Scottsdale Transport

One of the major downsides of the sprawling nature of Phoenix and its surrounding towns is its utter lack of useful public transportation. Everything is spread out over miles of road and highway and getting from one side of the Valley to the other can take over an hour. The city’s public bus system is geared towards local commuters and thus practically useless to tourists. Taxis are widely available but expensive when travelling long distances. Probably the best option is to rent a car, which is fairly cheap and will give you the freedom to explore this city and the surrounding areas. 

By bus

Phoenix’s public bus system, Valley Metro, is not of much use to tourists. It was designed to be used primarily by local commuters. However, it does cover an extensive route system, including most of Scottsdale and if you want to try it out then stop by one of the tourist information desks at the airport and pick up a copy of the Bus Book. More useful to visitors is the Downtown Area Shuttle (DASH), a free bus service which runs through the downtown area Monday through Friday from 06:30 until 23:00. This serves scheduled stops every 12 minutes or so and stops at the state capital and Heritage and Science Park. In Tempe, the Free Local Area Shuttle (FLASH) provides a similar service around Arizona State University, with Mill Avenue and Sun Devil Stadium on the route (tel: +1 602 253 5000 for DASH and FLASH).  

Taxis

Since getting around Phoenix involves travelling great distances, taxis can end up being rather expensive. However, taking a cab during the day just around Scottsdale is a good option as most of the main tourist sights are fairly close to each other. Yellow Cab (+1 602 252 5252) and Scottsdale Cab (+1 480 994 1616) are reliable, reputable companies on call 24 hours a day.

From the airport

Departing the airport by rental car can be rather confusing because there are several exits depending on where in the city you want to go. To get to Scottsdale you need to take the 44th Street exit and head north on Arizona 143 turning east on Arizona 202 until you reach US 101 north. SuperShuttle operates 24-hour shuttle vans from the airport to any destination in Scottsdale but you may have to share with other passengers. Phoenix Transit runs a public bus service directly to Scottsdale and through the surrounding areas. Taxis are available outside each terminal and cost just slightly more than the shuttle vans, making them the best option.