Getting from San Diego cruise pier to airport?

[craig01020]

Good afternoon all!  I'll be cruising out of San Diego for the first time this April on NCL Jewel. Just wondering...what's the best way to get to the airport post-cruise? Looking at a map, the airport looks soooo close! (Almost close enough to walk.)

Thanks.

[CruiserBruce]

"Best" way? Private helicopter or limo with champagne. The way very commonly recommended here? Taxi ($10-12, before tip) or Uber.

[KeepCalmBearOn]

It is almost close enough to walk, but Uber or a taxi is what I'd do.

[craig01020]

32 minutes ago, scottca075 said:

It is almost close enough to walk, but Uber or a taxi is what I'd do.

Yeah, I'd consider walking if there was no luggage involved.

[GTJ]

19 hours ago, craig01020 said:

[W]hat's the best way to get to the airport post-cruise?

Were I to make the trip, I would likely use the route 992 bus, from North Harbor Drive, across the street from the cruise vessel terminal, direct to the airport. The bus operates every 15 minutes, with a regular fare of $2.50 per person (50 percent discount for seniors age 65 and older). http://www.sdmts.com/sites/default/files/routes/pdf/992.pdf

 

If it were a nice day, and I was not unduly burdened with baggage, then I might consider walking. It is just over two miles, not a terribly long walk. Walking out of the terminal, immediately turn left onto North Harbor Drive, and walk to the airport entrance opposite Harbor Island Drive. Good sidewalks along the west side of North Harbor Drive the entire distance.

 

What is "best," of course, varies from person to person, depending on what each of us most prefers.

[KeepCalmBearOn]

44 minutes ago, GTJ said:

Were I to make the trip, I would likely use the route 992 bus....

 

Sorry, I think this is terrible advice to save maybe $5 or $10. Schlepping cruise luggage on and off city buses would be a pain, and possibly not allowed due to size. My cruising suitcase, for example, is too big to meet SDMTS guidelines.

 

https://www.sdmts.com/rider-info/how-ride/rules-riding

 

44 minutes ago, GTJ said:

If it were a nice day, and I was not unduly burdened with baggage, then I might consider walking....

 

I actually have walked from the Terminal at SAN to the Sheraton Harbor Island, where I used to get a killer deal on valet parking. The airport isn't designed for or friendly to pedestrians. I did make it to the Sheraton, but it wasn't easy. Since the advent of Uber, it is cheaper for me to use Uber from my Coronado home to SAN than Parking for anything more than 36 hours.

[ATSEAMYLIFE]

Might look walkable but it isn't, especially with the current parking garage construction.  Uber or taxi is always good.  As a suggestion, in front of the terminal it will be a zoo.  If you can do it walk across Harbor Blvd, or all the way over to Pacific Highway, or down the embarcadero to Brigantine Restaurant and have an Uber pick you up there.   

[GTJ]

6 hours ago, scottca075 said:

Schlepping cruise luggage on and off city buses would be a pain, and possibly not allowed due to size.

I would have to disagree here. I have worked my entire career within the public transportation industry, mostly with local transit bus services, and I, and the industry as a whole, have made great efforts to create a welcoming environment for people taking public transportation to and from airports. The efforts do vary by city, but many do such things as providing interior luggage racks to facilitate the handling of baggage. In the case of San Diego, modest baggage limitations that generally apply are inapplicable to route 992 service to and from the airport. Indeed, it is ordinarily easier rolling baggage into a transit bus compared to lifting and trying to shove baggage into an automobile trunk. It is hurtful not only to the public transportation industry, and all the people who have devoted their careers to doing to, but also to all the communities it serves and the benefits it brings, to have the use of public transportation to and from airports be discouraged.

 

6 hours ago, scottca075 said:

The airport isn't designed for or friendly to pedestrians.

It is true that some airports do a terrible job in making themselves accessible to all. Indeed, the largest airport in the city with the most pedestrians of any city in the United States--New York City--has awful pedestrian access. On the other hand, San Diego is pretty good. Construction does change things, at least on a temporary basis, so at any given time during construction access can be impeded. But even so, it is so encouraging that the airport construction website, http://www.newt1.com, promotes that, upon completion, the "[t]he New T1 will improve transportation and mobility with a new on-airport access road, bicycle lanes, and a pedestrian path, to reduce traffic and improve access to the airport. We’re also dedicating space right outside the terminals to provide a future direct connection to the region’s public transit network." How great is that?!

[KeepCalmBearOn]

58 minutes ago, GTJ said:

I would have to disagree here.

 

Of course you will. But you didn't address the schlepping of bags or modest cost savings and why wait for a bus when you have on demand access to cabs and Uber

 

58 minutes ago, GTJ said:

 the "[t]he New T1 will improve transportation and.....

 

But you've never actually walked to or from Lindbergh.

[ATSEAMYLIFE]

1 hour ago, GTJ said:

It is true that some airports do a terrible job in making themselves accessible to all. Indeed, the largest airport in the city with the most pedestrians of any city in the United States--New York City--has awful pedestrian access. On the other hand, San Diego is pretty good. 

I'm not sure on what you base that statement.  Pedestrian walkways and access at San Diego is horrible if not down right dangerous.  It's been that way for 20 years.  The current construction makes it even worse for both peds and autos.   There's no easy direct walkway to get to Harbor Drive without walking through a bunch of parking lots or weaving around buildings.  In fact, SAN for a major international airport is one of the worse around for anything.  It's old, small, dark, security checkpoints suck, and it's cramped.  Finally getting the trolly there will help as will the new parking structures; until then the quicker you can get in/out the better.    

[LynnSD]

Between the construction, the traffic, and the luggage, that would be one miserable walk.    Stick to Uber or taxi, and once you have dropped your bags, take a nice walk along the Embarcadero, Gaslamp, Little Italy, or Seaport  Village!

[CruiserBruce]

6 hours ago, LynnSD said:

Between the construction, the traffic, and the luggage, that would be one miserable walk.    Stick to Uber or taxi, and once you have dropped your bags, take a nice walk along the Embarcadero, Gaslamp, Little Italy, or Seaport  Village!

Agree...but OP was asking about getting TO the airport.

[GTJ]

12 hours ago, scottca075 said:

But you didn't address the schlepping of bags or modest cost savings and why wait for a bus when you have on demand access to cabs and Uber

One has to "schlep" baggage no matter the means of transportation (unless one is traveling without baggage at all). Cost savings between bus and taxi or TNC vehicle are frequently substantial, though less so if the the distance is short. Rarely will taxi or TNC vehicle be less expensive than bus travel. To travel by taxi or TNC vehicle one typically must either wait and flag down a vehicle, or reserve and wait for a vehicle. If there happens to be a taxi stand with waiting taxis then perhaps there can be an immediate departure, though many times potential passengers have to wait in a queue as the dispatcher handles each person in turn. True, if one feels entitled, or if one desires to shun vehicles shared with others, then there is a true advantage to taxi or TNC vehicle travel. But otherwise, the primary points apply both to transit bus travel and taxi/TNC vehicle travel.

 

12 hours ago, scottca075 said:

But you've never actually walked to or from Lindbergh.

My travel to and from San Diego is generally by railroad, and I walk between the railroad station and the cruise vessel terminal. But if I were to go to the airport, then I would likely consider walking because it is a relatively short walk and doing so would be consistent with my travels generally. I am healthy and without any serious impediments to walking. True, there are many (too many in my view) people who are addicted to driving themselves everyplace, and who might pass out from exhaustion if they had to walk more than 500 feet from their parking space to their destination, as well as a number of people who are anti-pedestrian . . . they're not good candidates for walking between the cruise vessel terminal and the airport. But others who are in reasonable shape might well consider it.

 

12 hours ago, ATSEAMYLIFE said:

Pedestrian walkways and access at San Diego is horrible if not down right dangerous. It's been that way for 20 years. The current construction makes it even worse for both peds and autos.   There's no easy direct walkway to get to Harbor Drive without walking through a bunch of parking lots or weaving around buildings.

What I see at San Diego is actually fairly good and reasonably safe compared to many other airports. Putting immediate construction activity to the side (if only because construction work is temporary and subject to frequent changes), there have long been good walkways and reasonable paths between North Harbor Drive and the airport. I have walked to and from many airports, and overall San Diego is one of the better airports for pedestrian access. Too many airports lack sidewalks between the air passenger terminals and the surrounding streets, but San Diego does well in this regard. The San Diego County Regional Airport Authority itself encourages walking, by highlighting its pedestrian facilities including safety, at http://www.san.org/to-from/Walking-Biking:

 

Walking to the Airport

• A shared-use path for bicyclists and pedestrians – separated from vehicular traffic – connects the airport to Little Italy and downtown San Diego to the east, and to Liberty Station and Point Loma to the west.
• The scenic path runs between the San Diego Bay waterfront and North Harbor Drive and passes through Spanish Landing Park.
• Google Maps features the ability to suggest walking routes to and from the airport
• Crosswalks with traffic signals allow pedestrians to safely cross North Harbor Drive to reach the airport and its adjacent parking lots. Signaled crosswalks are located at the following intersections on North Harbor Drive:

            Rent A Car Access Road to Harbor Island Drive

            Terminal 2 Road

            McCain Road

 

At the Airport

• Pedestrian walkways connect Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 at San Diego International Airport.
• Pedestrian bridges and crosswalks connect the passenger terminals to transportation islands and adjacent parking lots in front of the terminals.

[KeepCalmBearOn]

54 minutes ago, GTJ said:

One has to "schlep" baggage no matter the means of transportation

 

Trying to carry cruise luggage up the steps of a city bus is the very definition of schlepping.

 

When I take a taxi, the driver schleps my bags for me.

 

54 minutes ago, GTJ said:

Cost savings between bus and taxi or TNC vehicle are frequently substantial, though less so if the the distance is short. Rarely will taxi or TNC vehicle be less expensive than bus travel. To travel by taxi or TNC vehicle one typically must either wait and flag down a vehicle,

 

No one said a cab or Uber would be cheaper, but the cost difference for the 2 mile trip is insignificant.

 

54 minutes ago, GTJ said:

My travel to and from San Diego is generally by railroad, and

 

So the answer to the question asked is NO, you have never walked onto or off the property at Lindbergh Field. Brevity is the soul of wit.

 

[93yearsyoung]

Uber or taxi is the best, easiest thing to do.

[Dobby36]

I've walked downhill from my place (1 mile) to SAN once - and that was before the current construction on T1) and I will never do it again.  It is not set up well for walking, despite the close distance. Take an Uber or Taxi, both will loop into the pick-up area at the pier and grab you with ease. Worth it.

[rsmdude]

I've cruised from San Diego previously as a resident and now from out-of-state.  I've also flown out of San Diego airport frequently and dealt with the traffic around both areas.  I can honestly say unless you have lots of time and energy and are agile and vigilant, etc., I would NOT recommend trying to walk from the airport to the cruise port.  Traffic is very heavy along Harbor Blvd in front of the airport and the pedestrian access to cross over to the bay front side (necessary) is dangerous.  With luggage (even wheeled luggage) take a taxi, uber or a shuttle/transfer service between the airport and cruise port and avoid being an accident statistic and ruining your trip.  Accessing downtown from the cruise port is much easier and "doable" however.  Enjoy!

[lakedweller64]

Are there places we can walk to from the cruise port?

[CruiserBruce]

6 minutes ago, lakedweller64 said:

Are there places we can walk to from the cruise port?

If you look at Google Maps, you will see the port is right in the middle of town. There are MANY things to walk to...a couple of Museums (Including the aircraft carrier Midway), shopping, great "districts" for food.....even as far as Petco Park to see the Padres play. There is trolley and train lines to take you further away, if you wish.

 

Also mentioned frequently on the threads here.

[KeepCalmBearOn]

7 hours ago, lakedweller64 said:

Are there places we can walk to from the cruise port?

 

You can walk to Little Italy, walk to Seaport Village, walk to the ferry to Coronado, walk to the USS Midway, walk to the San Diego Maritime Museum (which is a series of ships), walk to the trolley to take you to the Gaslamp Quarter or Old Town, walk to any number of top restaurants and more.