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| City Guide - Miami - Getting Around | ||
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Getting Around Public Transport Getting around Miami can be difficult, mainly because of the sheer size of the city. Nevertheless, there are a variety of useful transport options provided by the Miami-Dade Transit Agency (tel: (305) 770 3131; fax: (305) 884 7551; e-mail: mdtais@metro-dade.com; web site: www.co.miami-dade.fl.us/mdta/). At 34km (21 miles), the Metrorail is the longest elevated rapid transit system in America. It runs from Kendall northwards through South Miami, Coral Gables, downtown Miami and then north-west to Hialeah district and the entire journey takes 42 minutes. Trains run 0600-2400 approximately every 20 minutes (every five minutes at peak times). Fares are US$1.25 each way (exact change only, placed in the slot at the entrance turnstiles). The trains connect to the Metrobus and Tri-Rail. Transfer to the Metromover (at the Government Center Station or Brickell Station) is free. Metrobus (tel: (305) 638 6700, travel info) operates a comprehensive bus service with 63 routes running 0400-0213 Monday-Friday (with extended hours at weekends). Blue and green bus-stop signs list the routes and destinations. Fares are US$1.25 each way (exact change only to be handed to the driver on boarding). A transfer from bus to bus (or from bus to Metrorail) costs US$0.25. The Wave, South Beach's electric shuttle bus service (tel: (305) 843 9283), provides transportation up and down Washington Avenue between Fifth and 17th Streets every 10-12 minutes (0800-0200 on Monday-Wednesday; 0800-0400 on Thursday-Saturday; and 1000-0200 on Sunday) for just US$0.25. It stops at 29 designated stops in the Art Deco District. Downtown Miami is served by the futuristic, driverless Metromover, an elevated, three-loop, fully automated monorail people-mover. This links major business, entertainment and cultural centres, hotels, shopping malls, government buildings and the Brickell financial district, and also connects with the Metrorail and Metrobus. It operates every 90 seconds daily 0600-2400 and costs just US$0.25 (exact fare only, placed in the slot at the entrance turnstiles). It is safe, air conditioned and it also provides unparalleled views of downtown Miami. Taxis & Water Taxis Taxis are plentiful but it is not the norm to hail one in the street. They are easily available from taxi stands, or at most hotels and shopping malls, although it is more common to telephone for one. Firms include Metro Taxi (tel: (305) 888 8888), Aventura Taxi (tel: (305) 652 2500), Coral Gables Taxi (tel: (305) 899 9999) or South Dade Miami Taxi (tel: (305) 448 8888). All service providers offer flat-rate fares (including tolls but not tips) from Miami International Airport to some of the more popular destinations (see the Air section), otherwise visitors should expect to pay US$3 for the first mile and US$2 for each mile thereafter; and tip drivers 15-20% of the fare. The local waterways are served by a water taxi fleet, which operates two main routes (from Bayside Marketplace to the Fifth Street Marina at the southwestern end of south Beach or to the western end of Lincoln Road) 1000-2300 daily. Fares are US$7 one way, US$12 round trip and US$15 for an all-day pass. They can also be telephoned in advance for collection (tel: (305) 467 6677). Limousines Dolphin Limousine Service Inc (tel: (305) 651 1641), Extreme Limousines (tel: (305) 262 7071) and Royal Limousines (tel: (305) 442 1414) all cater for both business and leisure needs. Visitors should expect to pay around US$100-125 per hour (for a minimum of three hours), or US$140-150 per hour at weekends. Driving in the City Although, Miami's network of roads is certainly sprawling, driving here is not as fraught as it may appear. Streets and Terraces usually run east-west, while Avenues, Places and Courts are aligned north-south (except in Coral Gables, Coconut Grove, Key Biscayne and Miami Beach). Highway interchanges can be very confusing, so visitors should be sure to read the signs carefully. Main routes include State Road 112, which leads from Miami International Airport to the major north-south I-95 expressway and onto Miami Beach via the I-195; and the Dolphin Expressway, the major east-west expressway connecting Florida's Turnpike to State Road 826, I-95 and Miami Beach. Seven causeways link Miami and Miami Beach and, once there, the A1A (Collins Avenue) is the main thoroughfare running parallel to the coast. Visitors should not that the practice of cruising along Ocean Drive in South Beach has been illegal for several years, not that it seems to deter posers in their cadillacs or on their Harley Davidsons. The orange 'sun' signs visible on selected highways identify official tourist routes - to Coral Gables, Coconut Grove, downtown Miami, Key Biscayne, Miami Beach and the Port of Miami, as well as to Fort Lauderdale, Orlando and Key West. There is plenty of metered parking available in Miami. Further information on locations of car parks, hours and rates is available from the Miami Parking System, 190 Northeast Third Street in downtown Miami (tel: (305) 373 6789). Car Hire Hiring a car is relatively cheap and straightforward. However, drivers must be over 25 years old and possess a valid national driving licence and a credit card to pay a deposit. It is worth shopping around for the best rates. They vary considerably, from a minimum of around US$200 per week or US$70 per day. Free one-way drop-offs are normally possibly within Florida - althrough rarely with the cheapest cars. Service providers include: Alamo, 3355 Northwest 22nd Street Road (tel: (305) 633 6076); Avis, 2330 Northwest 37th Avenue (tel: (305) 637 4900); Budget, 3901 Northwest 28th Street (tel: (305) 871 3053); Biscayne, 4801 Northwest 36th Street (tel: (305) 888 0721); Hertz, 2795 Northwest 21st Street (tel: (305) 871 0300); Interamerican (tel: (305) 871 3030), 1789 Northwest Le Jeune Road, and Thrifty, 2875 Northwest 42nd Avenue (tel: (305) 871 5050). When arranging car hire, visitors should ask for an all-inclusive rate. This should include all taxes, airport fees and car handling fees; CWD (also known as LDW), which makes the rental company responsible for damage to the car, rather than the driver; and SLI (supplementary liability insurance, also sometimes called top-up liability insurance or EP (extended protection)), which increases third-party liability cover from Florida's standard US$20,000 to US$1 million. All visitors should have personal accident insurance (PAI) as part of their standard travel insurance. All-inclusive rates may also include a tank of petrol and additional drivers (otherwise around US$5 per driver). There is usually an extra charge for child seats (US$3-5 per day). Bicycle Hire There are no hills in Miami so bicycle rental is a cheap and easy way to explore a district. Most rental outlets are in Miami Beach, including Cycles on the Beach, 1421 Washington Avenue, South Beach (tel: (305) 673 2055) and the Miami Beach Bicycle Center, 601 Fifth Street (tel: (305) 674 0150). Visitors should expect to pay US$15-20 per day and ask for a sturdy U-type lock as bicycle theft is common. Bicycles are not allowed on buses, Metrorail or Tri-rail, but it is possible to cycle across the causeways. |
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