Transportation in Albuquerque

Getting Around Albuquerque Albuquerque is a car-centric city — there's no getting around it. The metro area sprawls across a high desert valley, and most attractions, neighborhoods, and dining are spaced in ways that make a rental car the most practical choice for first-time visitors. That said, the city's public transit agency, ABQ Ride, operates a network of bus routes including higher-frequency Rapid Ride corridors along key arterials. For visitors staying along or near Central Avenue (Historic Route 66), the bus network is genuinely usable for core sightseeing. Rideshare services are well-represented throughout the city and are typically the most convenient option for short hops or late-night travel. From Albuquerque International Sunport, the airport sits close to the city — a rideshare to downtown or Old Town typically takes well under 30 minutes depending on traffic, making it one of the more painless airport-to-city transfers in the American Southwest. Rental car desks are available directly at the terminal. Public bus service connects the airport to the broader ABQ Ride network, though it requires more time and planning than rideshare — check current schedules in the booking widget below, as service levels vary by time of day. One thing to skip: don't assume you can walk between major highlights. Old Town, Nob Hill, and the Sandia Foothills feel close on a map but are car-separated in practice. The **Sandia Peak Tramway** on the city's east edge is worth the trip but has no practical transit connection — plan to drive or rideshare there specifically. For the rest of your time, Central Avenue is the spine worth orienting around; nearly everything visitors care about traces back to it.