Very disappointing visit to Richmond! (rental car, rent, home)

[Leafygreens]

I'm fairly fortunate enough to work for an airline in which free travel is one of my benefits. My wife and I planned a day trip to RIC for today/Wednesday. We did a fair amount of research of what to do and see on our day there, and a few years prior my wife spent a day there as well, using public transportation. On the airport and the public transport websites it states that the buses runs from the airport to downtown or the historic area of town. So we fly in today and go straight to the info desk just to find out that the city bus only runs to the city at 1630 period! The snarky lady tells us the only way to the city is a $30 each way cab ride. That is highway robbery. She says the only way to catch the bus would be to walk out of the airport, walk on the roadway/entrance of the airport for which there are no sidewalks, then cut through a field until we run into a Chubby's gas station. The walk would be around a mile each way. Is this not the capitol of Virginia? I have NEVER been to any airport in which the only way to the city is a $30 each way cab ride that is only 7 miles, well maybe NYC. Needless to say we went right back to the ticket counter and got seats back home just an hour after arriving. I can't justify that kind of expense for 7 miles. Richmond is not a very tourist friendly city apparently.

[brocco]

i love richmond and i love living here for the most part, but yea our public transportation system is awful. i wouldn't ride on a bus if you paid me- not like they go anywhere useful. a car (rental car?) is a necessity. cabs are not only stupidly expensive, they also have a tendency to not show up or show up like an hour late. i have a "personal cab driver" i call when i get too drunk to drive haha.

[hgnmx]

I have to admit I couldn't help but crack a slight laugh at this. This is definitely something that would happen in Richmond. We residents have been complaining about the lack of public transit for years. Sorry about your awful and brief experience in Richmond.

[ettagrl]

Richmond is not a cab city ... You rarely even see a taxi cab, so it's not surprising to me that they are expensive. It makes me smile (in a teasing way!) that you can justify a round trip flight at your employer's expense for hundreds of miles (at no cost to you), but not the cab fare. I agree that we need to do more with our public transportation, but if there were truly a great demand for public transportation from the airport, I suspect they would be running an earlier bus ...

[Leafygreens]

I\We fly standby. I only get a seat as long as one is empty. It essentially only cost my employer a dollar or two of extra fuel burn for me to fly.

[Tiger Beer]

Originally Posted by Leafygreens

I'm fairly fortunate enough to work for an airline in which free travel is one of my benefits. My wife and I planned a day trip to RIC for today/Wednesday. We did a fair amount of research of what to do and see on our day there, and a few years prior my wife spent a day there as well, using public transportation. On the airport and the public transport websites it states that the buses runs from the airport to downtown or the historic area of town. So we fly in today and go straight to the info desk just to find out that the city bus only runs to the city at 1630 period! The snarky lady tells us the only way to the city is a $30 each way cab ride. That is highway robbery. She says the only way to catch the bus would be to walk out of the airport, walk on the roadway/entrance of the airport for which there are no sidewalks, then cut through a field until we run into a Chubby's gas station. The walk would be around a mile each way. Is this not the capitol of Virginia? I have NEVER been to any airport in which the only way to the city is a $30 each way cab ride that is only 7 miles, well maybe NYC. Needless to say we went right back to the ticket counter and got seats back home just an hour after arriving. I can't justify that kind of expense for 7 miles. Richmond is not a very tourist friendly city apparently.

Why not just rent a car? You can't really say your 'visit' was disappointing, because you didn't actualy visit anything.

That being said, it does sound like public transportation is fairly awful, but I think that's consistently true with much of the United States, unfortunately. It's just not a well-developed country within that capacity.

[richmondpics]

I agree Richmond does a poor job of accommodating tourism. I just spent a few days in Boston and was very impressed with the ease at which a visitor could navigate the city (bigger cities usually are easier, but still).

If it were me, I probably would have just taken a cab to the closest bus stop which would have been much cheaper. Still, doesn't leave the best first impression for those wanting to visit our area.

[snatale1]

Richmond's public transit system is a joke, no question.

Originally Posted by richmondpics

I agree Richmond does a poor job of accommodating tourism. I just spent a few days in Boston and was very impressed with the ease at which a visitor could navigate the city (bigger cities usually are easier, but still).

If the T impressed you.....your easy to impress (I'm from there)

[richmondpics]

The T was a dump (it's very old), but it worked. And I think the City had good way-finding signage and transit connectivity.

[Mandy612]

the airport has groome transportation and i think they can drive you to the door of your destination. i have to admit, the richmond area does need public transportation. buses that run along major streets, my friends grandmother has to rely on her for everything because she doesnt drive.

there is a majority of people who dontdrive or cant. public transportation is a necessity for them. and it would cost alot to make it happen but there would be financial gain in it as well. charge $1or 2 dollars with a transfer or unlimited travel card like they do in other cities. this needs to happen.

i live in chesterfield county so buses going up and down courthouse rd, midlo tpke, hull st, charter colony, lucks lane, iron bridge rd, and many more streets would be an awesome gain to this place.