By Airplane

Santa Fe Airport (SAF; 505/955-2900) wasn’t really an option at press time, but Delta Airlines and American Eagle were considering direct flights from Los Angeles, Salt Lake City, and Dallas—the service may have started by the time you’re reading this.

By Car

Hertz, Budget, Avis, and Thrifty all have branches on Cerrillos Road; only Enterprise (100 Sandoval St., 505/989-8859, 8 a.m.–6 p.m. Mon.–Fri., 9 a.m.–noon Sat.) has an office close to the plaza.

By Bus and Shuttle

Sandia Shuttle Express (888/775-5696, www.sandiashuttle.com) does hourly pickups from the airport 8:45 a.m.–10:45 p.m. and will deliver to any hotel ($25 one-way).

TNM&O/Greyhound (800/231-2222, www.greyhound.com) typically runs from Albuquerque’s main bus station three times daily to Santa Fe, arriving in Santa Fe a little more than an hour later.

Coming from Taos, TNM&O’s service leaves once a day, in the early evening; the trip takes about 1.5 hours.

Santa Fe’s main bus station is at 858 St. Michael’s Drive (505/471-0008, 11 a.m.–3 p.m. and 6:30–10 p.m. daily).

By Train

The Rail Runner (866/795-RAIL, www.nmrailrunner.com) connects downtown Albuquerque to central Santa Fe. Schedules for the new commuter service were being finalized at press time. The fare is $6 one way and $8 return.

Amtrak (800/872-7245, www.amtrak.com) runs the Southwest Chief through Lamy, 18 miles south of Santa Fe and a dramatic place to step off the train—you’ll feel very Wild West, as there’s no visible civilization for miles around. Trains arrive once daily from Chicago and Los Angeles. Amtrak provides a shuttle van for passengers coming and going to Santa Fe.

© Zora O'Neill from Moon Santa Fe, Taos & Albuquerque, 2nd edition