Getting around · Providence
Getting to and from PVD: taxi, rideshare, transit & the cell-phone lot
The quickest way to Providence airport is usually a taxi or a rideshare: a taxi runs about $20–$30 to Downtown Providence, and Uber & Lyft pick up in a marked pickup zone. Picking someone up? Note that PVD has no posted cell-phone waiting lot, so plan your loop to the curb. 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 PVD TSA wait times today before you decide when to leave.
- Terminal
- 1
- Checkpoint
- 1
- PreCheck
- Yes
- CLEAR
- Yes
- Global Entry
- Off site
- Wait data
- Predicted
Taxis from PVD — fare and where to find the stand
Typical taxi fare
~$20–$30
to Downtown Providence
Drive time
12–22 min
9 mi to Downtown Providence
A taxi is the simplest door-to-door option and needs no app. Expect about $20–$30 to Downtown Providence on the meter, before tolls and tip — more in heavy traffic.
Taxis wait 24 hours a day at designated stands outside the terminal. A one-way taxi to downtown Providence runs about $25.
The PVD cell-phone waiting lot
PVD doesn't post a dedicated cell-phone waiting lot. Meet arriving passengers curbside on the arrivals level; use the short-term garage if you need to wait, as free curbside waiting is not allowed.The safest move is to wait off-site and time your loop to the curb so you're not circling.
Leaving a car for the trip instead of getting dropped off? It's worth checking the lots: compare PVDparking by price & distance.
Where to catch Uber & Lyft at PVD
Uber and Lyft pick up along the commercial roadway in front of the terminal.
Dropping off? Drop off departing passengers on the upper departures roadway in front of the terminal. Providencehas a single terminal, so there's no wrong-curb risk — any door gets you to check-in and security.
Driving to PVD — routes & drive time
PVD sits about 9 miles from Downtown Providence, a drive of roughly 12–22 minutes via Airport Connector to I-95 north into downtown Providence — 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 PVD by train or transit
By rail, your option is Providence/Stoughton Line — figure about 20 minutes to Downtown Providence. The MBTA Providence/Stoughton commuter rail stops at the T.F. Green Airport station, reached by the 1,250-foot InterLink skywalk with moving walkways; trains run to downtown Providence and north to Boston, and RIPTA buses 1, 20 and 66 also stop at the terminal roadway.
Fare: Fare to Providence is about $2.40.
Hotel and city shuttles to PVD
Hotel and shared-ride shuttles serve the terminal; the InterLink skywalk connects the terminal to the train station, garage and rental cars. 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 PVD?
Here's the math. Parking starts around $9/day, while a round-trip taxi or rideshare to Downtown Providence runs about $50. So a round trip by car comes out ahead once you're away more than about 6 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 PVDparking by price & distance — the closest lot isn't always the one that costs the least.
Accessibility and late-night rides at PVD
MBTA trains, RIPTA buses and the InterLink skywalk are wheelchair accessible, and accessible taxis are available on request.
Late or overnight arrival? The terminal is open 24 hours; MBTA and RIPTA service is limited overnight, so plan a taxi or rideshare late at night.
Returning a rental on the way out? Return rental cars at the InterLink facility, 700 Jefferson Boulevard, connected to the terminal by the skywalk. (We cover where to return a car, not where to book one.)
Pickup zones and curb rules change — we verified PVD'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 BOS (Boston), about 49 miles from PVD 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 PVD — check current waits before switching airports.
Before you go PVD
PVD TSA wait times todaySee today's security wait by checkpoint, then time your ride to the airport.Getting-around FAQ PVD
How much is a taxi to or from PVD?
A metered taxi to Downtown Providence typically runs about $20–$30, before tolls and tip and more in heavy traffic. Taxis wait 24 hours a day at designated stands outside the terminal.
Where do you catch Uber and Lyft at PVD?
Uber and Lyft pick up along the commercial roadway in front of the terminal. Open the app after you land and follow its pickup pin, not the curb out front.
Where is the PVD cell-phone lot?
PVD doesn't have a posted cell-phone waiting lot. Meet arriving passengers curbside on the arrivals level; use the short-term garage if you need to wait, as free curbside waiting is not allowed.
How far is PVD from Downtown Providence?
PVD is about 9 miles from Downtown Providence — roughly 12–22 minutes by car depending on traffic, via Airport Connector to I-95 north into downtown Providence.
Is there a train from PVD to Downtown Providence?
Yes. The MBTA Providence/Stoughton commuter rail stops at the T.F. Green Airport station, reached by the 1,250-foot InterLink skywalk with moving walkways; trains run to downtown Providence and north to Boston, and RIPTA buses 1, 20 and 66 also stop at the terminal roadway.