Cycling to your airport

[shootingstar]

If you live in a city where there is an international airport, can you cycle to it?

Article (http://thirdwavecyclingblog.wordpress.com/2010/07/14/cycling-to-airports/) rates nearly 10 airports worldwide on ease (or lack of) to cycle from downtown to airport.

**Just scroll down midway in article to see the airports ratings.

Commentary is a culmination of dearie's experiences as a touring cyclist over past 10 years.

(Yes, some countries are missing. So hey, let everyone else know about your city.)

[Melalvai]

That's a great article. I wanted to bike 10 miles to the regional airport recently. I called and asked "Is there a place I can leave my bike?" They have a parking lot for cars, I reasoned, surely there's some place for a bicycle. "No," they answered. No bike rack, no little room they could stash it in. It's a tiny airport, two flights in and two flights out daily. It's not like it would be that much of a challenge.

Instead I had a friend give me a ride. Eh.

[tulip]

Washington National Airport is bikeable, mostly. Hopefully they have improved the last connections by now. It's right off the Mount Vernon Trail. I guess it's not technically an international airport, but I thought I'd mention it anyways.

I can cycle to my airport on quiet roads, but I haven't tried the actual approach to the airport. That might be trickier. I'll give it a go in the next few weeks. It's international because it has one flight to Toronto.

[shootingstar]

Washington National Airport is bikeable, mostly. Hopefully they have improved the last connections by now. It's right off the Mount Vernon Trail. I guess it's not technically an international airport, but I thought I'd mention it anyways.

I can cycle to my airport on quiet roads, but I haven't tried the actual approach to the airport. That might be trickier. I'll give it a go in the next few weeks. It's international because it has one flight to Toronto.

It's been over 15 yrs. since I've flown into Washington, DC airport, but if I can recall correctly, airport passengers can leave and catch the subway train hooked directly to the airport to get downtown, right? Then at least, one can roll on with a bike? (That's what you can do now at Vancouver International Airport, if the weather is lousy/one can't be bothered to cycle into downtown.) It's just so wonderful when I came back from airport. I just rolled onto the commuter train with my folding bike with 4 panniers.. I had a problem with my quick release pedals, so couldn't ride.

Dearie spent a few days extra on bike in Europe. He cycled from airport to home (we live downtown). After midnight. He wanted to..after a long European flight and summer night was lovely, quiet.

[tulip]

Shootingstar, the DCA is indeed well-served by the Metro. There is also a bike path right there, that links to the city very well. The problem was, at least several years ago, that there was a gap for cyclists from the bike path to the terminal. That gap consisted of access roads and parking lots. It was doable, but not clear and not bike-friendly. Perhaps they have changed that by now; I don't know.

[pumpkinpony]

You can cycle out to Denver International Airport. They have bike route signs all the way into the terminal! I rode mine out there just for the heck of it, walked the bike through and out the other side following the signs, and no one even looked funny at me. Lots of bikes chained up to various parts of the hand rail around the terminal, and there was a sign over one set of stairs pointing to 'bike parking'.

[Jones]

Palm Springs International Airport is bikable and they have racks, come on down. Today is suppose to be 118 tomorrow a nice toasty 119.

[shootingstar]

Just found out that one can cycle to airport in St. Louis.

I forgot to mention here:

Here in downtown Vancouver, we have 2 smallish companies that fly seaplanes to Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands several times per day. The capital of British Columbia is Victoria which is located on Vancouver Island.

So there are a few bike racks right at their ticket/take-off office locations in Vancouver. Yes, people on business do fly between the 2 areas (it's only about half hr. and terrific views of ocean, Gulf Islands, etc.) and one can bike to and from the offices.

The landing/take-off areas are beside the Seaside/Seawill bike/pedestrian path and overlook the harbour/mountains.

It is actually a spectacular way to combine multi-modal --cycle-fly with an ocean, mountains and islands view directly from downtown. :rolleyes:

No, these planes do not fly into the U.S.

[sfa]

One of the main MUPs in our area goes up to and around Baltimore Washington International airport. I've circled the airport before (on my bike, that is. Although I guess I've also circled the airport in my car and on a plane.) but haven't followed the path that goes up to the terminal. I don't know if it goes all the way--the map makes it look like it stops just short of the terminal.

I don't know about bike parking, but if they don't have it in the garages, there's a commuter train station and light rail station at the airport too, and they usually have bike parking.

If you're not coming in on one of the bike paths (main one from Annapolis, but the Baltimore bike trail map gives routes from downtown as well), it's a trick to get to the airport by bike because there are so many interstates in the way. It's doable, but you have to have a good map or know the area well.

Sarah

[Biciclista]

You CAN cycle into Seatac airport, but it won't be fun or pleasant.. I would take the light rail with my bike.

[malkin]

I know we can ride near the airport, but I'm not sure about riding into the airport. It also would not be fun or safe.

You could ride the bus and put your bike on the rack in front.
I'd rather call friend or take a cab.

[shootingstar]

Mimi, I didn't know new commuter train line went direct to your airport. That's great.

The point of the article to provide more info. to people who are interested in combining cycling in part/all of their trip to a major airport.

The more information on experiences/different locations in terms of the local/geographic situation, the better for future cyclists who are planning trips, etc.

A taxi from Toronto airport into downtown is...approx. $50.00 or abit more. From downtown to airport, it's anything goes (within a certain max. limit per taxi travel time), which can be more than $50.00 -- unless one negotiates with taxi driver in advance.

Toronto bus system is gradually introducing bike racks on its buses. The bus that runs between airport and downtown does have a bike rack. The biggest challenge..is hoping that there aren't others waiting too with their bikes.

Not every city that a cyclist is visiting, is full of friends/family to give free /cheap car rides with a bike.