Getting around · Orlando · SFB
Getting to and from SFB: taxi, rideshare, transit & the cell-phone lot
The quickest way to Orlando · SFB airport is usually a taxi or a rideshare: a metered taxi gets you to Downtown Orlando, and Uber & Lyft pick up in a marked pickup zone. Picking someone up instead? Wait free at the Cell Phone Waiting Area. 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 SFB TSA wait times today before you decide when to leave.
- Terminal
- 1
- Checkpoint
- 1
- PreCheck
- Yes
- CLEAR
- No
- Global Entry
- On site
- Wait data
- Predicted
Taxis from SFB — fare and where to find the stand
Typical taxi fare
Metered
to Downtown Orlando
Drive time
30–50 min
24 mi to Downtown Orlando
A taxi is the simplest door-to-door option and needs no app. Fares to Downtown Orlando are on the meter, so the total depends on traffic and your exact address.
The taxi stand is outside baggage claim, with metered fares plus applicable fees. Metered taxis serve the terminal, and shared shuttles and private cars run to the Orlando theme-park area.
The SFB cell-phone waiting lot
Picking someone up? Wait free at Cell Phone Waiting Area. Near the airport entrance; wait there rather than circling or paying to park. Wait there until your traveler texts that they're at the curb, then loop in once. Wait until your passenger reaches baggage claim, then pull to the pickup zone across from Baggage Claim areas 1-3.
Leaving a car for the trip instead of getting dropped off? It's worth checking the lots: compare SFBparking by price & distance.
Where to catch Uber & Lyft at SFB
Uber, Lyft, taxis, and pre-arranged shuttles pick up at the Ground Transportation Center directly across from Baggage Claim areas 1-3. Sanford (SFB) is a separate airport from Orlando International (MCO), so confirm your ride is booked to SFB.
Dropping off? Drop off at the departures curb outside the terminal. Orlando · SFBhas a single terminal, so there's no wrong-curb risk — any door gets you to check-in and security.
Driving to SFB — routes & drive time
SFB sits about 24 miles from Downtown Orlando, a drive of roughly 30–50 minutes via SR-417 and I-4 southwest toward Orlando; downtown Sanford is about 4 miles away — 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 SFB by train or transit
No rail or bus stops at the terminal; the nearest LYNX bus (Link 46E) stops about two miles away at Airport Boulevard and SR-46, and SunRail's Sanford station is a short drive away.
Hotel and city shuttles to SFB
Shared-ride shuttles and private car services run to Orlando-area resorts and theme parks, and some hotels offer courtesy pickup. 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 SFB?
The rule of thumb: a round-trip ride is one fixed cost, while parking adds up by the day. For a quick 1–2 day trip, parking usually costs less; for a longer trip, a round-trip taxi or rideshare often comes out ahead.
Want the exact trade-off for your dates? compare SFBparking by price & distance — the closest lot isn't always the one that costs the least.
Accessibility and late-night rides at SFB
Accessible vans can be arranged through taxi and shuttle operators, and LYNX buses are wheelchair accessible.
Late or overnight arrival? Rideshare and taxis operate around flights, many of them off-peak charters; public buses do not run to the terminal late at night.
Returning a rental on the way out? Return rental cars at the on-airport rental facility near the terminal. (We cover where to return a car, not where to book one.)
Pickup zones and curb rules change — we verified SFB'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 MCO (Orlando), about 24 miles from SFB 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 SFB — check current waits before switching airports.
Before you go SFB
SFB TSA wait times todaySee today's security wait by checkpoint, then time your ride to the airport.Getting-around FAQ SFB
How much is a taxi to or from SFB?
Taxis to Downtown Orlando are metered, so the fare depends on traffic and the exact address. The taxi stand is outside baggage claim, with metered fares plus applicable fees.
Where do you catch Uber and Lyft at SFB?
Uber, Lyft, taxis, and pre-arranged shuttles pick up at the Ground Transportation Center directly across from Baggage Claim areas 1-3. Sanford (SFB) is a separate airport from Orlando International (MCO), so confirm your ride is booked to SFB. Open the app after you land and follow its pickup pin, not the curb out front.
Where is the SFB cell-phone lot?
Cell Phone Waiting Area — Near the airport entrance; wait there rather than circling or paying to park. It's free, and you wait there until your traveler texts that they have their bags.
How far is SFB from Downtown Orlando?
SFB is about 24 miles from Downtown Orlando — roughly 30–50 minutes by car depending on traffic, via SR-417 and I-4 southwest toward Orlando; downtown Sanford is about 4 miles away.
Is there a train from SFB to Downtown Orlando?
Not directly. No rail or bus stops at the terminal; the nearest LYNX bus (Link 46E) stops about two miles away at Airport Boulevard and SR-46, and SunRail's Sanford station is a short drive away.