Getting around · Memphis
Getting to and from MEM: taxi, rideshare, transit & the cell-phone lot
The quickest way to Memphis airport is usually a taxi or a rideshare: a taxi runs about $25–$35 to Downtown Memphis, 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 MEM TSA wait times today before you decide when to leave.
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Taxis from MEM — fare and where to find the stand
Typical taxi fare
~$25–$35
to Downtown Memphis
Drive time
15–25 min
10 mi to Downtown Memphis
A taxi is the simplest door-to-door option and needs no app. Expect about $25–$35 to Downtown Memphis on the meter, before tolls and tip — more in heavy traffic.
Taxi rank in front of Terminal B baggage claim; coordinator staffs the Taxi Booth from 5:30am to last flight. Yellow Cab is the primary provider; accessible vehicles available on request. ~$25-35 to downtown.
The MEM cell-phone waiting lot
Picking someone up? Wait free at Cell Phone Lot. TNC staging lot on the right side of the airport entrance road; entering the lot places drivers automatically into the FIFO airport queue. Wait there until your traveler texts that they're at the curb, then loop in once. Free, no posted time limit. Follow airport entry signs to the cell phone lot on the right. Driver must remain with vehicle.
Leaving a car for the trip instead of getting dropped off? It's worth checking the lots: compare MEMparking by price & distance.
Where to catch Uber & Lyft at MEM
Uber and Lyft pick up at the Interim Commercial Curb (ICC) on the arrivals/baggage level. Follow bright orange signage. Terminal reconstruction continues through Q4 2027. Terminal reconstruction is ongoing through Q4 2027; the ICC is a temporary location with orange signage — follow those signs, not older curbside guidance.
Dropping off? Drop off at the Departures level; active loading only. Memphishas a single terminal, so there's no wrong-curb risk — any door gets you to check-in and security.
Driving to MEM — routes & drive time
MEM sits about 10 miles from Downtown Memphis, a drive of roughly 15–25 minutes via Airways Blvd to I-240 east, then I-55/US-61 north into downtown Memphis — 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 MEM by train or transit
No rail serves MEM. Memphis Area Transit Authority (MATA) bus Route 64 stops outside Terminal C baggage claim on the outer drive. Service is limited; check MATA schedules.
Fare: $1 one-way cash on MATA buses.
Hotel and city shuttles to MEM
Pre-arranged shuttles available for Tunica casino destinations and metro Memphis. Rental car shuttles from the Ground Transportation Center below Terminal B. 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 MEM?
Here's the math. Parking starts around $7/day, while a round-trip taxi or rideshare to Downtown Memphis runs about $60. So a round trip by car comes out ahead once you're away more than about 9 days — for a quick trip, parking usually costs less; for a long one, getting a ride does.
Want the exact trade-off for your dates? compare MEMparking by price & distance — the closest lot isn't always the one that costs the least.
Accessibility and late-night rides at MEM
Yellow Cab provides accessible vehicles on request. MATA buses are wheelchair accessible.
Late or overnight arrival? Taxi coordinator staffs to last flight; rideshare operates 24/7. MATA bus service is very limited overnight.
Returning a rental on the way out? Ground Transportation Center below Terminal B; follow Rental Car Return signs. (We cover where to return a car, not where to book one.)
Recently changed: Terminal B/C reconstruction ongoing through Q4 2027; the Interim Commercial Curb (ICC) with orange signage is the active rideshare pickup point. Pickup zones and curb rules change — we verified MEM's ground-transport details as of June 29, 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 LIT (Little Rock), about 129 miles from MEM 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 MEM — check current waits before switching airports.
Before you go MEM
MEM TSA wait times todaySee today's security wait by checkpoint, then time your ride to the airport.Getting-around FAQ MEM
How much is a taxi to or from MEM?
A metered taxi to Downtown Memphis typically runs about $25–$35, before tolls and tip and more in heavy traffic. Taxi rank in front of Terminal B baggage claim; coordinator staffs the Taxi Booth from 5:30am to last flight.
Where do you catch Uber and Lyft at MEM?
Uber and Lyft pick up at the Interim Commercial Curb (ICC) on the arrivals/baggage level. Follow bright orange signage. Terminal reconstruction continues through Q4 2027. Terminal reconstruction is ongoing through Q4 2027; the ICC is a temporary location with orange signage — follow those signs, not older curbside guidance. Open the app after you land and follow its pickup pin, not the curb out front.
Where is the MEM cell-phone lot?
Cell Phone Lot — TNC staging lot on the right side of the airport entrance road; entering the lot places drivers automatically into the FIFO airport queue. It's free, and you wait there until your traveler texts that they have their bags.
How far is MEM from Downtown Memphis?
MEM is about 10 miles from Downtown Memphis — roughly 15–25 minutes by car depending on traffic, via Airways Blvd to I-240 east, then I-55/US-61 north into downtown Memphis.
Is there a train from MEM to Downtown Memphis?
Not directly. No rail serves MEM. Memphis Area Transit Authority (MATA) bus Route 64 stops outside Terminal C baggage claim on the outer drive. Service is limited; check MATA schedules.