Getting There By Air:George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) Tel: (281) 230 3100.
Website:
www.houstonairportsystem.org George Bush Airport is 35km (22 miles) north of the city. It serves over 180 destinations worldwide from five terminals.
Airport facilities: These include bureaux de change, ATMs, tourist information, duty-free, shops, restaurants and bars.
Transport to the city: Express Shuttle (tel: (281) 230 7275; website:
www.airportexpresshouston.com) operates a service
to Downtown (journey time - one hour).
METRO (tel: (713) 635 4000; website:
www.ridemetro.org) operates regular public buses to Downtown, Monday to Friday (journey time - approximately 1 hour). Taxis are also available outside the terminals and fares to Downtown are in the region of US$45.
William P Hobby Airport (HOU) Tel: (713) 640 3000.
Website:
www.houstonairportsystem.orgWilliam P Hobby Airport is located 16km (10 miles) to the southeast of Houston. It provides non-stop domestic flights to over 30 US cities.
Airport facilities: These include bureaux de change, ATMs, tourist information, car hire (
Avis,
Dollar and
Hertz among others), shops and restaurants.
Transport to the city: Express Shuttle (tel: (281) 230 7275; website:
www.airportexpresshouston.com) operates a regular service to Downtown (journey time - 1 hour).
METRO (tel: (713) 635 4000; website:
www.ridemetro.org) operates regular public buses (101 Airport Express) to Downtown (journey time - 45 minutes). Taxis are available outside the terminals and fares to Downtown are in the region of US$22.50.
Getting There By Road:Interstate highways in the USA are designated by the letter ‘I’ and a number. In addition to the interstates, there are state and local roads. The traffic drives on the right and overtaking should only be done on the inside lane, although cars on a five-lane highway regularly pass on both sides. At crossroads without traffic lights, the four-way stop system means that it is first come first served for right of way. At traffic lights, a right turn is permitted (with due care) on a red light, unless it is specifically stated not to do so. All drivers, front-seat passengers and children (under the age of 17) are required by law to use seat belts. It is illegal to pass a school bus (from either direction) if it has stopped and has its hazard lights flashing. The maximum legal alcohol to blood ratio for driving is 0.08%. The speed limit is 48kph (30mph), if there are no signs, although the general posted speed limit in town is 56-72kph (35-45mph) and 32kph (20mph) near a school. Freeway driving speeds are 88-113kph (55-70mph).
The legal driving age in Houston is 16 years. A valid driving license in English or an International Driving Permit (IDP) is required - IDPs are not accepted unless accompanied by a valid driving license. Third-party liability insurance is mandatory.
The
American Automobile Association - AAA (tel: 1 800 222 1333; website:
www.aaa-texas.com) can provide information and may offer reciprocal benefits to members of automobile clubs in other countries.
Emergency breakdown service: AAA (tel: 1 800 222 4357/AAA HELP).
Routes to the city: Houston is encircled by Interstate I-610 - known as ’The Loop’. This is intersected by Interstate I-10, which links the city to San Antonio to the west and New Orleans to the east and also Interstate I-45 from Dallas to the north and Galveston to the south.
Coach services: Greyhound (tel: 1 800 752 2222; website:
www.greyhound.com) operates regular services to San Antonio, Dallas and New Orleans. There are also Greyhound services to other major towns and cities in Texas and further afield.
Getting There By Rail:Amtrak (tel: 1 800 872 7245/USA RAIL; website:
www.amtrak.com) operates long-distance services from Houston Amtrak Station, 902 Washington Avenue (tel: (713) 224 1577). The ticket office is open Monday to Friday 0900 to 2400 and Sunday 0900 to 1630. Closed Saturdays. The cost of rail travel is rather expensive but the level of comfort is high.
Rail services: The
Sunset Limited service links Houston with San Antonio, El Paso, Tucson and Los Angeles in the west. To the east, there are services to New Orleans and Orlando.
Getting Around:
Public TransportPublic transport in Houston is fairly well developed and reasonably priced. Nevertheless, most visitors to Houston generally prefer to hire a car. The
Metropolitan Transit Authority - METRO (tel: (713) 635 4000; website:
www.ridemetro.org) operates an extensive
bus service throughout the city.
There are fare boxes on the bus (correct change is required). Alternatively, you can buy tokens in advance. Day
passes allow unlimited travel (on the local service only) in a 24-hour period and weekly passes are also available. You can get information and tickets from
RideStores, 1900 Main Street, and 1001 Travis. Local shops displaying the METROstop sign also sell tickets.
METRO also operates a
trolleybus service, which covers three different routes that link the major hotels with tourist destinations.
A light rail system, Metrorail, opened in 2004 with services from Downtown via the Museum District, Texas Medical Center to Reliant Park. Payment is by
Q Card, used like a debit card on the Metrorail or on city buses. For more information, check out
www.ridemetro.org.
TaxisTaxis are plentiful but can be rather expensive for short distances. A tip of around 10% of the fare is usual. There are plenty of cabs in Downtown but elsewhere they are more difficult to find and it is better to phone for one. Companies include
Taxis Fiesta (tel: (713) 225 2666),
Square Deal Cab Company (tel: (713) 659 7236) and
Yellow Cab Company (tel: (713) 236 1111; website:
www.yellowcabhouston.com). The new ’Six in the City’ program is a cheap way to travel in the Downtown area. The US$6 flat-rate fare applies everywhere in the Downtown area and is not increased for multiple riders.
Driving in the CityMost visitors to Houston prefer to hire a car, as it is the best and most cost-effective way of traveling around the city. Driving in the morning and evening rush hours (0700-0900 and 1630-1830) should be avoided, as the roads are very congested. Other than that, there is a massive construction program underway in Houston and the I-10 will be chaotic until 2009. The highways have Protected High Occupancy Vehicle lanes for buses, carpools and vanpools, which reduce commuter traffic.
Parking is generally not a problem with plenty of car parks right across the city. Many attractions or venues have free parking for visitors. Some on-street parking is available, although difficult to find in Downtown.
Car HireInsurance is compulsory when hiring a car in Houston. You should also confirm that there is adequate Loss Damage Waiver and personal liability insurance. To hire a car, you must be in possession of a full national driving license. The minimum age is generally 25 years, although some companies will hire cars (at a higher rate) to drivers aged between 21 and 24 years.
Avis, 4825 Richmond Avenue at Galleria (tel: (713) 629 7230; website:
www.avis.com),
Dollar, 8686 Kirby Drive (tel: (713) 797 9624; website:
www.dollar.com), and
Hertz, 2120 Louisiana Street (tel: (713) 652 0436; website:
www.hertz.com), all have offices in Houston.
Bicycle HireCycling is an ideal way to take advantage of the many cycle trails in Houston’s parks. You can hire bikes from
West End Bicycles, 5427 Blossom Street (tel: (713) 861 2271; website:
www.westendbikes.com), east of Memorial Park.
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The Columbus World Travel Guide has been published for 26 years and is sold in over 90 countries worldwide.
Word Travels is a comprehensive travel guide covering hundreds of cities and holiday resorts in more than 125 countries.
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