Direct access to Monterey is provided from San Jose and San Francisco via Highway 156 off State Route 101. Access from Los Angeles is achieved via State Route 101 and Highway 68. Monterey Peninsula Airport, 3.5 miles from downtown Monterey, provides passenger service from Monterey with non-stop flights to Los Angeles, San Francisco and Phoenix, with connections to 200 domestic and foreign locations. Airlines serving Monterey include American/American Eagle, United/United Express, and America West/America Express. Five major car rental companies operate from the airport. Monterey Salinas Transit buses (Route 21) also service the airport.
The Monterey-Salinas Airbus provides 11 trips daily to the San Jose and San Francisco international airports from downtown Monterey. Pick up service is available from hotels and private homes. Greyhound Lines offers regular bus service to northern and southern California.
Five taxi companies operate in Monterey County. The Monterey-Salinas Transit (MST) operates 84 buses on 32 routes, and covers the Monterey Peninsula and Salinas Valley. MST provides rural transit service to Carmel Valley and seasonal service to Big Sur. Its Waterfront Area Visitors Express (WAVE) Shuttle Service provides low-cost transportation to the Monterey Bay Aquarium and other waterfront areas.