Getting to Jacksonville

Jacksonville is easily reached by a variety of means, which increases its attractiveness as a tourist destination. The majority of international visitors arrive by plane at the Jacksonville International Airport. Road options are available for those wishing to arrive by private or rental vehicle or bus. Amtrak also connects Jacksonville with a variety of US cities.

By car

Jacksonville is easily accessible by road both from within the state of Florida and from other major US destinations. Three major interstates serve the city; I-95, I-295 and I-10. The city is located at the northernmost part of the state, so those visitors travelling from coastal cities south such as Orlando, Daytona Beach and Fort Lauderdale can gain access via I-95.

Once in the city, driving conditions are fair although congestion is known to be a problem during rush hours. The city has no shortage of parking spaces.

By rail

There are no rail services providing connections between services in the city however an Amtrak station located on Clifford lane in the northwest of the city links Jacksonville with a large number of Florida destinations as well as major US cities.

By bus

Jacksonville can be reached from a large selection of major US destinations via the ever popular Greyhound Bus Company (www.greyhound.com/). Meanwhile, visitors wanting to get around the city can make use of public bus services provided by the Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA), which operates a network that covers the whole of the downtown area and a good proportion of the suburban areas also.

By air

Located 24km north of the city, Jacksonville International Airport is a busy facility that sees an annual passenger throughput in excess of five million. Around 200 arrivals and departures are handled on a daily basis, with regional, national and international destinations served.

The airport offers good facilities for passengers which include essentials such as ATMs and bureaux de change in various locations as well as some limited postal facilities. For dining and refreshments, passengers will find a variety of establishments such as Burger King, Cinnabon and Starbucks plus the Budweiser Brewhouse which serves alcoholic beverages. Shopping outlets are also many and varied, and include a DVD shop, book store, sunglasses store and jewellery and accessories store.

There are no public transportation services available from the airport; however, the privately-run Express Shuttle offers connections to all major Florida and Southeast Georgia destinations. Taxis are also available from outside the Arrivals area of the terminal, while many passengers with hotel reservations will be able to take advantage of free hotel shuttles.

Taxis

Taxi services from the airport are provided by Gator City Taxis, who can be contacted on: +1 904 741 0008. For services in the city, try Yellow Cabs (tel: +1 904 260 1111); Checker Cabs (tel: +1 904 355 9911) or Hurry Cabs (tel: +1 904 355 1010).