Getting around · Nashville · United States
Getting around Nashville
Public transport, passes, airport connections and when a car makes sense.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
Quick answer
Downtown, the Gulch and SoBro are walkable, but Nashville is spread out and car-oriented, so rideshare is the usual way to reach East Nashville, 12 South, the Opry and historic homes. WeGo buses cover the main corridors. Not for a downtown-focused stay, where walking and rideshare work.
Key facts
- Main way around
- Walking
- Airports
- BNA
- Need a car?
- Sometimes
Ways to get around
Walking
Lower Broadway, the Ryman, the Hall of Fame, the pedestrian bridge and the Gulch are all within about 15 minutes on foot.
Ride-hailing
Uber and Lyft are the main way to reach neighbourhoods and the Opry; expect surge pricing on weekend nights downtown.
Bus
WeGo Public Transit buses run from WeGo Central downtown along the main roads, including to the airport and Music Valley.
Car
A car helps for the Hermitage, Belle Meade, Franklin and day trips; downtown parking is expensive and roads are congested at rush hour.
Cycling
BCycle bike share has stations downtown and in nearby neighbourhoods, and greenways follow the Cumberland River.
Train
The WeGo Star commuter train runs weekday rush-hour services between downtown and Lebanon to the east; it is of limited use for visitors.
From the airport
Nashville International Airport (BNA) is about 13 km southeast of downtown, about 15–20 minutes by taxi or rideshare outside rush hour. WeGo buses link the airport with downtown's WeGo Central station.
Do you need a car?
Not for a downtown-focused stay, where walking and rideshare work. Rent a car for the Hermitage, Franklin, Leiper's Fork, the Natchez Trace or distillery day trips.
Reaching the day trips
| Destination | Travel time | How |
|---|---|---|
| Franklin | About 30 minutes by car | Car via Interstate 65 |
| Leiper's Fork and the Natchez Trace Parkway | About 45 minutes by car | Car via the Natchez Trace Parkway |
| Lynchburg and Jack Daniel's | About 1.5 hours by car | Car via Interstate 24 |
| Chattanooga | About 2–2.5 hours by car | Car via Interstate 24 |
| Mammoth Cave National Park | About 1.5 hours by car | Car via Interstate 65 into Kentucky |
Questions travellers ask
+Do you need a car in Nashville?
Not for a downtown-focused stay, where walking and rideshare work. Rent a car for the Hermitage, Franklin, Leiper's Fork, the Natchez Trace or distillery day trips.
+How do you get from the airport to Nashville?
Nashville International Airport (BNA) is about 13 km southeast of downtown, about 15–20 minutes by taxi or rideshare outside rush hour. WeGo buses link the airport with downtown's WeGo Central station.
+What is the best way to get around Nashville?
Walking: Lower Broadway, the Ryman, the Hall of Fame, the pedestrian bridge and the Gulch are all within about 15 minutes on foot.