⚠️ At Terminal 1, rideshare pickup is on the ticketing (upper) level outside exit 6 — not at baggage claim. Arriving passengers routinely wait on the wrong floor. Confirm your terminal before travelling too: STL's two terminals are far apart, and boarding passes often show only a gate letter.

STL

St. Louis Lambert International Airport

St. Louis, United States

Where to start

MetroLink Red Line / rideshare from the designated terminal zone

Both terminals have their own MetroLink Red Line station — Terminal 1's is at the east end of the ticketing counters, Terminal 2's is reached through the parking garage at exit 12. For rideshare, Terminal 1 pickup is outside exit 6 on the ticketing level, not baggage claim; Terminal 2 pickup is outside exit 12 on arrivals. Taxis are at exit 14 (T1, yellow garage level) and exit 12 (T2 garage).

Ride Options

MetroLink Red Line

transit

Lowest-cost, traffic-proof route into downtown and to the stadium district

AvailabilitySeven days a week, from before 5 a.m. to around 1 a.m.; the Red Line runs from Lambert Terminal 1 through downtown and into Illinois

Pickup NoteT1 — station at the east end of the ticketing counters, outside exit 1. T2 — via exit 12 through the parking garage. Transfer to the Blue Line at Forest Park–DeBaliviere for Clayton and Shrewsbury.

Convenience

Relative costLower cost

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Uber

rideshare

Destinations MetroLink doesn't reach — Clayton, Chesterfield, West County

AvailabilityCommonly available; surges around Cardinals and Blues game nights and convention weekends

Pickup NoteT1 — outside exit 6, ticketing (upper) level. T2 — outside exit 12, arrivals level.

Convenience

Relative costMid cost

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Lyft

rideshare

Alternative rideshare

AvailabilityCommonly available

Pickup NoteSame designated zones as Uber — T1 exit 6 ticketing level, T2 exit 12 arrivals.

Convenience

Relative costMid cost

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St. Louis Licensed Taxi

taxi

No app needed; straightforward for suburban destinations

AvailabilityAvailable at both terminals; an airport use fee applies per pickup

Pickup NoteT1 — exit door 14 to the yellow level of the garage. T2 — outside exit door 12 in the T2 garage.

Convenience

Relative costHigher cost

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SIXT Ride — Pre-booked Airport Transfer

Private Transfer

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

AvailabilityAvailable at St. Louis — 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

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Pickup Guidance

Rideshare

Terminal 1 — outside exit 6 on the ticketing (upper) level. Terminal 2 — outside exit 12 on the arrivals level. The T1 arrangement catches people out; go up, not out, when you land at Terminal 1.

Taxi

Terminal 1 — exit door 14, on the yellow level of the garage. Terminal 2 — outside exit door 12, in the T2 garage. An airport use fee applies per taxi pickup.

Shuttle

A free 24-hour inter-terminal shuttle links Terminal 1 Exit 12 and Terminal 2 Door 10, and also serves the remote parking lots. Rental car customers take a free shuttle to the off-airport facilities from both terminals.

Transit

MetroLink Red Line, with a station at each terminal. Terminal 1's station is at the east end of the ticketing counters, outside exit 1, reached by a corridor on the ticketing level. Terminal 2's is reached via exit 12 through the parking garage, on the upper (departure) level of the T2 garage. Trains run seven days a week from before 5 a.m. to around 1 a.m.

Private Transfer

Pre-booked cars and limousine services can be arranged in advance or on arrival; STL publishes a list of approved operators. Confirm your terminal explicitly — the two are a meaningful drive apart.

Travel Extras

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Local Tips

MetroLink reaches downtown, Forest Park, the Saint Louis Zoo and Busch Stadium, but it does not serve Clayton, Chesterfield, Creve Coeur or most western suburban corporate campuses. Check your destination against the line before committing.
The free terminal shuttle runs around the clock between Terminal 1 Exit 12 and Terminal 2 Door 10 — useful if you're collected at the wrong terminal.
Terminal 2's MetroLink station is on the upper level of the parking garage — a ramp and stairs lead to the lift and platform. It is not obvious from arrivals.
STL is planning a single consolidated terminal on the Terminal 1 site. Nothing changes for arrivals yet, but signage and layouts may shift over the coming years.
British Airways began London Heathrow service in April 2026, giving STL two transatlantic routes for the first time in decades — international arrivals clear customs on the lower arrivals level.
MetroBus and long-distance coach services use the separate Bus Port south of Terminal 1, reached by a tunnel on the yellow level of the T1 garage or by the inter-terminal shuttle — not from the terminal curb.

Tarmyq local tip

The Terminal 1 rideshare zone being on the ticketing level is the one thing worth remembering here. If you land at T1 and walk straight out of baggage claim looking for your driver, you're on the wrong floor — go up first.