Getting around · Palm Springs
Getting to and from PSP: taxi, rideshare, transit & the cell-phone lot
The quickest way to Palm Springs airport is usually a taxi or a rideshare: a taxi runs a flat $25 to Downtown Palm Springs, 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 PSP TSA wait times today before you decide when to leave.
- Terminal
- 1
- Checkpoints
- 3
- PreCheck
- Yes
- CLEAR
- Yes
- Global Entry
- Off site
- Wait data
- Predicted
Taxis from PSP — fare and where to find the stand
Typical taxi fare
Flat ~$25
to Downtown Palm Springs
Drive time
5–12 min
2 mi to Downtown Palm Springs
A taxi is the simplest door-to-door option and needs no app. The fare to Downtown Palm Springs is a flat $25 before tolls and tip.
Taxis may charge a maximum $25 flat fare for trips from PSP including airport fees; trips beyond four miles switch to the meter after the fourth mile.
Taxis stage at the Ground Transportation Center; call an operator if none are waiting. City Cab (760) 328-3000 and Coachella Valley Taxi (760) 992-5337 serve the airport.
The PSP cell-phone waiting lot
Picking someone up? Wait free at Cell Phone Lot. Free cell phone waiting lot on Kirk Douglas Way along the approach to the terminal; drivers must stay with their vehicle. Wait there until your traveler texts that they're at the curb, then loop in once. From Ramon Road turn onto Kirk Douglas Way toward the terminal; airport signage marks the lot before the terminal curb.
Leaving a car for the trip instead of getting dropped off? It's worth checking the lots: compare PSPparking by price & distance.
Where to catch Uber & Lyft at PSP
Uber and Lyft pick up at a designated area at the south end of the terminal, in the commercial lane across from where WestJet operates. Rideshare drop-offs are curbside in front of the terminal, but pickups are at the separate south-end rideshare zone.
Dropping off? Drop off departing passengers curbside in front of the terminal building. Palm Springshas a single terminal, so there's no wrong-curb risk — any door gets you to check-in and security.
Driving to PSP — routes & drive time
PSP sits about 2 miles from Downtown Palm Springs, a drive of roughly 5–12 minutes via El Cielo Road to Tahquitz Canyon Way for downtown Palm Springs — 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 PSP by train or transit
No rail serves the terminal; SunLine buses stop within a short walk, and Amtrak Thruway and Basin Transit buses use the north end of the terminal.
Fare: SunLine base fare is about $1.
Hotel and city shuttles to PSP
Hotel and resort shuttles and shared-ride vans use the Ground Transportation Center; confirm pickup with your provider. 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 PSP?
Here's the math. Parking starts around $11/day, while a round-trip taxi or rideshare to Downtown Palm Springs runs about $50. So a round trip by car comes out ahead once you're away more than about 5 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 PSPparking by price & distance — the closest lot isn't always the one that costs the least.
Accessibility and late-night rides at PSP
SunLine buses are wheelchair accessible and accessible taxis and vans can be arranged on request.
Late or overnight arrival? The terminal serves scheduled flights; SunLine buses run limited hours, so plan a taxi or rideshare late at night.
Returning a rental on the way out? Return rental cars at the on-airport rental counters near the terminal. (We cover where to return a car, not where to book one.)
Pickup zones and curb rules change — we verified PSP's ground-transport details as of July 2, 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 ONT (Ontario), about 65 miles from PSP 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 PSP — check current waits before switching airports.
Before you go PSP
PSP TSA wait times todaySee today's security wait by checkpoint, then time your ride to the airport.Getting-around FAQ PSP
How much is a taxi to or from PSP?
A taxi to Downtown Palm Springs is a flat fare of about $25, before tolls and tip. Taxis may charge a maximum $25 flat fare for trips from PSP including airport fees; trips beyond four miles switch to the meter after the fourth mile. Taxis stage at the Ground Transportation Center; call an operator if none are waiting.
Where do you catch Uber and Lyft at PSP?
Uber and Lyft pick up at a designated area at the south end of the terminal, in the commercial lane across from where WestJet operates. Rideshare drop-offs are curbside in front of the terminal, but pickups are at the separate south-end rideshare zone. Open the app after you land and follow its pickup pin, not the curb out front.
Where is the PSP cell-phone lot?
Cell Phone Lot — Free cell phone waiting lot on Kirk Douglas Way along the approach to the terminal; drivers must stay with their vehicle. It's free, and you wait there until your traveler texts that they have their bags.
How far is PSP from Downtown Palm Springs?
PSP is about 2 miles from Downtown Palm Springs — roughly 5–12 minutes by car depending on traffic, via El Cielo Road to Tahquitz Canyon Way for downtown Palm Springs.
Is there a train from PSP to Downtown Palm Springs?
Not directly. No rail serves the terminal; SunLine buses stop within a short walk, and Amtrak Thruway and Basin Transit buses use the north end of the terminal.