Transportation

Tidbits for Travelers: New link to SEA and new dining and discounts at MSP

Air Travel, Airport shops, Food, Holidays, Openings, Restaurants, Shopping, Transportation, , , ,

Great news for travelers heading to or from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) this holiday season:  The Airport Station of Sound Transit’s Link light rail system  between downtown and the airport will open at 10 a.m. on December 19, 2009.

SEA LIGHT RAIL

That means that instead of getting shuttled by bus between the airport and a light rail stop a mile or so away, passengers can now hop on and off the light rail right at the airport.

Well…not right at the airport: the airport station is in the airport garage and passengers must walk about a quarter mile to the terminal.  But at $2.75 from downtown vs. a $25 or $30 cab ride, it’s a great deal.  So travelers will probably be skipping along that walkway and not even notice the distance.

SANTA fruit label

Also, just in time for holiday travel, there are two new food offerings in the Lindbergh Terminal at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP). There’s now an Arby’s in the main food court and, more impressive, on Concourse F there’s a spinoff of Ike’s Food & Cocktails, a downtown Minneapolis favorite that’s already a hit in airport with a white-tablecloth branch in the airport mall.

Even better: MSP’s Jingle, Jingle Savings Days Coupon Book has discounts for these new spots and dozens of other shops and restaurants throughout the airport. Get a copy here.

Get a downloadable guide to JFK’s AirTrain – in Chinese or Russian

Transportation,

It makes a city seem so civilized when there’s a fast, easy, inexpensive way to get to and from the airport.

The Port Authority of NY & NJ insists that the 24-hour AirTrain JFK puts JFK airport into that smart and classy category, even though taking the system is a tad complicated for an out-of-towner.

JFK AIRTRAIN

But it’s definitely worth it to give it a try. And to help you out, the Port Authority has put out a downloadable guide to what they call the  “fast, affordable, eco-friendly way to connect — directly from Kennedy International — with New York City Transit’s subways and buses and the Long Island Rail Road.”

The brochure includes details on how to use the service, the costs, available discounts, travel times, and a map of  the AirTrain system and of AirTrain JFK’s connections to rail transit in New York City and Long Island.  And it comes in English, Chinese (simplified and traditional), French, German, Italian, Japanese, Spanish, Korean and Russian.

Click here to download a PDF guide to the AirTrain JFK,   A ride in a NCY taxi can be far more scary and certainly way more expensive.

TAXICAB

What’s faster? A car or an airplane? Changi Airport to find out.

Transportation, , ,

Well, what is faster?  A car or an airplane?

No brainer, right?  Well, they’re going to test it out at Singapore Changi Airport.

To prep for the Changi GP Festival, on September 5th the airport is hosting the Changi Airport Race.

They’re billing it as the first-ever jetliner versus car race in Asia and it will pit a Porsche Carrera Cup race car against a Boeing 747 Jett8 aircraft.

Here’s a fast, fun promotional video for the contest:

Want to be there? Anyone who spends $30 (in one purchase) in the public areas of Terminals 1, 2 or 3 from now through August 23rd will be entered into a raffle to win one of 200 grandstand tickets. Another 500 people will win tickets to see the race live on a big screen in Terminal 3.

Sounds fun – and a little strange – but I’m curious to see what happens.

Shuttle-bus yoga coming to airport parking lots

Parking, Transportation

Everyone seems intent on helping travelers stay cool and calm this Thanksgiving season.

Some airports are rolling out entertainment programs. In others, travelers will be able to take advantage of free massages, snacks and other services. Now an off-site parking company is getting in on the stress-relief action.

On Nov 25th and 26th, travelers parking at many FastPark & Relax (or Airport Fast Park) locations will find yoga instructors on duty in the shuttle buses to the airport. Depending on the day, shuttle-bus yoga instruction will be available from 9 am to 11 am in Austin, Texas; Baltimore; Cincinnati; Cleveland; Houston; Miami; Milwaukee; Orlando; Raleigh, N.C. and Tucson, Ariz.

LAX FlyAway bus raises fares

Free Stuff, Transportation, Wi-Fi,

The last time I visited Los Angeles it cost close to $50 to take a (not very clean) cab ride from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to a downtown hotel.

The ride back to the airport on the clean, comfortable, and non-stop LAX FlyAway bus from Union Station cost just $4. There was even free entertainment, courtesy of a chatty seatmate on his way to a job interview.

Now comes word that, come Jan. 1, 2009, the rates on the LAX FlyAway bus service are going up:

The current $4 one-way fares will increase to $6 on the Union Station and Van Nuys routes and to $5 on the Westwood route. Discounts will available for seniors and people with disabilities. Kids under two still get to ride for free.

Despite the fare increases, these FlyAway buses are still a great deal. And, really, how much fun could it be to try to drive around Los Angeles in a rented car?

Maybe that’s why 1.3 million people used the express airport buses last year and why, as gas prices went up, ridership grew by about 30%.

Even better: The new buses serving the Westwood route are not only clean-fuel buses, they offer free Wi-Fi.

“Cheap” helicopter rides between JFK and Manhattan on Delta

Transportation, ,

I usually pass right over announcements about helicopter service from any city to any airport because the ticket prices seem so outrageous.

But today, perhaps because I’ve just written a column for USA TODAY about cheap excursions from airports, this notice caught my eye.

And while $45 is not cheap, an eight-minute helicopter ride between JFK airport and Manhattan can be a great thrill for not much more than a cab ride into the city. Although cab rides can have their own special, but different, thrills…

For a short time, economy class passengers flying on Delta Air Lines’ domestic flights to or from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport can take a helicopter between the airport and the city for $45. The regular fare is $159 and is complimentary year-round for eligible First class, Business Class or unrestricted Economy tickets. So $45 is a good deal for this service.

The reduced fare on US Helicopter is good for tickets purchased after Sept. 1 for travel through Oct. 31, 2008. The travel time is eight minutes between New York City Heliports in Midtown and Downtown Manhattan and JFK. Flights operate 27 times a day.

What to do on a layover at LAX

Transportation, ,

There’s an article in USA TODAY this morning about a Transportation Research Board report that found that:

“At many of the USA’s largest airports, more than 90% of passengers arrive or leave in taxis or private cars.”

One airport trying to change that is the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), which has a fast, popular and inexpensive ($4!) FlyAway bus service to and from Union Station, Westwood and Van Nuys.

For visitors, hopping on a FlyAway bus or one of the express city buses that serve the airport is a great way to visit popular LA-area destinations during a layover.

Here are two ideas listed in the airport’s recent newsletter:

Santa Monica: Features outdoor shopping, street performers, restaurants, and a small amusement park on the pier. Although other beaches may be closer to LAX, there is a “rapid” bus that goes quickly to Santa Monica with a minimum number of stops.

Sony Pictures Studios: Less than four miles north of LAX, Sony Pictures Studios offers two-hour walking tours on weekdays. Reservations are highly recommended. No children under age 12.

For more information on things to do while in Los Angeles, check out the official visitor information website .

Photo courtesy LAX

Cars, couriers, and fast cross-country plane rides

Shopping, Transportation, Well-Mannered Traveler, ,

Flying anywhere this holiday weekend? I volunteered to serve as a courier and will be heading to the Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport (YUL) to pick up Joplin, a retired service dog being adopted by a friend.

While I’m there, I may have just enough time on the ground to do a little shopping for maple products and local handicrafts in the airport shops.

In the meantime, I bet lots of folks will be spending this weekend complaining about the high price of gas. And I bet on Monday, like the people I talked to for this week’s Well Mannered Traveler column on MSNBC.com, some of them are going to do something about it.

Column illustration by MSNBC.com’s Duane Hoffman