<p>I have a bit of a dilemma as far as Spring Break transportation. My flight gets into the Birmingham Airport around 8 PM on the second Saturday on Spring Break (the 17th), and there aren’t any university-run shuttles between Tuscaloosa and the airport until the next day. Does anyone know if there are any taxi services that could take me from the airport to Tuscaloosa that night and how much those typically cost?</p>
<p>you can take amtrak to tuscaloosa</p>
<p>greyhound also runs to tuscaloosa</p>
<p>IIRC, the dorms don’t reopen until 10am Sunday, so you may have to stay in Birmingham. Some of the taxi services have student rates to Tuscaloosa (80-100 one way), the Birmingham Door to Door Shuttle is $85 one-way, and the eShuttle is $55-110 each way depending on the number of people already booked.</p>
<p>Many students and parents have made the mistake of booking the cheapest flights without making sure that UA’s shuttle or the student’s friends will be able to get them to/from the airport. With the relatively high cost of shuttles to campus, it is worth paying the extra $10-50 or flying a different airline to depart/arrive in time for the airport shuttles. In some situations however, the price difference is much larger and students will have to pay the extra shuttle costs or find a friend who is willing to drive to the airport from Tuscaloosa for $20-$60 each way.</p>
<p>So how easy is it to get from the airport in Birmingham to the Amtrak station?</p>
<p>^^^Having taken Amtrak to Tuscaloosa, I know that the timing would not work for you. There is only one train per day and it leaves Birmingham at 12:08PM and arrives in Tuscaloosa at 1:07PM. For future notice the cost for the ticket would be $21. I do not know the distance between the airport and the Amtrak station.</p>
<p>post on the rideshare facebook page looking for a ride. can’t hurt.</p>
<p>Question regarding timing of flight and airport shuttle…If S has a flight out of Bham at 7:00 pm would he need to take the 2:00 pm shuttle or would the 5:00 work as well? </p>
<p>I know they tell you to get to the airport at least an hour early if not checking bags, just not sure if the 5:00 pm would work as S has classes until 3:15 so would have to miss class to catch the 2:00 pm shuttle…</p>
<p>Another question is if return flight back to Bham arrives at 12:13pm on Sunday Jan 6th would he have time to make the 1:00 pm shuttle? otherwise he is going to be sitting in the airport waiting to take the 4:00 shuttle…</p>
<p>Hoping to hear from those who have used this service on how to plan out the timing :)</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>I’m wondering on the shuttle timing as well so interested to hear responses. The whole airport shuttle thing was one of the reasons we decided to have S take his car to school this fall. We were going to have him leave it home freshman year but, after pricing non-university airport shuttles for his breaks and the cost of rental cars when we visit, we decided the parking pass was a cheaper alternative. Plus I just feel a little more comfortable with him being do far away if he has his own wheels (this would not be a true statement with my older son - different kids…). </p>
<p>We are planning on having him leave the car at the airport over T-giving break (has an 8 a.m. flight that Wednesday morning) and fall break (if he comes home) but will plan on him using the University shuttle for Xmas break. I will book plane reservations with the shuttle timing in mind.</p>
<p>Does anyone have any experience traveling to the airport using Amtrak or Greyhound? How hard is it to get to the stations in Tuscaloosa and then get to the airport in Bhm?</p>
<p>Shuttle timing: if everything went perfectly, the 5pm shuttle should work fine…but close.</p>
<p>HOWEVER, as a traveler, I would be worried every second that there might be a tie up on the freeway, a back up through TSA or another problem. I would say take the 2pm shuttle. The airport is small but kids can find others to talk to, people watch, visit the vendors, bring their laptops and work on something…</p>
<p>But that is me.</p>
<p>My son slept on the floor at Birmingham Airport when he went to China with a group from UA…is almost a home away from home now ! :P</p>
<p>While the 5PM shuttle would be possible and I’ve arrived at BHM shortly before my flight plenty of times, I would recommend the 2PM shuttle. I’ve always been confused as to why housing offers a 5PM shuttle that doesn’t work for most any flights, with only a US Airways and occasional Southwest flight being scheduled late enough that a 5PM shuttle might work, especially when a 3:30AM shuttle time would allow students to take most any flight, but isn’t offered.</p>
<p>A 12:13pm flight arrival would be fine for the 1PM shuttle, especially if one is not checking bags. If a student misses the shuttle, they can always catch the next one.</p>
<p>We were at the Birmingham airport for BB and found the free WIFI great for the waiting time in the airport.</p>
<p>Yes, I’ve wondered about that 5pm shuttle as well. The flight schedule to get DS out west doesn’t work well with it at all, and the 2pm shuttle has always conflicted with a class. I was on the phone with UA housing about the shuttle times last semester, and the young man working there basically told me that DS should just let the prof know that he wasn’t going to class that day. A possiblity, true… but not one that works for a Physics II lab. At least, not for my DS:-)</p>
<p>Maybe if there are enough inquiries they’ll consider changing the times or adding another shuttle.</p>