Getting Around, Madison Travel, Transport and Car Rental
(Madison, Wisconsin - WI, USA)
Getting to and from the city of Madison is made easy, thanks to its well-planned transport infrastructure and well-placed interstates and highways, such as the I-39 (north / south), the I-94 (east) and Highway US-151 (northeast).
Being located on the southern side of Wisconsin means that Madison, the state capital, is within comfortable driving distance of no less than three state borders - those of
Minnesota (northwest),
Iowa (west) and
Illinois (south). Many visitors choose to hire a car and travel to the famous Milwaukee Art Museum (MAM), on the eastern coast of Wisconsin, which is easy to reach by simply following Interstate I-94 for virtually the entire 90-minute journey.
Madison's extensive network of cycle trails should not be overlooked and those who like to get out and about on a bike can hire their bicycle at stores based on Lakeside Street, Main Street, Regent Street, State Street, University Avenue, Washington Avenue and Williamson Street. Bus transport is also on hand, courtesy of the Metro Transit System, while high-speed trains are perfect for longer distances, connecting destinations such as
Chicago, Illinois, roughly 150 miles / 241 km to the southeast.
Dane County Regional Airport (MSN) / Arriving by Air
Address: 4000 International Lane, Madison, Wisconsin (WI), 53704, USA
Tel: +1 608 246 3380
Situated on the northeastern side of the city, the Dane County Regional Airport is just 6 miles / 10 km from downtown Madison and can be reached by following Gorham Street, which becomes East Johnson Street, Pennsylvania Avenue and Parkers Avenue. Close to two million passengers travel through this airport each year, onboard airlines such as American Connection, American Eagle, Delta Air Lines, Delta Connection, Frontier Airlines and United Express.
Ground transportation at Dane County's airport includes taxis (Badger Cabs, Green Cabs, Madison Taxis and Union Cabs), all of which are available on the northern side of the luggage reclaim area, at door no. 7. Public buses, operated by the Madison Metro Transit System, are on hand and travel along Route 20, between North Transfer Point and the East Towne Mall. During the week, these buses travel twice-hourly by day, and hourly by night and at the weekend, stopping off at the campuses of the Madison Area Technical College (MATC) and the University of Wisconsin.
Courtesy shuttle buses travel to the main hotels, such as the Baymont Inn, Best Western, Candlewood, Clarion, Comfort Inn, Courtyard, Crowne Plaza, Doubletree, Edgewater, Fairfield Inn, Hampton Inn, Hilton, Holiday Inn, Howard Johnson, Hyatt, LaQuinta, Marriott, Quality Inn, Radisson, Sheraton and Staybridge. Alternatively, car rental transport is on hand in the form of Alamo, Avis, Budget, Enterprise, Hertz and National.
Car Rental
A rental car is a popular mode of transport chosen by many a visitor to Madison, although do bear in mind that parking around the narrow isthmus forming the city center is on the scarce side. There is plenty of metered street parking outside of downtown Madison and a few spaces for the general public at the University of Wisconsin.
Hiring yourself a rental car is perfect if you like to get out and about at entirely your own pace, without the need to follow a public transport timetable or wait for a taxi to arrive.
Buses
Tel: +1 608 266 4466
The buses laid on by the Madison Metro Transit System allow you to reach the majority of the city center, although as you travel a little further from downtown Madison, you will notice that the number of bus routes available reduce. However, as long as you have a bus timetable with you, public transport will certainly prove to be an economic way to reach your chosen attraction. For longer distances, Greyhound buses and a Megabus service are available, while the Badger Bus provides a direct route to
Milwaukee.
Trains
The closest Amtrak train station is situated in nearby Columbus, approximately 27 miles / 43 km to the northeast of downtown Madison. Highway US-151 connects this station, where rail transport travels along the Empire Builder line, to destinations such as Milwaukee, Glenview and Chicago. The return journey heads all the way to
Seattle and
Portland, to the very distant west.
Taxis
A taxi cab is a useful means of transport if you are in a hurry or just need to travel a short distance. Otherwise, the fare can prove to be expensive for longer routes, unless you are able to share this charge with other potential passengers. Taxis generally require a little advance notice and so you should either book ahead or phone a good 15 minutes before you need to leave. Occasionally, you may be able to hail a taxi from the street, if you are fortunate, but this is not common practice.
- Badger Cab Company - tel: +1 608 256 5566
- Green Cab - tel: +1 608 255 1234
- Madison Taxi - tel: +1 608 257 8294
- Union Cab - tel: +1 608 242 2000
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