Getting around · Kansas City · United States
Getting around Kansas City
Public transport, passes, airport connections and when a car makes sense.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Ichabod, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Kansas City is spread out and car-oriented, but a first visit can lean on the free KC Streetcar along Main Street and short rideshares between districts. The Plaza, Westport and 18th & Vine are each about 10 minutes by car from downtown. Not essential if you stay downtown, in the Crossroads or at Crown Center and use the streetcar and rideshares.
Key facts
- Main way around
- Tram
- Airports
- MCI
- Need a car?
- Sometimes
Ways to get around
Tram
The KC Streetcar runs along Main Street from the River Market through downtown and the Crossroads to Union Station and beyond towards midtown, and it is fare-free.
Stops are marked with tall signs; vehicles come every 10–15 minutes at most times.
Bus
RideKC buses cover the metro area, including the MAX rapid lines on Main Street and Troost Avenue, which reach the Plaza area and midtown.
Ride-hailing
Uber and Lyft are the easiest way to reach 18th & Vine, Westport, Joe's in Kansas City, Kansas, and the stadiums.
Car
Highways ring downtown and parking is generally easier and cheaper than in coastal cities, which makes a car useful for the suburbs, the zoo and day trips.
On Chiefs game days, I-70 east of downtown jams for hours before and after the game.
Walking
Downtown, the Crossroads and Crown Center are walkable, as is the Plaza; walking between districts is usually too far.
From the airport
Kansas City International Airport (MCI), with its single terminal opened in 2023, is about 30 km north of downtown — roughly 25–30 minutes by car or rideshare. Most visitors use a taxi, rideshare or rental car; RideKC public transit to the airport is limited.
Do you need a car?
Not essential if you stay downtown, in the Crossroads or at Crown Center and use the streetcar and rideshares. A car makes sense for the zoo, the suburbs and day trips to Independence, Lawrence or Weston.
Reaching the day trips
| Destination | Travel time | How |
|---|---|---|
| Independence, Missouri | About 20 minutes by car | Car or rideshare via I-70 |
| Lawrence, Kansas | About 45 minutes by car | Car via I-70 (Kansas Turnpike) |
| Weston, Missouri | About 45 minutes by car | Car via I-29 and Highway 273 |
| St. Joseph, Missouri | About 1 hour by car | Car via I-29 |
Questions travellers ask
+Do you need a car in Kansas City?
Not essential if you stay downtown, in the Crossroads or at Crown Center and use the streetcar and rideshares. A car makes sense for the zoo, the suburbs and day trips to Independence, Lawrence or Weston.
+How do you get from the airport to Kansas City?
Kansas City International Airport (MCI), with its single terminal opened in 2023, is about 30 km north of downtown — roughly 25–30 minutes by car or rideshare. Most visitors use a taxi, rideshare or rental car; RideKC public transit to the airport is limited.
+What is the best way to get around Kansas City?
Tram: The KC Streetcar runs along Main Street from the River Market through downtown and the Crossroads to Union Station and beyond towards midtown, and it is fare-free.