Getting around Miami fast
How to get around Miami?, if you want to move fast , it is best to use private transportation, using a taxi or renting a car. Due to the low cost of car rental (there is a lot of competition) it is the most recommended option since the taxi service is a bit expensive.
In addition to the low prices on car rental, in the United States cars are very large and the price of fuel is lower than in Europe. Most cars use the automatic gear shift, although if you prefer manual you can ask for it in the rental companies and it is sure that they will find one.
PRIVATE TRANSPORTATION IN MIAMI
Rent a car in Miami
If you want to have complete mobility the best option is to rent a car. Car rental in Miami is quite cheap and gasoline a little cheaper than in Spain, even so, you have to keep in mind that to park in tourist areas you always have to pay.
All tourist streets have paid zones that operate every day and throughout the day until midnight. If you choose to rent a car it is best to have a GPS (sometimes you can ask for it at the time of booking). To rent a car in Miami it is necessary to have a driver’s license, be over 25 years old and have 2 years of experience behind the wheel. It is advisable to have the international license but with the Spanish driver’s license is enough.
How to book a car in Miami?
The best way to find the best deal in Car Rental in Miami is using a comparator (you will save going from web to web looking for rates), here below we leave you the RentalCars comparator, which is the one we normally use and has never given us problems, you can also process the reservation of your car automatically.
It is currently the most reliable car reservation system on the market that also allows you to process cancellations (it works very similar to booking).
Driving in Miami
If you come from Europe there are several things to keep in mind when driving in the United States:
- Speed limits must be respected and these are indicated in miles per hour. 1 mile = 1’62km.
- Like Spain, you have to stop before the crossings, but in the United States the traffic lights are located after the crossing, so you have to be vigilant.
- You can turn right at the crossings even if the traffic light is red, making a brief stop to check that no one crosses (as if it were a STOP)
Getting around Miami by taxi
Getting around Miami by taxi can usually be a bit expensive. They have a race start cost of $ 2.50 and a fee of $ 0.40 for every 1.6 mile traveled. Still, it’s still one of the most common ways to get around among tourists.
Most Miami taxis are yellow and are easy to get in South Beach or in the main tourist areas, you can also get one by ordering it by phone. There is another option similar to taxis are the “shuttle”, a shared taxi service that operates from MIA, Miami International Airport.
PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IN MIAMI
Miami is the seventh largest city in the United States and has a good public transportation system. To move around the city in an economical way, public transport is undoubtedly the best option if you want to save money.
There are three ways to get around Miami by public transport: the Metrobus (bus line), Metrorail (train) and the Metromover (a kind of buses that circulate on tracks and are also free).
Miami MetroBus (buses)
The Metrobus is the bus system of the city of Miami. It stretches from South Beach to downtown Miami. It has more than 600 buses and 82 routes, as well as connecting with other public transport systems . It is also a good option to move at night since the metrobus has 3 night routes that operate between 2h and 6h. The cost per trip is $2.
Metrorail
The Metrorail is Miami’s elevated rail system, has a total distance of 22 miles starting in Kendall, passing through South Miami, Coral Gables, downtown Miami and ends in the northwest. They operate from 5am to 24pm. Its frequency varies according to the time or day of the week ranging between 6 and 30 minutes. The ticket costs about $2.
Metromover (similar to trams)
The Metromover is an automated system of buses that operate in a loop and run on rails. It’s a quick and easy way to travel around Miami’s main downtown neighborhoods. The system is composed of three loops and 22 stations. It is also the cheapest way to move around the center since it is free.
Tri-rail (train)
If the purpose of the trip is to travel outside the city of Miami, you can use the Tri-Rail system. These trains run from the airport to the north of West Palm Beach and Mangonia Park. It’s a good method to travel through the county avoiding the tolls and caravans that form on some roads.
