Rideshare & Ground Transport

Uber & Lyft Pickup at Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport

Rideshare pickup at MSP is not always at the arrivals curb — most airports now route Uber and Lyft to a dedicated lot or garage. Here is exactly where to go, how to get there, and how to keep the fare reasonable.

Diagram of an airport rideshare pickup lot with numbered stalls and the walking path from arrivals. — Most airports route Uber and Lyft to a dedicated pickup lot or garage rather than the arrivals curb.

Where to get picked up at MSP

UUber Pickup Zone

Terminal 1: Ground Transportation Center Zones A, B, or C (one level below Departures Drive). Terminal 2: Purple Parking Ramp ground level.

LLyft Pickup Zone

Terminal 1: Ground Transportation Center same Zones A, B, C. Terminal 2: Purple Parking Ramp ground level.

Diagram showing the upper departures curb and the lower arrivals level where rides wait. — Pickup and drop-off often sit on different curb levels — arrivals below, departures above — so follow signs to the right level.

In the app

Select 'Terminal 1' or 'Terminal 2' in the app; T1 riders descend to the Ground Transportation Center one level below Departures

How to find the rideshare zone

Terminal 1: take elevator or stairs down one level from Departures Drive following 'Ground Transportation Center' signs to Zones A–C. Terminal 2: cross the street from the arrivals curb to the Purple Parking Ramp ground level.

Cell Phone Lot

Cell Phone Lots: East at 4921 Post Rd and West at 4211 Post Rd, St. Paul — follow airport signs; 3–5 min to either terminal. Cell phone lot details →

Avoiding surge pricing at MSP

When surge peaks: Surge peaks Friday 4–8pm, Sunday 4–8pm, Vikings/Twins/Wild/Timberwolves game nights; winter weather delays compress arrivals and spike prices November–March.

Wait tip

The new T1 Ground Transportation Center has ~50 spaces across three zones; check your app for which zone (A, B, or C) your driver is assigned before heading down.

Compare your options

Rideshare is usually the fastest door-to-door option, but it is not always the cheapest — especially during surge.

Option	Best for	Watch out for
Rideshare Uber / Lyft	Door-to-door convenience, groups with bags, no cash needed	Surge pricing on busy evenings & events; long walk to pickup lot
Taxi Metered cab	Predictable metered fare during surge, no app required	Often more expensive off-peak; cash sometimes required
Transit Train / bus	Lowest cost option, immune to surge pricing and traffic	Not available at every airport; less practical with luggage

For full ground-transport options at MSP including rental cars and public transit, see the MSP Getting Around guide.

Know exactly when to leave for MSP

Add your rideshare pickup time to the Leave-By calculator — it factors in current TSA wait times, so you hit the zone with time to spare.

Calculate leave-by time →