Texas Travel Guide

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International Travel

Getting There By Air

Main Airports

Dallas/Fort Worth International (DFW) (www.dfwairport.com) is 27km (17 miles) from both cities (journey time - 35 minutes). To/from the airport: Passenger shuttle vans provide a free transit link between terminals. The Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) no 202 express bus runs from the North Shuttle Parking Lot to downtown; a free shuttle service is provided to the North Shuttle Parking Lot from all terminals. There are also free shuttles to the Trinity Railway Express commuter line, which links Dallas, Fort Worth and the airport. The Yellow Checker Shuttle Co Airporter van runs to the city. Taxis, shared-ride shuttles and courtesy cars are also available. Facilities: Car hire, currency exchange and postal services.

George Bush Intercontinental Airport Houston (IAH) (www.fly2houston.com) is 32km (20 miles) north of the city (journey time - 30 minutes). To/from the airport: The SuperShuttle travels to the Galleria and downtown hotels (journey time - 45 minutes). Metro bus route 102 drops passengers off in downtown Houston. Taxis are also available, but expensive. Facilities: ATMs, car hire and currency exchange.

El Paso International Airport (ELP) (www.elpasointernationalairport.com) is 13km (8 miles) east of the city; it serves as a gateway to western Texas, southern New Mexico, and northern Mexico. To/from the airport: Sun Metro runs daily bus services to the airport on route 33. Many hotels offer a complimentary shuttle service. Facilities: ATMs, business center and car hire.

San Antonio International Airport (SAT) (www.sanantonio.gov/aviation) is 14km (8.5 miles) from the city, with flights from Latin America and major US cities. To/from the airport: Public buses and the more expensive SA Trans Shuttle run to the city center (journey times - 1 hour and 20 minutes respectively). Taxis are also available. Facilities: ATMs, business center and car hire.

Domestic Airports:
Dallas Love Field (DAL) (www.dallas-lovefield.com) is 9.5km (6 miles) from Dallas city center. The airport is a hub for Southwest Airlines. To/from the airport: DART buses travel to downtown Dallas; shuttles and taxis are also available. Facilities: ATMs and car hire.

Getting There By Rail

Amtrak (tel: 1 800 872 7245, in the USA only; www.amtrak.com) journeys between main cities are difficult and (except for Dallas to Fort Worth) can only be made on the long-distance trains. The 'Texas Eagle' service from Chicago passes through Dallas and Fort Worth on its way to San Antonio, where transfers to Los Angeles are possible on the 'Sunset Limited', which arrives from Orlando via New Orleans and Houston. The 'Heartland Flyer' links Oklahoma City and Fort Worth.

Getting There By Road

Greyhound (tel: 1 800 231 2222, in the USA only; www.greyhound.com) runs frequent services connecting Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, San Antonio and other major towns and cities in Texas and further afield. Bus services off the main routes are not highly developed.

Approximate driving times:
From Dallas/Fort Worth to Little Rock is 7 hours, to Mexico City is 24 hours, to Miami is 28 hours, and to Los Angeles is 29 hours. From Houston to El Paso is 15 hours, to Chicago is 24 hours, and to Miami is 25 hours. All times are based on non-stop driving at or below the applicable speed limits.

Approximate bus journey times:
From Dallas/Fort Worth to Houston is 4 hours 30 minutes, to Memphis is 13 hours 30 minutes, and to El Paso is 13 hours. From Houston to San Antonio is 4 hours, to Dallas is 4 hours 30 minutes and to New Orleans is 8 hours 30 minutes.

Duty Free

Overview

The following goods may be imported by visitors over 21 years of age into the USA without incurring customs duty:

• 200 cigarettes or 100 cigars or 2kg of smoking tobacco or proportionate amounts of each.
• 1L of alcoholic beverage if 21 or over.
• Gifts or articles up to a value of US$400.

(a) Items should not be gift-wrapped, and should be available for customs inspection. (b) For information about the importation of pets, refer to the brochure Pets, Wildlife - US Customs, available at US Embassies and Consulates. (c) Further information on US customs regulations is available online (www.customs.ustreas.gov).

Note: Gold coins, medals and bullion, formerly prohibited, may be brought into the USA, except from embargoed countries.

Prohibited Imports

The following are either banned or may only be imported under license:
(a) Narcotics and dangerous drugs, unless for medical purposes (doctor's certificate required). (b) Absinthe, biological materials, some seeds, fruits and plants (including endangered species of plants and vegetables and their products). (c) Firearms and ammunition (with some exceptions - consult the Customs website). (d) Hazardous articles (fireworks, toxic materials), including matches and match books (unless packed tightly in a closed container). (e) Meat and poultry products - fresh, dried or canned. (f) Any fish (unless certified as disease free) or their eggs, unless canned, pickled or smoked. (g) Dairy products and eggs. (h) Cuban cigars, brought from any country. (i) Wildlife and endangered species, including crustaceans, molluscs, eggs, game and hunting trophies and crafted articles of any part thereof. (j) Dog and cat fur. (k) Some art and artifacts. (l) Imports from Iran and leather souvenirs from Haiti (eg drums). (m) Some automobiles. (n) More than one article (limited to once every 30 days) displaying a counterfeit or confusingly similar logo to trademarked and copyrighted articles. (o) Merchandise from embargoed countries: Afghanistan, Cuba, Iran, Libya, and Sudan; information materials (pamphlets, books, tapes, films and recordings) are permitted. Items of archaeological, historical religious or scientific importance that are illegally removed from specific locations in Iraq.