Getting to Kansas City

Kansas City International Airport, one of the largest airports in the US, is the most popular way to get to the city from abroad, linking ten million passengers between mid-America, the rest of the country and the rest of the world. Getting to Kansas City by means other than air, means travelling by an intricate network of freeway and railway systems. Interstate highways and rail link Kansas city by road and train respectively, from Canada and Mexico via various cities across the country.

By car

Interstate I-435 forms a ring around the city, and the main route in from the north (Canada) and south (Mexico) of the country is the Interstate I-35, stretching from Laredo, Texas on the US/Mexico border to Duluth, Minnesota at Minnesota State Highway 61 and 26th Avenue East. Interstate I-35 never directly crosses either international border - it stops short in each direction, but the surface streets into which each terminus feeds completes the crossing. I-35s southern terminus is a traffic signal in Laredo, Texas, just short of the US/Mexico border. Motorists from Mexico can take one of two toll bridges across the Rio Grande and the US border - straight ahead or via the Business Spur Interstate 35.

By rail

Travellers cross the border from Tijuana, Mexicali or Los Algodones in Baja California, Mexico, to San Diego, Calexico and Andrade in California, respectively, to catch the daily Southwest Chief Los Angeles to Chicago service trains that stop in Kansas City. Amtrak Union Station (phone: +1 816 421 3622; website: www.amtrak.com) is located at 30 West Pershing Rd.

By bus

Greyhound Bus (phone: +1 800 231 2222; website: www.greyhound.com) is open from 05:30 to 23:59 everyday of the week. In Kansas City, the station is located at 1101 Troost. There is also a limited service at the Kansas City Amtrak station, but no tickets can be purchased at this location. Coaches arrive from Los Angles in California, where it is easy to connect from US/Mexico border towns.

By air

Kansas City International Airport (phone: +1 816 243 3000; website: www.flykci.com) is about 24kms northwest of the city, and has one of the largest airfields in the country. Its three terminals service around fifteen airlines, with mostly Midwest destinations, but also a few of the larger coastal cities such as New York, Philadelphia, Washington DC, Los Angeles and Houston. There are also limited flights from Canada and Mexico. The approximate flight time from London to Kansas City, stopover included, is 13 hours, 20 minutes.

By ferry

Kansas City is accessible by passenger boat as the city is located at the junction of the Missouri and Kansas Rivers.

Kansas City airport

Approximately 32kms northwest of the city, Kansas City International Airport has three terminals that serve domestic flights, with one serving international arrivals. This state-of-the-art airport is notable for its easy terminal access, minimal flight delays and lack of congestion, making it one of the most convenient commercial airports in the world.

Kansas City airport transportation

Located just 20 minutes drive from downtown Kansas City, Kansas City International Airport provides a choice of fast transport links to the city. Taxis are available via courtesy telephones located both inside and outside the terminal at each baggage reclaim area. Airport Luxury (phone: +1 816 454 3332) provides a limousine service to destinations within 80kms of the airport. Airport shuttle buses (phone: +1 816 243 5000) serve Kansas City and local areas, with desks located in all terminals. A number of other shuttle service providers are also available. The Kansas City Area Transportation Agency provides services to central Kansas City from the stands located outside the terminals.