Getting Here, Getting Around
Transportation has always been important to Omaha: The Omaha riverfront was the starting point for the First Transcontinental Railroad. Union Pacific has been headquartered here since it began in 1867. In 1872 the company opened the first bridge across the Missouri River to Omaha, and the historic Overland Route continues to run through Omaha today. Eppley Airfield started operating in 1940, though air travel didn’t become popular in Omaha until the 1960s. Today, Omaha’s airport handles about 400 flights a week and handled more than 4.4 million passengers in 2007. Omaha is the primary gateway to the state for out-of-state travelers. Omaha’s Eppley Airfield is the state’s largest airport, and plays host to a wide variety of commercial airlines as well as some private jet services. Shuttle buses, car services, and vans all offer options to get passengers to destinations around Omaha and to Lincoln.
Lincoln has a small but busy airport that cooperates with Eppley on transporting travelers between the two destinations.
The two metro areas are about an hour apart by car, and the quick 50-mile drive means that professionals often commute between the two destinations on a daily basis for work. The easiest way to get back and forth between Lincoln and Omaha is via I-80; the drive is a straight shot southwest and takes drivers over the Platte River and past a number of tourist attractions, including Mahoney State Park, Quarry Oaks Golf Course, and the Strategic Air and Space Museum.
The drive between Omaha and Lincoln is primarily flat—mostly farmland—and is a pretty spot-on picture of what most people think Nebraska looks like. While it’s true eastern Nebraska is primarily flat, once you continue west on I-80 and head a bit north, the state’s landscape changes drastically and is made of steep bluffs and buttes and rolling grasslands known as the Sandhills. Sunsets in Nebraska are breathtaking, and if you find yourself driving at dusk or dawn, you’ll be stunned by the beauty of the prairie sky.
Overview
Lincoln and Omaha are driving destinations. The two cities—both in the heart of the Midwest—are close to the eastern edge of the state and on its most populous end, meaning that most people traveling in and out of Nebraska enter and exit through one of the two.
City: Omaha, NE
Category: Getting Here, Getting Around
Address: 4501 Abbott Dr.
2. Lincoln Airport
City: Omaha, NE
Category: Getting Here, Getting Around
Telephone: (402) 458-2480
Description: The Lincoln Airport is smaller, and two commercial airlines operate here: Delta/Northwest and United Express. Located in the northeast corner of the city, the airport offers 7 shuttle buses from Lincoln to other Nebraska communities. Both Duncan Aviation and Silverhawk Aviation operate private and charter flights in and outside of Lincoln. A food court and lounge, wireless Internet, and a number of major rental car companies are all on-site.
3. Airtran (Via Skywest)
City: Omaha, NE
Category: Getting Here, Getting Around
Telephone: (800) 247-8726
4. Duncan Aviation
City: Omaha, NE
Category: Getting Here, Getting Around
Telephone: (402) 475-2611
Description: Omaha and Lincoln are driving towns, and especially if a traveler will go between the two metros, a car is the easiest way to get around. Many of the area’s major attractions are several miles apart, and, again, driving is easiest. Car rental desks are located in the baggage claim areas of both Eppley and the Lincoln Airport.
5. Alamo
City: Omaha, NE
Category: Getting Here, Getting Around
Telephone: (800) 462-5266
Description: There are a number of shuttle options that operate in both Omaha and Lincoln and between the two cities. Shuttle companies provide ground transport to a number of destinations, and courtesy shuttles run between the terminal and the long-term parking lots on a regular daily schedule. A number of local hotels offer courtesy shuttles to and from lodging and the airport, and a few even operate shuttles to take guests to tourist attractions in the neighborhood surrounding the hotel.
6. A&B Shuttle
City: Omaha, NE
Category: Getting Here, Getting Around
Telephone: (877) 359-6624
Description: A&B offers bus and limousine service from Omaha, Lincoln, and Sarpy County. Airport shuttle reservations are required 24 hours in advance and the service takes reservations during regular business hours Monday through Saturday by phone or fax. They also have an online reservation system. A&B does provide limited service on holidays; call for availability. Price for a ride generally runs between $16 and $42, and A&B charges flat rates depending on zones. Price is determined also by the number of passengers and the time of day. The service charges a fee for cancellation on all confirmed reservations; the fee changes depending on how close to the departure time the reservation is cancelled.
7. Black Tie Limousine & Shuttle Service
City: Omaha, NE
Category: Getting Here, Getting Around
Telephone: (800) 938-2608
Description: Black Tie Limousine and Shuttle caters to business travelers, and will shuttle professionals to and from the Omaha, Sioux City, and Sioux Falls airports and between multiple business locations, if necessary. The family-owned business has been operating for more than 15 years.
8. Dashabout Roadrunner Shuttle
City: Omaha, NE
Category: Getting Here, Getting Around
Telephone: (800) 720-3274
Description: The DashAbout shuttle offers rural transportation in Colorado, Nebraska, Wyoming, and Kansas. It operates metro airport shuttles in both Omaha and Lincoln and has “town taxis” in Sidney and Columbus (both in Nebraska). Reservations are required and can be made Mon through Fri from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. by calling the number above. Vans run on three different routes through Nebraska. The first runs from North Platte, Ogallala, Big Springs, Chappell, and Sindney with flag stops. The second route runs from McCook, Trenton, Benkelman, and Haigler with flag stops. The third runs from Imperial to Denver, Colorado. Reservations are required 24 hours in advance and cancellations are required 48 hours in advance to get a full refund.
City: Omaha, NE
Category: Getting Here, Getting Around
City: Omaha, NE
Category: Getting Here, Getting Around
11. Capital Cab (Lincoln)
City: Omaha, NE
Category: Getting Here, Getting Around
Telephone: (402) 477-6074
Description: Omaha Taxi Dispatch operates four cab companies: Happy, Yellow, Checker, and Cornhusker; and it is the city’s largest transportation authority. Cabs can be hailed for standard rates or hired by the hour for a special rate. Base fare is $1.95 with an additional 30 cents per mile and 30 cents per 43 seconds of a traffic delay. Out of town rates are $2.25 per mile, and a cab for a group rented per hour is $22. For seniors, the rates above the base fare are 15 cents.
12. Omaha Metro Bus System
City: Omaha, NE
Category: Getting Here, Getting Around
Telephone: (402) 341-0800, (402) 341-0807
Description: Metro bus system is the main mode of public transportation in Omaha, and the bus system—recently re-branded, with newly designed buses and exteriors—gives about 3.7 million rides a year. Metro bus passes are available at a number of grocery stores around the Omaha area, and a rider can purchase individual rides on the bus ($1.25) or a prepaid card for a set number of rides at a discounted price. Discounts are offered to students and seniors and children; those under age 5 ride free. Omaha Metro has a number of “park and ride” lots around the city where people can park their vehicle and take a bus across town. All Metro buses have bike racks, and riders can bring their bike free of charge. A transfer on the Metro bus is 5 cents, and must be purchased when the rider pays the fare.
13. Startran
City: Omaha, NE
Category: Getting Here, Getting Around
Telephone: Schedule Info: (402) 476-1234
Description: In Lincoln, the StarTran bus is the city-owned bus transport option and is popular for both students and commuters. Per-ride fare is $1.75 and a 20-ride pass costs $33. Discounts are offered to seniors, and children under age 4 ride free. Transfers are free on the StarTran bus, and passengers should have exact change ready when boarding the bus as drivers are not allowed to give change or handle or deposit fares. If a rider does not have change, he or she will get a change card, which can be used on a future trip. StarTran also offers the HandiVan service, created for individuals who can’t ride the regular city bus. Riders must pre-register for this service and it’s free for eligible riders. Riders can bring a passenger along for $3.50.