Getting around · Albany
Getting to and from ALB: taxi, rideshare, transit & the cell-phone lot
The quickest way to Albany airport is usually a taxi or a rideshare: a metered taxi gets you to Downtown Albany, and Uber & Lyft pick up in a marked pickup zone. Picking someone up instead? Wait free at the Cell Phone Lot. Below: every way to and from the airport, what it costs, whether to park or grab a ride, and how to fold the drive into your Leave-By Time so you reach security with room to get through the line. Check ALB TSA wait times today before you decide when to leave.
- Terminal
- 1
- Checkpoint
- 1
- PreCheck
- Yes
- CLEAR
- No
- Global Entry
- Off site
- Wait data
- Predicted
Taxis from ALB — fare and where to find the stand
Typical taxi fare
Metered
to Downtown Albany
Drive time
12–20 min
7 mi to Downtown Albany
A taxi is the simplest door-to-door option and needs no app. Fares to Downtown Albany are on the meter, so the total depends on traffic and your exact address.
Curbside beneath the terminal's protective canopy. Advantage Taxi (Yellow Cab) dispatches at (518) 434-2222; fares are metered and no flat rate to downtown is published.
The ALB cell-phone waiting lot
Picking someone up? Wait free at Cell Phone Lot. On the right side of Albany-Shaker Road as you approach the airport from I-87; the garage and lots (including this one) are free for the first hour. There's a posted limit of about 60 minutes, so wait there until your traveler has their bags and is at the curb. From I-87 take the airport exit onto Albany-Shaker Road; the cell phone lot is on the right before the terminal.
Leaving a car for the trip instead of getting dropped off? It's worth checking the lots: compare ALBparking by price & distance.
Where to catch Uber & Lyft at ALB
Uber and Lyft drop off in front of the terminal and pick up at the curb outside baggage claim.
Dropping off? Taxis and rideshare use the curb beneath the terminal canopy; the first hour in the garage and lots is free for meeting arrivals. Albanyhas a single terminal, so there's no wrong-curb risk — any door gets you to check-in and security.
Driving to ALB — routes & drive time
ALB sits about 7 miles from Downtown Albany, a drive of roughly 12–20 minutes via I-87 (the Northway) via Albany-Shaker Road, with I-90 close by — closer to the high end at rush hour. That drive time is the first input into your Leave-By Time, so the calculator counts it backward from your flight along with today's security wait and the walk to your gate.
Getting to ALB by train or transit
No rail serves ALB; CDTA Route 737 connects the airport to downtown Albany on weekdays only, with roughly four departures a day.
Fare: $1.50 one-way, exact change paid on board.
Hotel and city shuttles to ALB
Hotel shuttles and the 24/7 Tech Valley Shuttle serve the airport, with details at the Lodging and Transportation Center in Baggage Claim; Adirondack Trailways and Vermont Translines offer intercity bus service. If a shuttle is part of your plan, add its ride time to your Leave-By Time — it's easy to forget the 15–20 minutes between the curb and the terminal.
Park or ride to ALB?
The rule of thumb: a round-trip ride is one fixed cost, while parking adds up by the day. For a quick 1–2 day trip, parking usually costs less; for a longer trip, a round-trip taxi or rideshare often comes out ahead.
Want the exact trade-off for your dates? compare ALBparking by price & distance — the closest lot isn't always the one that costs the least.
Accessibility and late-night rides at ALB
CDTA Route 737 buses are wheelchair accessible and carry bike racks; accessible parking and curbside assistance are available at the terminal.
Late or overnight arrival? CDTA Route 737 runs weekdays only (roughly 7am to 5pm), so Uber, Lyft, or a called taxi are the practical late-night options.
Returning a rental on the way out? On-airport rental counters with returns in the parking garage adjacent to the terminal. (We cover where to return a car, not where to book one.)
Recently changed: CDTA Route 737 schedule and fare can change; confirm with CDTA before travel. Pickup zones and curb rules change — we verified ALB's ground-transport details as of July 1, 2026. Always check the in-app pickup pin and posted signs when you land.
Flying out of a nearby airport instead?
If a fare or a schedule points you elsewhere, the closest airport we cover is BDL (Hartford), about 80 miles from ALB in a straight line. The same math on this page — drive time, ride cost, security wait — decides whether the extra distance is worth it.
Other airports nearby
Straight-line distance from ALB — check current waits before switching airports.
Before you go ALB
ALB TSA wait times todaySee today's security wait by checkpoint, then time your ride to the airport.Getting-around FAQ ALB
How much is a taxi to or from ALB?
Taxis to Downtown Albany are metered, so the fare depends on traffic and the exact address. Curbside beneath the terminal's protective canopy.
Where do you catch Uber and Lyft at ALB?
Uber and Lyft drop off in front of the terminal and pick up at the curb outside baggage claim. Open the app after you land and follow its pickup pin, not the curb out front.
Where is the ALB cell-phone lot?
Cell Phone Lot — On the right side of Albany-Shaker Road as you approach the airport from I-87; the garage and lots (including this one) are free for the first hour. It's free, and you wait there until your traveler texts that they have their bags.
How far is ALB from Downtown Albany?
ALB is about 7 miles from Downtown Albany — roughly 12–20 minutes by car depending on traffic, via I-87 (the Northway) via Albany-Shaker Road, with I-90 close by.
Is there a train from ALB to Downtown Albany?
Not directly. No rail serves ALB; CDTA Route 737 connects the airport to downtown Albany on weekdays only, with roughly four departures a day.