Getting around · Key West · United States
Getting around Key West
Public transport, passes, airport connections and when a car makes sense.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Andreas Lamecker, CC BY 2.5
Quick answer
Key West is about 6 km long and 3 km wide, and Old Town is flat and compact, so bikes, walking and the free Duval Loop bus cover most trips. Cars are more hindrance than help in Old Town, where parking is scarce. No for Key West itself: bikes, walking and the free bus are easier and parking is scarce.
Key facts
- Main way around
- Cycling
- Airports
- EYW
- Need a car?
- No
Ways to get around
Cycling
Bicycles are the island's main transport; rental shops deliver to hotels, and many guest houses lend them free.
Lock bikes to racks and use front and rear lights after dark, which are required.
Walking
Old Town is walkable end to end in about 30 minutes, and most sights are on or near Duval and Whitehead streets.
Bus
Key West Transit runs the free Duval Loop around Old Town and the Historic Seaport, plus city routes to New Town and a Lower Keys shuttle towards Marathon.
Scooter
Mopeds and small electric cars can be rented by the hour or day for exploring beyond Old Town.
Traffic is slow but roads are busy; wear a helmet and take care on wet streets.
Taxi
Taxis, pedicabs and ride-hailing are available, useful for the airport and late nights.
Car
Driving down the Overseas Highway from Miami takes about 3.5–4.5 hours over 42 bridges, including the Seven Mile Bridge.
Park the car at your hotel once you arrive; Old Town street parking is limited and enforced.
From the airport
Key West International Airport (EYW) is on the island's south-eastern shore, about 5 km from Old Town — roughly 10–15 minutes by taxi. Many visitors instead fly to Miami (about 250 km) and drive or take a shuttle down the Overseas Highway.
Do you need a car?
No for Key West itself: bikes, walking and the free bus are easier and parking is scarce. A car is the most flexible way to drive down from Miami and stop in the Keys on the way, or to reach Bahia Honda and Big Pine Key.
Reaching the day trips
| Destination | Travel time | How |
|---|---|---|
| Dry Tortugas National Park | About 2 hours 15 minutes by ferry, 40 minutes by seaplane | Official ferry or seaplane from Key West |
| Bahia Honda State Park | About 50 minutes by car | Car on US-1 |
| Big Pine Key and the National Key Deer Refuge | About 45 minutes by car | Car on US-1 |
| Looe Key reef | About 40 minutes by car plus a 30-minute boat ride | Car to Ramrod or Big Pine Key, then snorkel boat |
| Marathon and the Seven Mile Bridge | About 1 hour 15 minutes by car | Car on US-1, or the Lower Keys bus |
Questions travellers ask
+Do you need a car in Key West?
No for Key West itself: bikes, walking and the free bus are easier and parking is scarce. A car is the most flexible way to drive down from Miami and stop in the Keys on the way, or to reach Bahia Honda and Big Pine Key.
+How do you get from the airport to Key West?
Key West International Airport (EYW) is on the island's south-eastern shore, about 5 km from Old Town — roughly 10–15 minutes by taxi. Many visitors instead fly to Miami (about 250 km) and drive or take a shuttle down the Overseas Highway.
+What is the best way to get around Key West?
Cycling: Bicycles are the island's main transport; rental shops deliver to hotels, and many guest houses lend them free.