Getting There
Air
Lambert-St. Louis International Airport (STL) +1 314 426 8000 http://www.lambert-stlouis.com
STL is located just outside the city limits and houses the following airlines:
Air Canada (+1 800 776 3000/ http://www.aircanada.ca) American Airlines (+1 800 433 7300/ http://www.aa.com) Continental (+1 800 525 0280/ http://www.continental.com) Delta (+1 800 221 1212/ http://www.delta.com) Northwest (+1 800 225 2525/ http://www.nwa.com) Southwest (+1 800 435 9792/ http://www.southwest.com) United (+1 800 241 6522/ http://www.ual.com) US Airways (+1 800 428 4322/ http://www.usairways.com)
Airport Map & Information: http://www.airguideonline.com/airports/airport_stl.htm
Airport Services: http://www.airguideonline.com/airports/airport_stl2.htm
Airport Transportation: http://www.airguideonline.com/airports/airport_stl3.htm
From the Airport
Car Rental: Alamo (+1 800 327 9633/ http://www.alamo.com) Avis (+1 800 831 2847/ http://www.avis.com) Budget (+1 800 527 0700/ http://www.budget.com) Dollar (+1 800 4000/ http://www.dollar.com) Enterprise (+1 800 325 8007/ http://www.enterprise.com) Hertz (+1 800 654 3131/ http://www.hertz.com) National (+1 800 227 7368/ http://www.nationalcar.com) Thrifty (+1 800 367 2277/ http://www.thrifty.com)
Shuttles: Trans Express (+1 800 844 1985) Exit Express (+1 314 646 1166) Eagle Transportation (+1 618 463 1310)
Train
Amtrak services St. Louis daily (+1 800 872 7245/ http://www.amtrak.com) and stops at South 16th Street.
Bus
Greyhound services St. Louis from Nationwide locations (+1 800 231 2222; +1 314 231 4485/ http://www.greyhound.com). Highway
From the northeast and northwest take Rt. 70; Rt. 64 from the east and west; Rt. 44 & 55 from points south.
Getting Around
Light Rail
MetroLink (http://www.metrostlouis.org/) is St. Louis' light rail system. It operates daily from 5a to midnight. For the airport stop, tickets are priced at $3.00 for an adult one-way, less for seniors and children under 12. Children under 5 ride for free. There is no charge to ride between the East and Main Terminals.
Bus
The MetroBus (http://www.metrostlouis.org/) also has many stops both in Missouri and Illinois.
Taxi
ABC Cab Co. (+1 314 725 2111) ABC Cab Company Carl's Taxi Service Carl's Taxi Cab Metropolitan Cab Co. (+1 314 773 1000) St. Louis American Cab Co. (+1 314 531 8766) Yellow Cab (+1 314 361 2345)
If traveling overseas, take the safety precaution of registering your trip at https://travelregistration.state.gov and for helpful, practical advice about traveling technicalities and safety standards check out http://travel.state.gov/.
Planning a Trip
Getting There
By Plane -- Flights arrive at Lambert-St. Louis International Airport (tel. 314/426-8000; www.lambert-stlouis.com), about 20 minutes northwest of downtown. The MetroLink light rail (tel. 314/231-2345) connects the airport with downtown for $3.50. Taxis cost about $36 to downtown.
By Train -- Amtrak (tel. 800/USA-RAIL [872-7245]; www.amtrak.com) provides daily service from Chicago and Kansas City (trip time for both: 5 1/2 hr.) to its station at 551 S. 16th St., 2 blocks southeast of Union Station (tel. 314/331-3304).
By Car -- The major routes into St. Louis are I-70 from the east (Indianapolis) and west (Kansas City), I-55 from the north (Chicago) and south (Memphis), I-64 from the southeast (Louisville), and I-44 from the southwest (Springfield).
Visitor Information
St. Louis Visitor Information Centers are located at America's Center, 7th Street and Washington Avenue (open Mon-Fri 8:30am-5pm, Sat 9am-5pm, Sun 11am-4pm; MetroLink: Convention Center); at Kiener Plaza, 6th and Chestnut streets behind the Old Courthouse (open Mon-Fri 9am-4pm; closed Jan-Feb; MetroLink: 8th St. and Pine); and Forest Park (open daily 10am-5pm; MetroLink: Forest Park-DeBaliviere). There's also a Visitor Information Center at the airport's main terminal (open Mon-Fri 10am-6pm, Sat-Sun 1-5pm) and its east terminal (open Mon-Fri 10am-3pm, Sat-Sun 1-5pm). The Fun Phone (tel. 314/421-2100) is a recording of special events. For more information, call tel. 800/916-0092 or check www.explorestlouis.com.
Getting Around
MetroLink (tel. 314/231-2345; www.metrostlouis.org) travels from the airport (with a branch at Shrewsbury) through St. Louis into Illinois, with stops at Delmar Loop, Forest Park-DeBaliviere, Central West End, Union Station, Busch Stadium, downtown (at 8th and Pine and Convention Center), Laclede's Landing, and other neighborhoods. A one-way ticket costs $1.75 for the entire zone (except for the airport, which costs $3.50); a day pass costs $4.50 (discounts given for seniors and children). Travel is free weekdays from 11:30am to 1:30pm in the downtown area between Union Station and Laclede's Landing. In Forest Park, where many of St. Louis's top sights are located, the Forest Park Shuttle travels from the Forest Park-DeBaliviere MetroLink Station through the park from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day and is included in the $4.50 MetroLink day pass.
If you're driving a car, be aware that parking is costly. Most hotels and upper-end restaurants offer valet parking. Hotels almost always charge a fee for this service and restaurants sometimes charge as well, though occasionally only a tip is expected.
Fast Facts
A major hospital is Saint Louis University Hospital, 3635 Vista Ave., at Grand Avenue (tel. 314/577-8000). Walgreens is open 24 hours at 4140 S. Broadway (tel. 314/832-4995). Sales tax is 7.6% and the hotel tax is 7.25%.
Planning a Trip
Getting There
By Plane -- Flights arrive at Lambert-St. Louis International Airport (tel. 314/426-8000; www.lambert-stlouis.com), about 20 minutes northwest of downtown. The MetroLink light rail (tel. 314/231-2345) connects the airport with downtown for $3.50. Taxis cost about $36 to downtown.
By Train -- Amtrak (tel. 800/USA-RAIL [872-7245]; www.amtrak.com) provides daily service from Chicago and Kansas City (trip time for both: 5 1/2 hr.) to its station at 551 S. 16th St., 2 blocks southeast of Union Station (tel. 314/331-3304).
By Car -- The major routes into St. Louis are I-70 from the east (Indianapolis) and west (Kansas City), I-55 from the north (Chicago) and south (Memphis), I-64 from the southeast (Louisville), and I-44 from the southwest (Springfield).
Visitor Information
St. Louis Visitor Information Centers are located at America's Center, 7th Street and Washington Avenue (open Mon-Fri 8:30am-5pm, Sat 9am-5pm, Sun 11am-4pm; MetroLink: Convention Center); at Kiener Plaza, 6th and Chestnut streets behind the Old Courthouse (open Mon-Fri 9am-4pm; closed Jan-Feb; MetroLink: 8th St. and Pine); and Forest Park (open daily 10am-5pm; MetroLink: Forest Park-DeBaliviere). There's also a Visitor Information Center at the airport's main terminal (open Mon-Fri 10am-6pm, Sat-Sun 1-5pm) and its east terminal (open Mon-Fri 10am-3pm, Sat-Sun 1-5pm). The Fun Phone (tel. 314/421-2100) is a recording of special events. For more information, call tel. 800/916-0092 or check www.explorestlouis.com.
Getting Around
MetroLink (tel. 314/231-2345; www.metrostlouis.org) travels from the airport (with a branch at Shrewsbury) through St. Louis into Illinois, with stops at Delmar Loop, Forest Park-DeBaliviere, Central West End, Union Station, Busch Stadium, downtown (at 8th and Pine and Convention Center), Laclede's Landing, and other neighborhoods. A one-way ticket costs $1.75 for the entire zone (except for the airport, which costs $3.50); a day pass costs $4.50 (discounts given for seniors and children). Travel is free weekdays from 11:30am to 1:30pm in the downtown area between Union Station and Laclede's Landing. In Forest Park, where many of St. Louis's top sights are located, the Forest Park Shuttle travels from the Forest Park-DeBaliviere MetroLink Station through the park from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day and is included in the $4.50 MetroLink day pass.
If you're driving a car, be aware that parking is costly. Most hotels and upper-end restaurants offer valet parking. Hotels almost always charge a fee for this service and restaurants sometimes charge as well, though occasionally only a tip is expected.
Fast Facts
A major hospital is Saint Louis University Hospital, 3635 Vista Ave., at Grand Avenue (tel. 314/577-8000). Walgreens is open 24 hours at 4140 S. Broadway (tel. 314/832-4995). Sales tax is 7.6% and the hotel tax is 7.25%.
