Getting around · Palm Springs · United States
Getting around Palm Springs
Public transport, passes, airport connections and when a car makes sense.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Pictured: Cabot's Pueblo Museum, Palm Springs · Photo: Jllm06, CC0
Quick answer
Downtown Palm Springs is walkable, but the attractions are spread across a valley about 70 km long, so most visitors rent a car. SunLine buses link the valley's cities, and rideshares cover short hops. Mostly yes.
Key facts
- Main way around
- Car
- Airports
- PSP, ONT
- Need a car?
- Sometimes
Plan a trip to Palm Springs
Compare flights, places to stay and rental cars, then book with the provider you choose.
Ways to get around
Car
A car is the practical way to reach the tramway, the canyons, Palm Desert and Joshua Tree. Highway 111 runs through all the valley towns and Interstate 10 is faster for longer distances.
Park in shade where you can and never leave children, pets or electronics in a parked car in summer.
Walking
Downtown and the Uptown Design District are flat and easy on foot, with most restaurants and bars along Palm Canyon Drive and Arenas Road.
Bus
SunLine Transit buses run along Highway 111 and other main roads between Palm Springs, Palm Desert, Indio and the other valley cities; they are useful but slow for sightseeing.
Cycling
The city is flat with wide streets, and several shops rent bicycles and e-bikes for architecture tours in the cooler months.
Ride in the morning; afternoon heat and the strong winds near the San Gorgonio Pass can make cycling hard.
Ride-hailing
Uber and Lyft operate across the valley and are the easiest option for a night out downtown or the short ride from the airport.
From the airport
Palm Springs International Airport (PSP) is about 3 km east of downtown, around 10 minutes by taxi or rideshare, and many routes are seasonal. Ontario International (ONT) is about 110 km west and Los Angeles International about 175 km, usually 2.5–3 hours or more by car depending on traffic.
Do you need a car?
Mostly yes. You can manage a short downtown stay without one, but the tramway, the canyons, Joshua Tree and the down-valley towns are far easier to reach by car.
Reaching the day trips
| Destination | Travel time | How |
|---|---|---|
| Joshua Tree National Park | About 1 hour to the West Entrance | Car via Highway 62 to Joshua Tree village |
| Pioneertown | About 50 minutes | Car via Highway 62 and Pioneertown Road |
| Idyllwild | About 1 hour 15 minutes | Car via the Palms to Pines Scenic Byway (Highway 74) and Highway 243 |
| Salton Sea and Salvation Mountain | About 1 hour 45 minutes | Car via Highway 86 or Highway 111 |
| Anza-Borrego Desert State Park | About 2 hours | Car via Highway 86 and the Borrego Salton Seaway |
| Cabazon | About 25 minutes | Car via Interstate 10 |
Questions travellers ask
+Do you need a car in Palm Springs?
Mostly yes. You can manage a short downtown stay without one, but the tramway, the canyons, Joshua Tree and the down-valley towns are far easier to reach by car.
+How do you get from the airport to Palm Springs?
Palm Springs International Airport (PSP) is about 3 km east of downtown, around 10 minutes by taxi or rideshare, and many routes are seasonal. Ontario International (ONT) is about 110 km west and Los Angeles International about 175 km, usually 2.5–3 hours or more by car depending on traffic.
+What is the best way to get around Palm Springs?
Car: A car is the practical way to reach the tramway, the canyons, Palm Desert and Joshua Tree. Highway 111 runs through all the valley towns and Interstate 10 is faster for longer distances.