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Getting Around
Flights come in at the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, eight miles southeast of downtown at the intersection of highways 71 and 183, I
It takes about twenty minutes to get downtown by taxi (Yellow Cabs; tel 512/462-9999; or by SuperShuttle vans 512/258-3826; while the #100 bus runs approximately once an hour to the campus and downtown (Mon-Fri 5am-10pm, Sat 7am-9pm, Sun 8am-9pm)
'Dillo Express, also run by METRO, is a free downtown trolley system, running along three routes, including one out to the UT campus, every ten to forty minutes between 6.30am and 7pm on weekdays.
Bicycles can be rented from Bicycle Sport Shop, 1426 Toomey Rd (Mon-Fri 10am-8pm, Sat 9am-6pm, Sun 11am-5pm; tel 512/477-3472).
Walking is an easy and pleasant way of getting around; organized walking tours leave from the south entrance of the capitol (March-Nov Sat 2pm, Sun 9am: 512/478-0098).
Telephones
The country code for the United States is 1. The area code for Austin is 512.
Directory & Operator Information
For assistance from an operator, dial "0". To get a local or national telephone number, dial 411; in a few places it is necessary to dial 555-1212. If you want to charge a long-distance call to the person you're calling, call collect by dialing "0" instead of "1" before the 10-digit number, and an operator will come on the line to assist you (the party you're calling, however, has the right to refuse the call).
International Calls
International calls can be direct-dialed from most phones; dial 011, followed by the country code and then the local number (the front pages of many local telephone directories include a list of overseas country codes). To have an operator assist you, dial "0" and ask for the overseas operator.
Arriving
By Air
Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) ( 3600 Presidential Blvd., 512/530-2242), This ultra modern facility is 8 miles from downtown Austin on the site of the former Bergstrom Air Force Base.
Some sample flying times are: 2 hours from New York, and 9 hours from London.
Transfers Between the Airport and Town
By Bus
Capital Metro Bus ( 512/474-1200; 800/474-1201 outside Austin) provides daily bus service from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport to several major stops in town, where you can transfer to any one of the sixty other bus routes that cover Austin and surrounding areas. Look for the Airport Limited Route #100 bus at the Capital Metro bus stop on the 2nd Level Concourse of the Barbara Jordan Passenger Terminal. (Buses run every 60 to 70 minutes, 5 AM to 10 PM weekdays, 7 AM to 9 PM Saturdays, 8 AM to 9 PM Sundays.)
By Car
Take Route 71 (Ben White Blvd.) heading west and U.S. 183 heading north to get to downtown Austin. The drive time will be anywhere from 20 to 40 minutes, depending on the time of day.
By Shuttle Van
Super Shuttle ( 512/258-3826 in Austin; 800/258-3826 outside of Austin) provides 24-hour shared-van service from the airport to Austin. Expect to pay from $8 to $15 per person, depending on your destination.
By Taxi
Austin has several taxi companies; all provide 24-hour service at a standard rate .
By Bus Greyhound Bus Lines () connects Austin with Dallas, San Antonio, Houston, and other cities in Texas and beyond. The bus station is located near the Highland Mall and I-35 at 916 E. Koenig La. ( 512/458-4463).
Arriving By Car
Austin is located in central Texas at the intersection of Interstate 35, (running north and south through the city), and Texas Highway 290 (east and west), within easy driving distance of the other three major Texas cities. From Dallas, Austin is about a three-hour drive south on I-35 (195 mi), and from San Antonio about an hour's drive north (78 mi). From Houston, take Texas Highway 290 west; it's 166 miles to Austin.
Arriving By Train
Amtrak (250 N. Lamar, 512/476-5684; 800/872-7245 for reservations) provides passenger rail services aboard the Sunset Limited and Texas Eagle, with routes linking Austin north to Chicago, south to San Antonio, and to destinations between Orlando to the east and Los Angeles to the west.
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