Getting around · Portland
Getting to and from PDX: taxi, rideshare, transit & the cell-phone lot
The quickest way to Portland airport is usually a taxi or a rideshare: a taxi runs about $35–$45 to Downtown Portland, and Uber & Lyft pick up in a marked pickup zone. Picking someone up instead? Wait free at the PDX 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 PDX TSA wait times today before you decide when to leave.
- Terminal
- 1
- Checkpoints
- 3
- PreCheck
- Yes
- CLEAR
- Yes
- Global Entry
- On site
- Wait data
- Predicted
Taxis from PDX — fare and where to find the stand
Typical taxi fare
~$35–$45
to Downtown Portland
Drive time
15–35 min
12 mi to Downtown Portland
A taxi is the simplest door-to-door option and needs no app. Expect about $35–$45 to Downtown Portland on the meter, before tolls and tip — more in heavy traffic.
Taxis stage at the Transportation Plaza on Level 1 of the Short-Term Parking garage (Island 2), a short covered walk from baggage claim; wheelchair-accessible taxis can be arranged at the upper Departures level on request. Metered, with no airport flat rate; a typical trip to downtown Portland runs about $35-$45 before tip (Uber/Lyft are usually $15-$20 cheaper).
The PDX cell-phone waiting lot
Picking someone up? Wait free at PDX Cell Phone Lot. Off NE Airport Way and NE 82nd Ave, about a 3-minute drive from the terminal; free, roughly 30 spaces. There's a posted limit of about 30 minutes, so wait there until your traveler has their bags and is at the curb. From NE Airport Way head to NE 82nd Ave and follow the signed Cell Phone Lot; free for up to 30 minutes and you must remain with your vehicle.
Leaving a car for the trip instead of getting dropped off? It's worth checking the lots: compare PDXparking by price & distance.
Where to catch Uber & Lyft at PDX
Uber, Lyft and Wingz pick up at the Transportation Plaza on Level 1 of the Short-Term Parking garage (Island 2); garage columns are labeled with each provider's pickup point. Since the Transportation Plaza opened, rideshare AND taxis connect with riders inside Level 1 of the Short-Term garage, not on the terminal roadway - walk across from baggage claim to the plaza.
Dropping off? Drop off on the upper/Departures roadway; the lower roadway is used for evening pickups. Curb is for active loading only. Portlandhas a single terminal, so there's no wrong-curb risk — any door gets you to check-in and security.
Driving to PDX — routes & drive time
PDX sits about 12 miles from Downtown Portland, a drive of roughly 15–35 minutes via I-205 S to I-84 W (Banfield Expressway) into Downtown Portland; NE Airport Way is the local alternate — 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 PDX by train or transit
By rail, your option is MAX Red Line — figure about 40 minutes to Downtown Portland. The TriMet MAX Red Line boards just outside baggage claim on the lower roadway and runs directly into downtown Portland in about 40 minutes, with trains every 15 minutes. It's $2.80 for an adult - just tap your card, phone, or Hop card.
Fare: $2.80 adult one-way on MAX (a 2.5-hour ticket); $1.40 reduced (Honored Citizen/Youth). Tap a credit/debit card, phone, or Hop card to ride.
Hotel and city shuttles to PDX
Hotel courtesy shuttles use the lower roadway/Transportation Plaza; a free PDX parking shuttle runs to the economy lots every 7-9 minutes (4 a.m.-midnight). 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 PDX?
Here's the math. Parking starts around $12/day, while a round-trip taxi or rideshare to Downtown Portland runs about $80. So a round trip by car comes out ahead once you're away more than about 7 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 PDXparking by price & distance — the closest lot isn't always the one that costs the least.
Accessibility and late-night rides at PDX
Wheelchair-accessible taxis via PDX WAV (503-865-4928 / 503-865-4WAV), available 24/7; accessible rideshare and curbside ADA pickup are available on request at the Transportation Plaza.
Late or overnight arrival? The MAX Red Line runs roughly 4:45 a.m.-11:50 p.m.; outside those hours use the 24/7 taxis or rideshare from the Transportation Plaza.
Returning a rental on the way out? PDX Rental Car Center on Level 1, connected to the terminal by skybridge and walkways - return your car there and walk back. (We cover where to return a car, not where to book one.)
Recently changed: Rideshare and taxis now use the Transportation Plaza on Level 1 of the Short-Term garage (no longer the terminal roadway); the rebuilt PDX main terminal opened in 2024; the MAX adult fare is $2.80. Pickup zones and curb rules change — we verified PDX's ground-transport details as of June 27, 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 EUG (Eugene), about 106 miles from PDX 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 PDX — check current waits before switching airports.
Before you go PDX
PDX TSA wait times todaySee today's security wait by checkpoint, then time your ride to the airport.Getting-around FAQ PDX
How much is a taxi to or from PDX?
A metered taxi to Downtown Portland typically runs about $35–$45, before tolls and tip and more in heavy traffic. Taxis stage at the Transportation Plaza on Level 1 of the Short-Term Parking garage (Island 2), a short covered walk from baggage claim; wheelchair-accessible taxis can be arranged at the upper Departures level on request.
Where do you catch Uber and Lyft at PDX?
Uber, Lyft and Wingz pick up at the Transportation Plaza on Level 1 of the Short-Term Parking garage (Island 2); garage columns are labeled with each provider's pickup point. Since the Transportation Plaza opened, rideshare AND taxis connect with riders inside Level 1 of the Short-Term garage, not on the terminal roadway - walk across from baggage claim to the plaza. Open the app after you land and follow its pickup pin, not the curb out front.
Where is the PDX cell-phone lot?
PDX Cell Phone Lot — Off NE Airport Way and NE 82nd Ave, about a 3-minute drive from the terminal; free, roughly 30 spaces. It's free, and you wait there until your traveler texts that they have their bags.
How far is PDX from Downtown Portland?
PDX is about 12 miles from Downtown Portland — roughly 15–35 minutes by car depending on traffic, via I-205 S to I-84 W (Banfield Expressway) into Downtown Portland; NE Airport Way is the local alternate.
Is there a train from PDX to Downtown Portland?
Yes. The TriMet MAX Red Line boards just outside baggage claim on the lower roadway and runs directly into downtown Portland in about 40 minutes, with trains every 15 minutes. It's $2.80 for an adult - just tap your card, phone, or Hop card.