Getting Around Tahoe City
Find the best way to access the city from anywhere.
Tahoe City Airport information
Reno-Tahoe International Airport (RNO)
Approximate taxi fare: $90.94 USD
The Reno-Tahoe International Airport is located in downtown Reno, just 44 miles outside of North Lake Tahoe. Serving nearly four million passengers each year, the 1,450-acre airport encompasses three runways and one terminal of 23 boarding gates. Reno-Tahoe International operates 160 daily arrivals and departures within the United States and Canada. The airport offers non-stop flights to 15 domestic locations, including Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, San Diego, and Seattle. The North Lake Tahoe Visitors & Convention Bureau site offers a new interactive flight mapping tool for visitors to see the available flight options for reaching North Lake Tahoe.
Airport amenities include numerous full-service restaurants and concession stands, retail shops and terminalwide-free wi-fi access. Reno-Tahoe International features a 2,100-car parking structure and 1,532-car long-term parking lot. Short-term parking costs a maximum of $24 per day, while long-term parking costs a maximum of $14 per day. Travelers to North Lake Tahoe can ride the North Lake Tahoe Express shuttle, which provides daily service between the airport and North Lake Tahoe and Truckee from 3:30 AM to midnight.
Sacramento International Airport (SMF)
Approximate taxi fare: $400 USD
Located 12 miles from downtown Sacramento and 97 miles from North Lake Tahoe, Sacramento International Airport operates 14 airlines and 150 scheduled departures daily. The 26-gate, dual-terminal airport services such nonstop flight locations as New York City, Washington DC, Seattle, Las Vegas, Houston, and all major California cities.
Airport amenities include free wi-fi throughout both terminals and 16,000 parking spots, with parking rates ranging from $9 to $29 daily. Sacramento International is currently undergoing a $1.27 billion modernization project, which will result in a new Terminal B measuring in at three times the size of the current Terminal B. The new terminal and proposed in-terminal hotel are set for a 2012 completion; with the new Terminal B and current Terminal A, Sacramento International will be able to serve 16 million people per year.
San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
Approximate taxi fare: $675 USD
San Francisco International Airport is located approximately 210 miles outside of the North Lake Tahoe area. Consistently ranked amongst the 30 busiest airports in the world, San Francisco International serves more than 33 million passengers per year. The three-terminal, 90-gate airport is currently undergoing a $383 million renovation of Terminal 2. The renovation project will result in a new 575,000-square-foot terminal with 14 gates, 33,633 square feet of retail space – including 12 restaurants, nine retail stores, a gourmet market, wine bar and spa – and a pedestrian bridge to the airport's fully-automated people mover. Traveling between terminals is easy thanks to AirTrain, a fully-automated people mover that runs 24 hours a day. Air Train's Red Line connects all terminals and terminal garages, as well as provides direct access to the airport's Rental Car Center.
Approximate taxi fare: $90.94 USD
The Reno-Tahoe International Airport is located in downtown Reno, just 44 miles outside of North Lake Tahoe. Serving nearly four million passengers each year, the 1,450-acre airport encompasses three runways and one terminal of 23 boarding gates. Reno-Tahoe International operates 160 daily arrivals and departures within the United States and Canada. The airport offers non-stop flights to 15 domestic locations, including Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, San Diego, and Seattle. The North Lake Tahoe Visitors & Convention Bureau site offers a new interactive flight mapping tool for visitors to see the available flight options for reaching North Lake Tahoe.
Airport amenities include numerous full-service restaurants and concession stands, retail shops and terminalwide-free wi-fi access. Reno-Tahoe International features a 2,100-car parking structure and 1,532-car long-term parking lot. Short-term parking costs a maximum of $24 per day, while long-term parking costs a maximum of $14 per day. Travelers to North Lake Tahoe can ride the North Lake Tahoe Express shuttle, which provides daily service between the airport and North Lake Tahoe and Truckee from 3:30 AM to midnight.
Sacramento International Airport (SMF)
Approximate taxi fare: $400 USD
Located 12 miles from downtown Sacramento and 97 miles from North Lake Tahoe, Sacramento International Airport operates 14 airlines and 150 scheduled departures daily. The 26-gate, dual-terminal airport services such nonstop flight locations as New York City, Washington DC, Seattle, Las Vegas, Houston, and all major California cities.
Airport amenities include free wi-fi throughout both terminals and 16,000 parking spots, with parking rates ranging from $9 to $29 daily. Sacramento International is currently undergoing a $1.27 billion modernization project, which will result in a new Terminal B measuring in at three times the size of the current Terminal B. The new terminal and proposed in-terminal hotel are set for a 2012 completion; with the new Terminal B and current Terminal A, Sacramento International will be able to serve 16 million people per year.
San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
Approximate taxi fare: $675 USD
San Francisco International Airport is located approximately 210 miles outside of the North Lake Tahoe area. Consistently ranked amongst the 30 busiest airports in the world, San Francisco International serves more than 33 million passengers per year. The three-terminal, 90-gate airport is currently undergoing a $383 million renovation of Terminal 2. The renovation project will result in a new 575,000-square-foot terminal with 14 gates, 33,633 square feet of retail space – including 12 restaurants, nine retail stores, a gourmet market, wine bar and spa – and a pedestrian bridge to the airport's fully-automated people mover. Traveling between terminals is easy thanks to AirTrain, a fully-automated people mover that runs 24 hours a day. Air Train's Red Line connects all terminals and terminal garages, as well as provides direct access to the airport's Rental Car Center.
Tahoe City Ground information
Tahoe Area Regional Transit (TART) Bus System
The Tahoe Area Regional Transit (TART) bus system operates in Eastern Placer County, serving North Tahoe and Truckee. TART operates daily from 6:30 AM to 6:30 PM.TART runs along 30 miles of North Lake Tahoe's shoreline, stopping in such communities as Tahoma, Homewood, Tahoe City, Kings Beach and Incline Village. The system's three routes include TART Mainline, serving Tahoma to Incline Village; Highway 89, serving Tahoe City to Truckee; and the winter-only Highway 267, serving Crystal Bay to Truckee. The Highway 89 and Highway 267 lines connect with Amtrak and Greyhound service. TART one-way fare is $1.75 for adults and $0.85 for seniors and children ages 6 to 12. TART 24-hour passes are $3.50 for adults and $1.75 for seniors and children, while 10-ride passes are $14 for adults and $7 for seniors and children, 14-day passes $30 for adults and $15 for seniors and children and 30-day passes $53 for adults and $26 for seniors and children. Children under 5 ride TART for free.
North Lake Tahoe Express
The North Lake Tahoe Express (NLTE) provides convenient door-to-door airport shuttle service from the Reno-Tahoe International Airport to the North Lake Tahoe region. NLTE offers daily service on its red, green, and blue lines. The red line snakes along Lake Tahoe's northwest area, with access to Tahoe City, Squaw Valley and Alpine Meadows, while the green line provides direct access to the Truckee Train Depot and Truckee-Tahoe Airport. The blue line provides access to the northern shores of Lake Tahoe, including Incline Village, and Kings Beach. One-way rates range from $40 for one passenger to $240 for 21 passengers, while round-trip rates range from $75 for one passenger to $400 for 21 passengers. Large group rates are available by request. Reservations are required.
Lake Tahoe Greyhound Station
North Lake Tahoe is serviced by the Greyhound station at 10065 Donner Pass Road in historic downtown Truckee, California. The Truckee station is located just 10 miles outside of North Lake Tahoe.
Lake Tahoe Amtrak Station
North Lake Tahoe's Amtrak station is located at 10065 Donner Pass Road in Truckee, California. The Truckee station serves the California Zephyr route, which runs daily between Chicago and San Francisco, with major stops in Sacramento, Reno, Salt Lake City, Denver and Omaha, among others. The Truckee Amtrak station is open Monday through Friday from 9 AM to 5 PM and Saturday and Sunday from 9 AM to 4 PM.
Rental Cars
Rental car companies represented at the Reno-Tahoe International Airport are all located within Baggage Claim and include Advantage, Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, Hertz, National and Thrifty. Rental car companies represented at the Sacramento International Airport's Rental Car Facility include Advance, Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, Hertz, National and Payless. Rental car companies located at the San Francisco International Airport Rental Car Center include Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, Hertz, National and Thrifty.
Taxis
Visitors to Lake Tahoe can access several taxi companies at Reno-Tahoe International Airport. Taxi rates from the airport to North Lake Tahoe average $90. Lake Tahoe visitors can also access taxis from hotel and resort taxi stands.
The Tahoe Area Regional Transit (TART) bus system operates in Eastern Placer County, serving North Tahoe and Truckee. TART operates daily from 6:30 AM to 6:30 PM.TART runs along 30 miles of North Lake Tahoe's shoreline, stopping in such communities as Tahoma, Homewood, Tahoe City, Kings Beach and Incline Village. The system's three routes include TART Mainline, serving Tahoma to Incline Village; Highway 89, serving Tahoe City to Truckee; and the winter-only Highway 267, serving Crystal Bay to Truckee. The Highway 89 and Highway 267 lines connect with Amtrak and Greyhound service. TART one-way fare is $1.75 for adults and $0.85 for seniors and children ages 6 to 12. TART 24-hour passes are $3.50 for adults and $1.75 for seniors and children, while 10-ride passes are $14 for adults and $7 for seniors and children, 14-day passes $30 for adults and $15 for seniors and children and 30-day passes $53 for adults and $26 for seniors and children. Children under 5 ride TART for free.
North Lake Tahoe Express
The North Lake Tahoe Express (NLTE) provides convenient door-to-door airport shuttle service from the Reno-Tahoe International Airport to the North Lake Tahoe region. NLTE offers daily service on its red, green, and blue lines. The red line snakes along Lake Tahoe's northwest area, with access to Tahoe City, Squaw Valley and Alpine Meadows, while the green line provides direct access to the Truckee Train Depot and Truckee-Tahoe Airport. The blue line provides access to the northern shores of Lake Tahoe, including Incline Village, and Kings Beach. One-way rates range from $40 for one passenger to $240 for 21 passengers, while round-trip rates range from $75 for one passenger to $400 for 21 passengers. Large group rates are available by request. Reservations are required.
Lake Tahoe Greyhound Station
North Lake Tahoe is serviced by the Greyhound station at 10065 Donner Pass Road in historic downtown Truckee, California. The Truckee station is located just 10 miles outside of North Lake Tahoe.
Lake Tahoe Amtrak Station
North Lake Tahoe's Amtrak station is located at 10065 Donner Pass Road in Truckee, California. The Truckee station serves the California Zephyr route, which runs daily between Chicago and San Francisco, with major stops in Sacramento, Reno, Salt Lake City, Denver and Omaha, among others. The Truckee Amtrak station is open Monday through Friday from 9 AM to 5 PM and Saturday and Sunday from 9 AM to 4 PM.
Rental Cars
Rental car companies represented at the Reno-Tahoe International Airport are all located within Baggage Claim and include Advantage, Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, Hertz, National and Thrifty. Rental car companies represented at the Sacramento International Airport's Rental Car Facility include Advance, Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, Hertz, National and Payless. Rental car companies located at the San Francisco International Airport Rental Car Center include Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, Hertz, National and Thrifty.
Taxis
Visitors to Lake Tahoe can access several taxi companies at Reno-Tahoe International Airport. Taxi rates from the airport to North Lake Tahoe average $90. Lake Tahoe visitors can also access taxis from hotel and resort taxi stands.