Albuquerque (ABQ): the bus is free, the express to the train is suspended, and six holidays have none
ABQ RIDE charges nothing on any service, and Route 50 serves the Sunport. Route 250, the express the airport still points you to for the Rail Runner, is suspended. On six city holidays there is no bus at all, and the airport and the transit department disagree about Sunday.
- Every ABQ RIDE service is free. The city adopted zero fares and no longer charges to ride, buses and the ART lines included.
- Route 50 Airport / Downtown is the Sunport bus.
- The stop is on the lower level, at the west end of the shuttle island. Look for the bus stop signs; it is not on the arrivals kerb.
- Route 250, the weekday express, is suspended. The airport's own page says so, and then still tells you to use Route 50 or Route 250 for the Rail Runner connection.
- The airport says Route 50 runs weekdays and Saturday. ABQ RIDE lists it for Saturday and Sunday too and publishes three separate timetables, weekday, Saturday and Sunday. The two city pages disagree, so check before relying on a Sunday bus.
- There is no bus service at all on six city holidays: New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.
- There is no train at the Sunport. The Rail Runner to Santa Fe is reached by bus from the airport.
- Rail Runner fares are zonal: 2 dollars for one zone up to 10 dollars for all six, over a 100 mile corridor from Santa Fe to Belen. Day passes are cheaper bought on the app than on board.
- Ride-hailing pickup is Door 7 on the bag claim level.
- Taxis are at Door 2 on the bag claim level. ABQ Metro Taxi 505-450-8580, Green Cab 505-243-6800, zTrip 505-247-8888.
- There is no scheduled shared shuttle to Santa Fe on the airport's list, only door-to-door charters: RoadRunner on 505-424-3367, Taos Rides on 575-613-3256.
- Wheelchair accessible vans need 24 hours' notice, Accessible Vans of America on 877-501-8267.
- ABQ RIDE customer service is 505-243-RIDE (7433).
The bus costs nothing, which is the first thing guides get wrong
- ABQ RIDE has adopted a zero fares programme and no longer charges to ride. That covers the fixed routes and the ART lines. There is no ticket to buy, no exact change to find and no pass to validate.
- The Sunport route is Route 50, Airport / Downtown. At the airport it does not stop on the arrivals kerb: the city says the #50 is on the lower level at the west end of the shuttle island, marked with bus stop signs.
The express to the train is suspended, and the airport still recommends it
- The Sunport's ground transportation page carries the line "Route 250 (weekdays only) has been temporarily suspended", and a few lines further down tells you the shuttle between the Sunport and the Rail Runner stations is provided by ABQ RIDE on "Route 50 or Route 250".
- Use Route 50. There is no rail at the airport, so the Rail Runner to Santa Fe is a bus ride away whichever way you cut it.
- Rail Runner fares are zone based over the 100 mile Santa Fe to Belen corridor: one zone 2 dollars, two zones 3, three zones 5, four zones 8, five zones 9, six zones 10. Day passes run 3 to 11 dollars bought on board and 2 to 10 dollars on the app or online, so buy before boarding.
Sunday, and the six days with no bus
- The airport says Route 50 runs "weekdays and Saturday". ABQ RIDE's own route table shows Saturday and Sunday availability for Route 50 and publishes three timetables for it: weekday, Saturday and Sunday. Both are City of Albuquerque pages and they do not agree. Assume a Sunday bus probably exists but confirm it on 505-243-RIDE before you plan a connection around it.
- On six City observed holidays there is no ABQ RIDE bus service at all: New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. On those days the airport has no public transport, full stop.
Taxis, apps and Santa Fe
- On the bag claim level, Door 7 is ride-hailing pickup and Door 2 is taxis. The doors are numbered; use them rather than wandering the kerb.
- Permitted taxi firms include ABQ Metro Taxi 505-450-8580, Green Cab 505-243-6800 and zTrip 505-247-8888.
- For Santa Fe, the airport's list carries no scheduled shared shuttle, only door-to-door private charters: RoadRunner Charter & Private Ride 505-424-3367 to Santa Fe, Los Alamos and Espanola, and Taos Rides 575-613-3256 for Santa Fe and Taos. Book ahead rather than expecting a shuttle desk.
- Wheelchair accessible vans must be booked at least 24 hours ahead, subject to availability, through Accessible Vans of America on 877-501-8267.
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