Easy to Get Around
Click here to access the Houston interactive map.
METRO's Airport Direct
METRO's Airport Direct offers a convenient, reliable service directly from the downtown Airport Direct Passenger Plaza (815 Pierce) to George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) Terminal C. The Airport Direct Passenger Plaza is a short walk from the Downtown Transit Center METRORail station. For just $15 one way and with departures every 30 minutes, traveling has never been easier.
(713) 635-4000 or www.ridemetro.org.
Rail System
METRORail offers convenient accessible service within the heart of the city between downtown Houston and Reliant Park, including the Museum District and Texas Medical Center. The red line, which launched in 2004, is 7.5 miles long. One-way fare is $1.25. In FY 2007, boardings grew by 3.3 percent from the year before, including a single day weekday record of 64,448 passengers in March 2008. Click here for route and fare information.
METRO has continued work on finalizing the selection of preferred alignments for five new light rail lines. Construction began in 2008. Click here to view a map of the planned light rail lines, which are scheduled to be completed in 2012.
What is there to do in Houston along the METRORail? Click here to find out.
Bus System
METRO offers several types of bus service in Houston.
- Local service runs mostly on city streets, stopping at every other corner along its route. One-way fare is $1.25.
- Park & Ride service is for long-distance commuting. METRO’s 28 Park & Ride lots provide bus service to key destinations in the service area. One-way fare ranges from $2 to $4.50, depending on distance.
Click here for additional route and fare information.
METRO Statistics
- Bus Fleet - 1,211
- Service area - 1,285 square miles
- Miles of light rail - 7.5
- Planned additional miles of light rail - 30 (to be completed in 2012)
- Local one-way fare - $1.25
Taxis
Houston has more than 2,200 taxis in its fleet.
$6 Cab Fare Anywhere Downtown
The City of Houston has authorized a flat taxi fare of $6 for all trips in the downtown area. This $6 fare will apply anywhere within the Central Business District, bounded by Interstate 45, Interstate 10 and U.S. 59. The fare, in addition to increased downtown taxi stands, provides an easy alternative to driving to lunch, business meetings and activities throughout the downtown area. No surcharges will apply to the fare, which can accommodate multiple riders under the $6 total rate.
The number of downtown taxi stands have increased. These taxi stands are designated areas where cabs can "stand" and wait for a fare. Additionally, there are at least 30 "hailing cab" icons on various downtown streets, which mark that particular site as a three-minute zone where taxis can briefly stop to pick up and drop off passengers.
Approximate cab fares from George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH)
- Downtown $45
- Reliant Park Area $54
- Texas Medical Center $50
- Uptown/Galleria $45
- Greenway Plaza $50
Approximate cab fares from William P. Hobby Airport
- Downtown $22
- Reliant Park Area $27
- Texas Medical Center $27
- Uptown/Galleria $45
- Greenway Plaza $32
*Above rates include up to four people per cab.
Rental Cars
Houston has a fleet of 30,000 rental cars with every major rental car company represented. Click here for a listing of GHCVB member rental car agencies.
Houston Highway System
Houston is well-served by a system of radial and ring highways that provide excellent access to markets outside the region.
In the Houston Consolidated Metropolitan Statistical Area (CMSA), 575.4 miles of freeways and expressways (55 percent of the planned system) are in operation.
Houston is the crossroads for Interstates 10 and 45. Other major highways serving Houston are Loop 610, U.S. 59, U.S. 290, U.S. 90, Texas 288, Texas 225, Hardy Toll Road, Sam Houston Tollway and the Grand Parkway (Texas 99).
Houston also lies along the route of the proposed I-69 NAFTA superhighway that will link Canada, the U.S. industrial mid-west, Texas and Mexico.
Freeway Names: More than a Number
Every freeway in the city has at least two names, some as many as seven, so it's quite likely that visitors will be baffled by this phenomenon. Here's a list to help you decode the nicknames:
Beltway 8: Sam Houston Tollway
Interstate 10 West: Katy Freeway, West Freeway
Interstate 10 East: East Freeway
Interstate 45 North: North Freeway
Interstate 45 South: Gulf Freeway
Interstate 45 through Downtown: Pierce Elevated
Interstate 610: The Loop, often preceded by North, South, East or West
U.S. 59 North: Eastex Freeway
U.S. 59 South: Southwest Freeway, Sen. Lloyd Bentson Highway, Future Interstate Corridor, NAFTA Superhighway, I-69
U.S. 75: See Interstate 45
U.S. 90 East: Beaumont Highway
U.S. 90 West: See Interstate 10
U.S. 290: Northwest Freeway, Hempstead Highway
Texas 6: Highway 6, Addicks Howell Road, Alvin Sugar Land Road, Addicks Satsuma Road, Hempstead Road
Texas 3: Galveston Road
Texas 225: La Porte Freeway
Texas 249: Tomball Parkway
Texas 288: South Freeway, Nolan Ryan Expressway
Source: Greater Houston Partnership
Green Houston 
