Public transportation
Getting from A to B in Miami can be difficult, especially because of the size of the city, but there are a number of good public transportation options that are managed by the Miami-Dade Transit Department (Tel: (305) 770 31 31 . Internet: www.co.miami-dade.fl.us/transit).
With a length of 34 km, the Metrorail (Tel: (305) 770 3131) is the longest elevated railway in America. It runs north from Kendall through South Miami, Coral Gables, Downtown Miami and then northwest to Hialeah District. The 22 stops are each about a mile apart, the entire route is covered in 42 minutes.
The trains run every 6 minutes at peak times during the week, otherwise every 8-10 minutes during the day and every 15-30 minutes after 6pm. At the weekend, the elevated train runs every 15 minutes until 8 p.m. and every 30 minutes from 8 p.m. until midnight. From midnight it runs every 30 minutes.
A one-way trip is paid for with exact change at the turnstiles at the entrance.
The elevated train has connections to the metro buses and the Metromover. There is a charge for changing to the shuttle bus (Tel: (305) 770 31 31) at the Government Center and Brickell stops, and using the Metromover is free of charge. This transfer ticket must be purchased at the starting point.
The extensive network of metro buses (Tel: (305) 770 31 31) consists of 94 routes. The metro buses transport passengers 365 days a year throughout the Miami-Dade Counties.
Routes 3, 11, 12, 27, 40, 54, 77, 88, L, S, and Busway MAX run 24 hours a day. Many other routes offer their service Mon-Fri from 4 a.m. to 2.30 a.m. The routes and destinations are listed on the blue-green signs at the stops.
A one-way trip is paid with the appropriate small change from the bus driver. There is a charge for changing to another bus or to the Metrorail. Some express lines also charge a fare.
Electrowave (tel: (305) 535 91 60), the electric shuttle bus in South Beach, runs every 12 to 15 minutes on Washington Avenue (between Lincoln Road and South Pointe Park) and Collins Avenue (between Lincoln Road and Dade Boulevard) up and down (Mon-Sat from 8 a.m. to 1 a.m., Sun and public holidays from 10 a.m. to 1 a.m.). A ticket is available on the shuttle bus. There are a total of 38 stops in the Art Deco district.
The driverless Metromover, a fully automatic elevated train, runs in Downtown Miami. This monorail connects major business, entertainment and cultural centers, hotels, shopping centers, government buildings and the financial district of Brickell. There are also connections to the Metrorail and the metro buses.
The Metromover operates in the inner ring 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and in the outer ring daily from 5 a.m. to midnight in 3-minute intervals and every 90 seconds during peak times.
Rides with the Metromover are free of charge. The train is safe, air-conditioned and offers an incomparable view of downtown Miami.
The Metropass , which is valid for one month, allows unlimited use of the Metrobus, Metrorail and Metromover. The pass is available in the Transit Information Center on the second level of the Government Center metrorail stop and at certain points of sale listed on the Internet. Metropass holders pay up to 15% less admission to many sights.
Taxis
Taxis are plentiful. They are usually ordered by phone or you can find them at taxi ranks and at most hotels and shopping centers. Waving a taxi down the street is less common.
Local taxi companies include
Metro Taxi Co (tel: (305) 888 88 88),
Aventura Taxi (tel: (305) 599 99 99 27 66) and
Coral Gables City Taxi (tel: (305) 899 99 99 198) .
A flat fee is always charged for the journey from Miami International Airport to the better-known destinations, which includes road fees but no tip. Otherwise, a base fee for the first mile and a surcharge for each additional mile is common. A tip of 15-20% is expected and usually given.
The local waterways are served daily by several water taxis (Tel: 954-467-66 77) between 10 a.m. and 11.45 p.m., throughout the greater Miami area and primarily on two routes (from Bayside Marketplace to Fifth Street Marina at the southwestern end of South Beach or to the west end of Lincoln Road). Departure points are hotels, restaurants, sights and parks.
Driving in the city
Miami’s road network is very extensive, but driving here is not as difficult as expected. Streets and terraces are usually east to west, while avenues, places and courts face north to south (except in Coral Gables, Coconut Grove, Key Biscayne, and Miami Beach).
Motorway intersections can be very confusing, so you should definitely look at the signs. The main routes include State Road 112, which leads from Miami International Airport to the most important north-south connection, I-95, and via I-195 to Miami Beach, as well as the Dolphin Expressway – the most important east-west route that connects Florida’s Turnpike to State Road 826, I-95 and Miami Beach.
Toll fees are required for Florida’s turnpike and some main routes. Miami and Miami Beach are connected by seven dams. Once in Miami Beach, the A1A (Collins Avenue), the main thoroughfare, runs parallel to the coast through all of Miami Beach. The orange sun signs on certain highways indicate official tourist routes – to Coral Gables, Coconut Grove, Downtown Miami, Key Biscayne, Miami Beach, to the Port of Miami and to Fort Lauderdale, Orlando and Key West.
Visitors should note that aimlessly driving around Ocean Drive in South Beach has been prohibited for years, but many show-offs in Cadillacs or Harley Davidsons do not seem to stop this.
There are numerous parking spaces with parking meters available. Visitors should check out the signage for costs and conditions. Further information on parking spaces, parking times and fees can be obtained from the Miami Parking System, 190 Northeast Third Street, in Downtown Miami (Tel: (305) 373 67 89. Internet: www.miamiparking.com).
Car rental
Renting a car is cheap and easy. However, drivers must be over 25 years of age, hold a valid national driver’s license and a credit card to pay a deposit. When renting a car, visitors should ask for a flat fee that includes all taxes, airport and handling fees.
CWD insurance (also known as LDW, loss damage waiver) ensures that the rental car company pays for any damage to the car and the supplementary insurance SLI ( supplementary liability insurance), sometimes also called top-up liability insurance or EP ( extended protection) increases the usual liability insurance coverage in Florida from US $ 20,000 to US $ 1 million.
Visitors should always take out travel insurance with private accident insurance. The package prices sometimes include a tank of fuel and cover another driver (otherwise a surcharge is required for each additional driver). For child seats i. A. a surcharge per day.
Larger car rental companies include
Alamo (Tel: (305) 935 51 40. Internet: www.alamo.com),
Avis (Tel: (305) 538 44 41. Internet: www.avis.com),
Budget (Tel: (800) 283 43 82 (International) or (800) 527 07 00. Internet: www.budget.com),
Dollar Car Rental (Tel: (305) 933 01 88. Internet: www.dollarrentacar.de),
Hertz (Tel: (305) 532 60 58 or (800) 654 31 31 ( USA), (800) 654 30 01 (International). Internet: www.hertz.com) and
Thrifty (Tel: (305) 871 50 51 -226.Web: www.thrifty.com).
It’s worth comparing prices because the differences can be huge. Cars can also be brought on request, but this service is not available for the cheapest rental cars.
Bicycle rental
Since there are no hills in Miami, bicycles are very good for exploring a neighborhood and are also an inexpensive means of transportation. Most of the rentals are located in Miami Beach, including the Miami Beach Bicycle Center, 601 Fifth Street (tel: (305) 674 01 50).
You should get a sturdy lock because bicycle theft is common.
