Jacksonville - Amtrak to airport transit?

[Guest]

Please advise how to get from Jacksonville Amtrak station to the airport (JAX)?

Are there buses?

How much is taxi?

 

[AmtrakWPK]

Jacksonville has a pretty decent bus system - we've used it.

BUT - we did not have luggage, just small carry-with-us stuff.

The airport shuttle bus - FCCJ station to Airport - indicates it has overhead luggage storage racks, but I don't remember whether the non-airport buses do. You might want to navigate their web site and maybe send them an email inquiry about that. It would certainly be an inexpensive way to get to the airport, if the bus from Amtrak to FCCJ downtown allows your luggage.

Amtrak to Downtown FCCJ station on the JTA bus - (approx 45 minutes), runs about every 30 minutes during rush hour, once an hour otherwise, weekdays, from about 5 am to about 11:20 pm. Less frequently on weekends.

http://www.jtaonthemove.com/services/lines/m4/m4.aspx

fare info: http://www.jtaonthemove.com/services/fares.aspx

( layover time between the two buses - varies )

Downtown FCCJ station to Airport on JTA bus - (approx. 30 minutes), runs from about 5:45 am to about 7 pm, about every hour and 20 minutes.

http://www.jtaonthemove.com/services/lines/ns33/ns33.aspx

More info on the bus from downtown to the airport ($3 fare) -

http://www.jtaonthemove.com/services/airjta.aspx

FOLLOWUP: I called the JTA customer service number, and was told (after some conferring with a couple of drivers, apparently) that you would be able to bring a bag or two with you, if you and the bags were all the way in the back of the bus where it would not block an aisle (no luggage storage in those buses). There was also the possibility mentioned of paying two fares and having the bags on the seat next to you. The Moncrief M4 bus (from Amtrak to downtown) starts at Amtrak so there would be plenty of room, and time, to get on the bus to start with. YOU have to carry and move the bags, though.

 

[Guest]

Thank you for detailed answer.

However 45 + 30 minutes ride is too long for us. We will arrive at 9-10 pm with a baby who needs to sleep.

We would like to get to the airport, because all car rentals are there.

Are there car rentals in the downtown?

 

[Guest_benale_*]

You can rent a car right from the Jacksonville Amtrak station. The airport, the train station and downtown are not very close to each other. The bus does stop at the train station. I didn t know it went to the airport, though. Something to consider in the future.

 

[AmtrakWPK]

The airport bus route started last June or July, I believe. Getting there from Amtrak would require two bus routes. Fare total of $3.75 per person (really cheap compared to a taxi or rental car). But not as fast as a taxi. With a rental car you do have paperwork at both ends and some waiting, hard to say how long. The buses we rode were comfortable and not too noisy. We went from Amtrak to downtown, ate at a restaurant, then took the bus back to Amtrak. That was a day-trip from WPK, near Orlando.

 

[Palmland]

Since you may well be late, I'd definitely take a taxi to an airport hotel and spend the night. Pick a hotel with airport shuttle so you can get your rental car the next am. The station is not in that nice a part of town and a bus late at night with a baby would not be fun.

 

[Guest]

Since you may well be late, I'd definitely take a taxi to an airport hotel and spend the night. Pick a hotel with airport shuttle so you can get your rental car the next am. The station is not in that nice a part of town and a bus late at night with a baby would not be fun.

What if we take a bus to downtown and stay in the hotel there?

Is downtown Jacksonville nice area or it's better not to go there at night?

 

[Guest]

Since you may well be late, I'd definitely take a taxi to an airport hotel and spend the night. Pick a hotel with airport shuttle so you can get your rental car the next am. The station is not in that nice a part of town and a bus late at night with a baby would not be fun.

What if we take a bus to downtown and stay in the hotel there?

Is downtown Jacksonville nice area or it's better not to go there at night?

I take it that you are coming in on train #92. If the train is on time, you should be there around 20:00. With that in mind, it will be right at dusk or just after dark. I personally wouldn't be trying to ride the bus to downtown to go to the airport (you are actually going out of the way anyway) at that hour with a baby! And if the train gets late, I just wouldn't want to be relying on a city bus. I would get a taxi and go to one of the hotels up by the airport. It is about fifteen miles or so up there from the station. That's just my personal opinion being there is a little one involved in this trip. OBS....

 

[Amtrak OBS Gone Freight]

Ooops ...didn't log in again. OBS...

 

[Foodman53]

Coming in on #92 at that hour, I'd absolutely choose taking a taxi to the airport, and renting a hotel/motel in that area. For starters, the hotel rates average less than $100 per night in the airport area, as opposed to $150/200 or better downtown. Second, nearly every type of breakfast restaurant is near the airport, where downtown is a little sparse....by morning, you'll all be real hungry! Plus, you've still got to get from downtown to the airport, with all of your passengers and baggage. So, the less movements, the better!!

Nearly every chain is at the JAX airport, so you have nearly limitless choices. Take it from a Jacksonville area resident....taxi to the airport...hotel in that area...You can thank us later!!

From the "Florida Funnel"

Foodman53

 

[AmtrakWPK]

And as one final thought, it wouldn't hurt to call several of the airport-area hotels and just ask if they might be able to courtesy-van you from Amtrak if you stay at their hotel. The worst that can happen is that they say no.

 

[Superliner Diner]

I agree that given the hour and remoteness of the points desired, I would opt for cab.

However, for the record, there are now two bus routes serving Amtrak, both going downtown but over different routes. Besides the aforementioned M4 route, there is also a K2:

http://www.jtaonthemove.com/services/lines/k2/k2.aspx

And should you decide to stay downtown, here are a few hotels. All are located near the Skyway, which is a people mover. The Skyway interfaces with all bus routes downtown at the FCCJ station. See map.