Getting around · Phoenix · United States
Getting around Phoenix
Public transport, passes, airport connections and when a car makes sense.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Ted Eytan, CC BY-SA 2.0
Quick answer
The Phoenix metro area spreads across more than 20 cities on a grid of wide roads and freeways, and most visitors drive. Valley Metro Rail links Sky Harbor Airport with downtown Phoenix, Tempe and Mesa, which is enough for a short car-free stay focused on those areas. Yes for most visits: trailheads, resorts, Scottsdale and day trips are spread out.
Key facts
- Main way around
- Tram
- Airports
- PHX, AZA
- Need a car?
- Sometimes
- Travel pass
- Valley Metro day pass
Ways to get around
Tram
Valley Metro Rail runs through downtown Phoenix, past the Heard Museum and the Phoenix Art Museum, to the airport's Sky Train link, Tempe and Mesa. A separate streetcar loops through downtown Tempe.
Buy day passes at station machines or in the Valley Metro ticketing app.
Train
The free PHX Sky Train connects Sky Harbor's terminals with the 44th Street light rail station and the rental car centre's shuttle buses.
Car
A car is the easiest way to reach trailheads, Scottsdale, Taliesin West and day trips. Freeways are fast outside rush hour; parking is plentiful and usually free outside downtown.
Never leave children, pets or electronics in a parked car in summer; interiors become dangerously hot within minutes.
Ride-hailing
Uber and Lyft cover the whole Valley, and in parts of the metro Waymo's driverless cars can be booked through its app.
Bus
Valley Metro buses run on the main grid roads, but long distances and waits in the heat make them impractical for most visitors.
Tickets and passes
Valley Metro day pass
Unlimited rides on light rail, streetcar and local buses for a day.
From the airport
Phoenix Sky Harbor International (PHX) is only about 5 km east of downtown, around 10–15 minutes by car. The free PHX Sky Train links the terminals with Valley Metro Rail for downtown and Tempe. Phoenix–Mesa Gateway (AZA), about 50 km south-east, is served mainly by low-cost airlines.
Do you need a car?
Yes for most visits: trailheads, resorts, Scottsdale and day trips are spread out. A short stay in downtown Phoenix or Tempe can manage with light rail and ride-hailing.
Reaching the day trips
| Destination | Travel time | How |
|---|---|---|
| Sedona | About 2 hours by car | Car via I-17, or a shuttle or tour |
| Grand Canyon South Rim | About 3 hours 45 minutes each way by car | Car via I-17 and Flagstaff, or an organised tour |
| Tucson | About 1 hour 45 minutes by car | Car via I-10 |
| Lost Dutchman State Park | About 50 minutes by car | Car |
| Montezuma Castle National Monument | About 1 hour 30 minutes by car | Car via I-17 |
| Jerome | About 2 hours by car | Car |
Questions travellers ask
+Do you need a car in Phoenix?
Yes for most visits: trailheads, resorts, Scottsdale and day trips are spread out. A short stay in downtown Phoenix or Tempe can manage with light rail and ride-hailing.
+How do you get from the airport to Phoenix?
Phoenix Sky Harbor International (PHX) is only about 5 km east of downtown, around 10–15 minutes by car. The free PHX Sky Train links the terminals with Valley Metro Rail for downtown and Tempe. Phoenix–Mesa Gateway (AZA), about 50 km south-east, is served mainly by low-cost airlines.
+What is the best way to get around Phoenix?
Tram: Valley Metro Rail runs through downtown Phoenix, past the Heard Museum and the Phoenix Art Museum, to the airport's Sky Train link, Tempe and Mesa. A separate streetcar loops through downtown Tempe.