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How to get from St. Louis airport to Downtown St. Louis

St. Louis is a popular city in the Midwest with great historical importance as the ‘gateway to the west’ during the exploration of the wild west. Home to the famous Budweiser beer and the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team, St. Louis will keep its visitors entertained with the many options available when exploring this great city.

St. Louis is a modern US city with a decent transportation system for getting around. The airport is located 24 km (15 miles) from the city and there are three main transportation options from St. Louis airport to the downtown area of the city. The most convenient public transportation option is the MetroLink Rail service (Red Line), which operates every 30 mins for most of the day and there is also a Greyhound bus service that only runs twice a day, which is quite limiting. The most convenient travel option is a St. Louis airport taxi that will take you directly to your destination of choice, no matter the time of day.

Welcome Pickups offers meet and greet services and a friendly introduction to St. Louis at the same price as a regular taxi. Click here to see the cost.

Comparison of the options

PRICE FOR 2PASSENGERS
OPTION PRICE DURATION AVAILABILITY
Taxi €50 20min 24/7
Train €5 30min 04:21–00:56
Bus €26 30min 06:30–21:40

How to get from St. Louis airport to Downtown St. Louis by taxi

Transportation from St. Louis airport to downtown St. Louis by taxi is the most convenient and comfortable way to travel. Taxis at the airport are available 24/7 and are the only option that will give you door-to-door service. The convenience of a taxi is further appreciated when travelling with young children or a lot of luggage.

Taxi fare from St. Louis airport to Downtown St. Louis

A metered taxi transfer from St. Louis airport to downtown St. Louis will cost about $50 (€50). This cost is calculated based on the St. Louis taxi rates set by the city, as follows: an initial base fee of $3.50 (€3.55), a per km cost of $1.38 (€1.40), and an airport pickup fee of $4 (€4.05). Fixed-rate fares from the airport are also available when you pre-book your transfer with a reliable company like Welcome Pickups.

Cost

$50 (€50)

Trip Duration

20 minutes

Airport transfers are subject to an airport fee of $4 (€4.05) and will be added to the final cost of the transfer.

Convenience
Safety
Value for money

Taxis at St. Louis airport are available 24/7.

Where do I get a taxi from?

St. Louis airport has two terminals and both terminals have a taxi zone area. In terminal 1, the taxi zone is located outside the terminal by exit Door 14 and on the yellow level of the garage. The terminal 2 taxi zone is located outside the terminal, just as you exit Door 12.

Convenience

The convenience of taking a taxi from St. Louis airport to the downtown area of the city is undeniable. Not only will you be travelling in private and will reach your destination as quickly as possible, but also taxis require the least effort on your part, and they are available 24/7 at the airport.

Editor’s Note

All transfers to and from St. Louis airport are subject to an airport fee of $4 (€4.05) that will be added to the final cost of the transfer.

Useful Tips

There is no night rate for transfers in St. Louis. The standard day rate is used to calculate late night transfers too.
Don't forget to include a tip (10-15%) in the final cost of your transfer, which is common practice in St. Louis.
Many taxi companies offer fixed-rate fares to popular destinations, so enquire with your preferred taxi company when pre-booking your transfer.

How to get from St. Louis airport to Downtown by train

The train option from St. Louis airport to the downtown area of the city is using the MetroLink Light Railway. The Redline route stops at a number of different places in the downtown area of St. Louis and runs every 20 mins from 4:21 to 00:56 daily. The average travel time to downtown St. Louis is approximately 30 mins.

Train fare from St. Louis airport to Downtown St. Louis

The MetroLink rail service from St. Louis airport to downtown St. Louis costs $2.50 (€2.50) for an adult. Children aged 5-12 are eligible for a half-price ticket ($1.25 (€1.25)) and children aged 4 and younger ride for free. Reduced fares are also available to senior citizens (65+) and people with disabilities but you must possess a valid reduced fare ID or permit from Metro Transit to benefit from those. Tickets can be purchased from vending machines at the MetroLink station in the airport and the ticket is valid for two hours but only in one direction (e.g. eastbound).

Cost

$2.50 (€2.50)

Trip Duration

30 minutes

Children aged 5 to 12 are eligible for a half price ticket of $1.25 (€1.25) and children aged 4 or under ride for free.

Convenience
Safety
Value for money

The Red line MetroLink rail service runs daily and every 20 minutes, from 4:21 till 00:56.

Where do I get the train from?

The MetroLink light rail service stations at the airport can be accessed from both of the airport terminals. From terminal 1, exit through Door 1, the station is located on the ticketing level, east of all the counters (look for the MetroLink sign). From terminal 2, exit through Door 12, and the station is through the parking area.

Convenience

The MetroLink light rail service is a convenient and affordable travel option to get to downtown St. Louis. It won’t however offer a private transfer and door-to-door service which you may require, especially if travelling as a sole adult with children or a lot of luggage.

Editor’s Note

MetroLink vending machines accept cash, coins and the majority of popular bank cards for purchasing your ticket(s).

Useful Tips

There is also a MetroLink 2-hour pass ticket available at a cost of $4 (€4) from the airport, which allows unlimited use of the Metro system (bus and rail) for two hours in any direction.
The MetroLink rail service offers full accessibility; all trains are equipped to accommodate mobility vehicles.
Free Wi-Fi is available on the MetroLink light rail service.

How to get from St. Louis airport to Downtown St. Louis by bus

The final transport option to travel from St. Louis airport to downtown St. Louis is the Greyhound bus service. This is a direct express service to downtown St. Louis that departs from terminal 1 but only runs twice a day, the morning service departs at 6:30 and the evening service at 21:40. The travel time is approximately 30 minutes.

Bus ticket from St. Louis airport to Downtown St. Louis

The Greyhound bus service to downtown St. Louis from the airport offers three types of tickets, economy ($13 (€13)), economy extra ($19 (€19)) and flexible ($23 (€23)). The economy extra ticket offers priority boarding and the option of changing the ticket on the day of travel for free. The flexible ticket offers the same as the economy extra plus an extra bag free of charge, refundable fare and a free option of changing the travel date before the day of travel.

Cost

From $13 (€13)

Trip Duration

30 minutes

Tickets start from $13 (€13) for an economy ticket and go up to $23 (€23) for a flexible ticket.

Convenience
Safety
Value for money

The Greyhound bus service runs twice daily, at 6:30 and 21:40.

Where do I get the Greyhound bus from?

The Greyhound bus stop to downtown St. Louis is only accessible from terminal 1. Once you exit the terminal building, cross Garage 1 and then make your way towards Parking Area A, the stop is located on Lambert International  Boulevard.

Convenience

The Greyhound bus is also an affordable, direct travel option to downtown St. Louis, but it is a very limited service as it only runs twice daily (morning and evening). Passengers wishing to use this service should therefore make sure that their flight aligns with the bus service timetable, or be prepared for long wait times. The location of the bus stop is also further away than the other modes of transport, requiring more time and effort to get there.

Editor’s Note

Economy ticket baggage allowance is one carry-on which must fit in the overhead compartment or under the seat, and one bag in the storage compartment of the bus, up to 50 lbs (22.5 kg). Each extra bag is charged at $20 (€20) unless you have a flexible-type ticket which allows for one additional bag.

Useful Tips

Boarding of the bus begins up to 20 minutes before departure.
The Greyhound bus stop will require some time to get to its destination, so only choose this option if you’re not in a rush.
The Greyhound bus stop is only accessible from terminal 1; International flight passengers arriving at terminal 2 can take the free shuttle service that runs between 8-15 minute intervals.

Welcome Pickups has a Net Safety Score of 99 of 100

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  • 20 minute gap between transfers

  • Regular Car Sanitisation

  • Contactless ride

  • Sanitiser in every car

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Frequently asked questions

How far is St. Louis airport from downtown St. Louis?

St. Louis airport is located 24 km (15 miles) from the downtown area of St. Louis. A taxi will take about 20 minutes, while the MetroLink rail service and Greyhound bus will take just over 30 minutes.

Is there a direct train from St. Louis airport to downtown?

The MetroLink Red line train service is a direct route to downtown St. Louis. The train will make several stops before arriving in the downtown area, but on the bright side, passengers will not have to change trains at any point.

What’s the cost of a taxi from St. Louis airport to downtown?

A metered taxi transfer from St. Louis airport to downtown St. Louis will cost about $50 (€50) but does not include the airport pickup charge of $4 (€4) and tipping the driver which is common practice in the US. For a fixed rate with no hidden costs or unpleasant surprises, book a private St. Louis airport taxi with Welcome Pickups.

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