Getting In, Getting Around Minneapolis

Minneapolis/Saint Paul International Airport, (MSP) is divided into the Lindbergh and Humphrey terminals with most flights arriving at the former. Savvy travelers should check to make sure they know which terminal they are arriving at/departing from. The new light rail train is extremely convenient for those who need to get downtown from the airport. Fare is $1.50-$2 depending on the time of day. The trains are fast and clean. They also serve the Mall of America and parts of South Minneapolis. The light rail station is located at Lindbergh. There is also a station at Humphrey, but it is currently closed through late 2007 due to nearby construction. If you're arriving at Humphrey, you will need to board a shuttle bus heading to Lindbergh. Northwest Airlines maintains one of its three US hubs at MSP and is the predominant presence. Northwest offers non-stop overseas service from MSP to Tokyo-Narita, Amsterdam, and London (Gatwick).

Interstate Highways 35W and 94 are the main arteries into town. Both will take you very close to downtown. I-35W runs north and south (for the most part) and I-94 east and west. Both interstates will connect you to the 494/694 beltway around the metro area. Be sure to keep an eye on which lane you're in, as freeway interchanges come up fast, and traffic back-ups can occur at any time, day or night.

Amtrak offers daily service to Midway station, located just off University Avenue near the border between Saint Paul and Minneapolis. The "Empire Builder", Amtrak trains 7/27 and 8/28, serves the Twin Cities area, terminating at Chicago and Seattle or Portland (the train splits in Spokane, Washington).

Greyhound Bus Lines and Jefferson Lines arrive at the Hawthorne Transportation Center, located at 950 Hawthorne Ave (at 10th St, one block west of Hennepin) in downtown Minneapolis. It's just a few minute's taxi ride away from most of the downtown hotels. It's 4-5 blocks away from a few major bus routes and the light rail. Megabus, a low-cost bus company that offers service to Minneapolis from Chicago and Milwaukee.


The city streets have a grid system that's helpful if you take the time to learn it. Minneapolis is divided into four quadrants: North, South, Northeast and Southeast. Hennepin Avenue forms the divider between streets labeled N and S near downtown. This division continues through the smaller portion of Minneapolis that lies east of the Mississippi River, dividing it into Northeast (NE) and Southeast (SE).

Light rail is serving downtown Minneapolis, the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, Minneapolis/Saint Paul International, the Mall of America, and all points in between. This is probably the easiest, fastest, and safest bet for first-time visitors. There's a lot to do along the route, and since currently there only is one route, the odds of getting lost are considerably reduced.

Although biking can be more difficult the colder half of the year, Minneapolis offers biking lanes and biking trails throughout the city