own very small regional airport, although there are not currently any regular services provided by airlines.

Reno-Tahoe Airports Guide

Car Rental

With good highway connections in all directions, Carson City has more than reasonable road transport links to outlying attractions if you have your own set of wheels or have chosen to hire a car at Reno's airport. Since the attractions of Reno, Sparks, Tahoe City and Lake Tahoe are so nearby, being able to drive yourself around, at your own pace, will certainly make planning day trips all the more easy. It is even quite possible to drive all the way to California, with Sacramento being found approximately three hours to the west, via Highway US-50 through the El Dorado National Forest.

In downtown Carson City, Highway US-50 is named Williams Street, before becoming the Lincoln Highway to the east. To the north, the College Parkway loops around the eastern side of the city, joining Fairview Drive, while to the west, Carson Street (North and South) is the main thoroughfare and bisects the city center. Of note, the western side of the city is simply referred to as the West Side and comprises a network of small streets and neighborhoods.

Parking lots are available in downtown Carson City, although it does make sense to check if you are able to park at your hotel before booking a room.

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Buses

Tel: +1 775 348 7433
Carson City offers a choice of bus transport, which connects most destinations around the city center and its neighboring suburbs. The Intercity bus service is run by the Washoe County Regional Transport Commission (RTC) each morning and afternoon, Monday to Friday, being popular with local commuters and traveling between Reno, the Meadowood Mall, Transfer Center, Walmart on the Damonte Ranch Parkway, North Carson Street and the city's principal bus station (the Department of Transportation), located on Little Lane / Oregon Street.

Further bus transport is provided in Carson City by JAC, which stands for Jump Around Carson. Scheduled buses travel between Monday and Saturday, along three individual routes, and conveniently link the DART transit network in Douglas County.

Taxis

If you are just staying in Carson City for a day or two, then you may well favor taxis as your most convenient transport option, particularly if you are in a hurry and just need to travel relatively short distances. However, taxis are also a fairly affordable option for longer journeys when the cost is shared between other passengers and fixed-rate taxis can be arranged to collect you when flying into the Reno-Tahoe Airport. The main firms currently serving the state capital of Carson City include: