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AUS

Austin-Bergstrom International Airport

Austin, United States

Where to start
Rideshare from the Rental Car Center pickup zone / CapMetro Route 20

Rideshare and taxis pick up in a dedicated zone under the Rental Car Center, behind the Red garage — not curbside. Follow the signs from baggage claim, then either take the stairs up one level or the marked walkway shuttle. If you're travelling light, CapMetro Route 20 leaves from the guitar-shaped shelter directly outside baggage claim and runs every 15–30 minutes to downtown and the UT campus.

Ride Options

Uber

rideshare

Door-to-door with luggage

AvailabilityCommonly available; surges during SXSW, ACL and F1 weekends
Pickup NotePickup zone under the Rental Car Center behind the Red garage — walk there before ordering.
Convenience
Relative costMid cost
Visit Website

Lyft

rideshare

Alternative rideshare

AvailabilityCommonly available
Pickup NoteSame zone as Uber, beneath the Rental Car Center.
Convenience
Relative costMid cost
Visit Website

Austin Licensed Taxi

taxi

No app needed, fixed rank

AvailabilityAvailable at the ground transportation area; thinner late at night
Pickup NoteBeneath the Rental Car Center, same area as rideshare — not at the arrivals curb.
Convenience
Relative costHigher cost
Visit Website

CapMetro Route 20

transit

Lowest-cost route to downtown and UT with light luggage

AvailabilityEvery 15–30 minutes, 7 days a week, part of CapMetro's High-Frequency Network
Pickup NoteGuitar-shaped shelter directly outside baggage claim; tap to pay with phone or contactless card, daily fare capped at two rides.
Convenience
Relative costLower cost
Visit Website

CapMetro Route 483 (Night Owl)

transit

Late-night arrivals after Route 20 stops

AvailabilityNight Owl service, runs after midnight until roughly 4 a.m.
Pickup NoteSame lower-level bus shelter; ends downtown on 6th Street via Riverside Drive.
Convenience
Relative costLower cost
Visit Website

SIXT Ride — Pre-booked Airport Transfer

Private Transfer

Fixed-rate pre-booked door-to-door transfer

AvailabilityAvailable at Austin — book via SIXT app or website
Pickup NoteDriver meets you in arrivals with a name sign. Fixed price, flight tracking, up to 60 min free waiting.
Convenience
Relative costHigher cost
Book Transfer

Pickup Guidance

Rideshare

Dedicated pickup zone beneath the Consolidated Rental Car Facility, behind/north of the Red parking garage — not the arrivals curb. Exit baggage claim on the lower level, follow the signs across the main pickup roadway, then take the stairs up one level or the shuttle in the walkway beside the stairs. Order your ride only once you reach the zone — the driver's wait timer can start before you arrive, and the walk is long enough to matter.

Taxi

Same ground transportation area as rideshare — beneath the Rental Car Center, reached by crossing the road through the Red garage. There is no taxi rank at the arrivals curb.

Shuttle

Hotel and off-site parking shuttles use the marked commercial curb outside baggage claim on the lower level.

Transit

CapMetro Route 20 departs from the neon guitar-shaped bus shelter directly outside baggage claim on the lower level. Follow signs for "Ground Transportation" or "Buses."

Private Transfer

Pre-booked cars and meet-and-greet drivers use the same ground transportation area behind the Red garage. Confirm the meeting point with your operator before you land — the layout is not intuitive on first arrival.

Travel Extras

Need a SIM?Need a hotel?Need bag storage?

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Local Tips

  • The South Terminal closed permanently on 31 March 2026. If an older guide or booking confirmation references it, ignore that — every commercial flight now uses the Barbara Jordan Terminal.
  • Route 20 runs to downtown and the University of Texas campus. Tell the driver your destination when you board; the bus has announcements but the campus stops are easy to miss.
  • The Mobility Assistance Zone (MAZ) gives priority access for wheelchair-accessible vehicles, taxis and rideshare — use it if the walk to the main pickup zone isn't workable.
  • Fares are contactless: tap your phone or card on CapMetro. There is no need to buy a paper ticket in advance.
  • The "Journey With AUS" expansion is ongoing through the late 2020s; the Red garage is eventually slated for demolition, so pickup signage may change between visits. Follow current signs over remembered routes.

Tarmyq local tip

Route 20 is the only option that doesn't involve the walk to the Rental Car Center. If you're arriving with a carry-on and heading downtown or to UT, walking straight out of baggage claim to the guitar-shaped shelter is faster end-to-end than the trek to the rideshare zone.