Houston Transport

Public transport in Houston is fairly well developed and reasonably priced. Nevertheless, most visitors to Houston generally prefer to hire a car, for ease of movement. The Metropolitan Transit Authority, aka METRO, has the city well covered with an efficient and extensive bus, trolley, and lift van service, as well as a light rail line which links Downtown, Midtown, the Museum District, Hermann Park, the Texas Medical Center and Reliant Park. Taxis are a more expensive option, though readily available downtown.

By Metro train

The Metropolitan Transit Authority began running METRORail, its light rail service on January 1, 2004. Currently the track runs about 13kms from northern Downtown at UH-Downtown, to the Texas Medical Center and Reliant Park. Train tickets are good for 3 hours, and are valid as bus transfers if not travelling in the return direction. Day passes are available, and are good for all train and bus travel for 24 hours.
Train tickets can be purchased at each station from vending machines that accept cash, debit and credit cards. The trains run as frequently as every six minutes, and in slow times, are never more than 18 minutes apart.

By bus

Houstons Metropolitan Transit Authority also operates an extensive bus service throughout the city (phone: +1 713 635 4000; website: www.ridemetro.org) that starts at 05:00 and ends at 00:00, although certain services stop earlier in the evening. Servicing all of Houston via 100 bus lines, METROs weekday commuter service extends as far north as the airport, and as far south as Clear Lake near Galveston Bay. On weekends, however, the service is far more limited in range.

There are fare boxes on the bus that require the correct change; alternatively, visitors can buy tokens in advance, as well as 24-hour and weekly passes. Information and tickets can be obtained from RideStores, open Monday to Friday from 07:30 to 17:30, at 720 Main Street and 813 Dallas Street. Local shops displaying the METROstop sign also sell tickets.

The Metro Trolley (phone: +1 713 635 4000) offers free transportation which covers five different routes that link the major hotels with tourist destinations in the downtown area only. Trolleys pass every 12 minutes, and the service operates Mondays to Fridays from 06:30 to 19:30. The Uptown Shuttle (phone: +1 713 621 2011; www.uptownshuttle.com), a bus decorated as a trolley car, provides free service up and down the popular Post Oak Boulevard corridor and its dining, shopping and business areas. The shuttle service operates Monday to Friday from 11:00 to 14:00.

Taxis

Taxis are quick and plentiful, but can be rather expensive for short distances. There is generally a flat charge for the first mile and charge for each additional mile. Taxis are plentiful in the city, especially in the Downtown area, but elsewhere they are more difficult to find. Also, trying to hail one on the street can be an exercise in frustration. It is better to phone for one, or use hotel taxi stands.

Fiesta: +1 713 236 9400
Liberty: +1 713 695 6700
Square Deal: +1 713 659 5105
United: +1 713 699 0000
Yellow Cab: +1 713 236 1111

Tourist services

Visitors interested in the architecture and culture of the city can join one of the monthly Sunday walking tours offered by the Greater Houston Preservation Alliance (phone: +1 713 216 5000; website: www.ghpa.org). The tours vary each month, so keen walkers should telephone for details and departure point information. Houston Walks (phone: +1 713 222 9255) also offers a variety of walking tours in Downtown and the Museum District. Reservations are required.

For bus tours, Coach USA (phone: +1 713 670 3254; website: www.coachusa.com) has a year-round city sightseeing tour that departs Mondays to Saturdays at 12:00, and takes two-and-a-half hours. The tour starts at the Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau and passes through Downtown, the Theater District, the Museum District, Hermann Park and Uptown, including the Galleria and River Oaks. Coach USA also operates a five-hour tour to the Space Center Houston, departing at 09:30, Mondays to Saturdays.

Tourist Information: + 1 800 446 8786

From the airport

Numerous shuttle services, including minibuses and limousines, are available from George Bush Intercontinental Airport to downtown Houston. Taxicabs are available at the south side of Terminals A, B and C and at the west end of Terminal D. The Airport Express provides a bus service to Houston city centre and other local destinations; the public bus service, METRO, is available at Terminals A, B, C and D. Metro bus number 102 runs from the airport to and from the city centre.

Shuttle services are provided by Coach USA/Express Shuttle USA (phone: +1 713 523 8888; website: www.coachusa.com) and Texans Super Shuttle (phone: +1 713 781 6660; website: texansshuttle.com) to various locations throughout the Houston area. The Greenspoint Flyer (website: www.greenspoint.org) is a shuttle bus service that operates between the Greenspoint Mall area and the airport. Various hotels also operate courtesy vans.

Airport facilities

Facilities at George Bush Intercontinental Airport include dozens of food and beverage establishments from formal dining to fast food. There are many shops at the airport, including newsagents, leather goods shops and gift shops, as well as sunglasses, luggage, books and sweet shops; jewellery shops are in Terminals A and B.

Duty-free shops are available in the international terminal. ATMs are located throughout the airport. Four bureaux de change can be found in Terminals C and D. Business facilities include fax, photocopying and the Internet. Visually- or hearing-impaired passengers can request assistance or information on +1 281 233 3000 or +1 281 230 3089; there are disabled toilets and TDD telephones in the terminals.