Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Getting Around

The DFW Metroplex has a pretty crappy public transit system. A visitor has to spend quite a bit of money to get from DFW airport to downtown Dallas or Fort Worth. Chicago, Washington DC and Atlanta all have very good public transit systems. A visitor to any of those cities can connect from the airport to downtown for less than the price of a McDonald's Value Meal.

I am pondering going to the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, MI. I assumed Detroit had a nice public transit system.....well you know what assuming does.

Using Google Maps it shows a 1 hour 44 minute trip from the airport to the auto show!!! The trip is only 21 miles. The reason it's so long is because it's all by a bus that stops every 20 feet. Detroit does have a DOWNTOWN rail system....but it does not connect to the airport. The first flight from DFW to Detroit arrives at 10:45AM. The last flight out leaves at 6:50PM. If I were to use public transportation I would have maybe 3 hours at the auto show if everything went perfectly.

A taxi is at least $59 each way. No thanks. The cheapest rental car is $45 all in. Not horrible but raises the cost of the trip. Right now I will pay $23 for airfare (coach....1st class is $40), $45 for the rental, $10 to park said rental, $12 for a ticket to the show,and  $10 for lunch. So it would be a $100 day trip. Kinda pricey. My biggest hurdle is getting from the airport to the show and back. I can't find a shuttle....assumed there would be one. I will keep looking.

If I don't go the next big show is the Chicago International Auto Show next month. Kelli and I went to that show last year....neat...but been there...done that.

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