I’ve been to Portland a few times for various conferences and gatherings, and I’ve always been there without a car. So I’ve tried a few different ways to get from Downtown Portland to PDX airport, and I thought that I would share some of what I’ve found out. There are a few different ways you can try, but I think I’ve found the best way to get from Downtown Portland to Portland airport, and I thought I would display the different options so that you can make the right decision for your particular situation.
How to get from Portland to Portland airport – car, taxi or Uber
You can get from the Portland Convention Center or the Moda center or other places in Downtown Portland to PDX airport by car, taxi or Uber of course, but depending on traffic, you’re going to be either paying an arm and a leg… or TWO arms and TWO legs :-). How far is it from Downtown Portland to PDX? It’s only about 8 to 10 miles, depending on where exactly you’re coming from, but it can take quite awhile if there’s traffic.
It will take you about 25-30 minutes if there’s no traffic, and can be as much as 40 to 60 minutes if traffic is bad. How much will it cost to get from Downtown Portland to PDX with Uber? In the times I’ve checked, it’s been anywhere from USD$22 to $45). This is a screenshot of the price going the other way, but the prices have been similar.
If you do want to take a taxi, you can generally get better rates if you book it through a service like Carmel Limo — plus you can save $4 off using this link.
There are a variety of airport shuttles as well which will cost about the same amount to get to the airport from Downtown Portland. You can check out GO Airport Shuttle, and use coupon code GOWEB to save $5 off your ride anywhere between points downtown and PDX.
The cheapest and best way to get from Portland to Portland PDX airport
My preferred way to get from Downtown Portland to PDX and what I think is the best way to get to the Portland airport from downtown is taking public transport, specifically the MAX light rail.
The MAX light rail system has a station right at PDX and has a direct route from several places in Downtown Portland, as well as some of the outlying suburbs like Hillsboro, Beaverton, Gresham, and more. You can take the red line or blue line from many places in Downtown Portland to PDX airport.
Step-by-Step Guide To Using MAX Light Rail to get from Downtown Portland to PDX
The MAX Light rail runs every 15 minutes on the red line and the blue line heading to the airport, and the station is right in the airport, outside the baggage claim area. Of course you will need to make your way to whichever station is closest to you – in my case, I was staying at the Hyatt Regency Oregon Convention Center, so there was a stop (Convention Center) literally right in front of my hotel.
In my case, it was a direct ride of 10 stops on the red line, but depending on where in Portlandia you are coming from, you may need to transfer. Once you get to the Airport stop, which is the final stop on either the red or blue line, it’s a short walk to the airport from the MAX Light Rail station. Just follow the signs, and it will take you into the terminal building, outside baggage claim.
Go up the escalator to the ticketing / departures level.
How To Pay For The MAX Light Rail From Portland To PDX
Once you’ve reached the MAX Light Rail station, you’ll need to pay for your MAX Light Rail ticket to go from Downtown Portland to PDX. Portland’s public transit system (TriMet) uses the Hop card, but if you are a visitor like I am, the good news is that you don’t need to get an actual physical card. Instead, you can either use Google Pay or Apple Pay or even a contactless credit card. I used my Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card (read review) – you just tap it on one of these machines that are located right outside the train platform.
The station I was at did have a Hop ticket machine where you could purchase a transit card, but again, no need to do this if you have a contactless credit card or mobile wallet.
Most of the stations I saw did not have barriers or anyone “verifying” that you paid. In theory, I imagine that there could be conductors or security checking tickets onboard, but I did not see it in the few times that I rode the train.You will tap on but then do not need to tap off when using your Apple Pay, Google Pay or contactless credit card.
How much does it cost to ride the MAX Light Rail from Downtown Portland to PDX Airport?
Trips on the MAX Light Rail are USD$2.80, regardless of where you go. So the ticket price to ride the MAX Light Rail to Portland Airport from anywhere in Portland is USD$2.80. If you are using multiple lines, including bus routes, you don’t need to pay anything else. Your ticket is good for 3 hours of travel on the TriMet system in Portland.
The Bottom Line
The total trip from Downtown Portland to PDX should take you about 25-30 minutes, and the best part about your trip is that you won’t have to deal with traffic. I would say that it is definitely significantly cheaper to take the train to get from Downtown Portland to PDX, and it’s likely faster or about as fast in most cases as well.
Readers – any other tips on how to get from Downtown Portland to Portland airport?Â
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Dan Miller travels with his wife and 6 (SIX!) children. He loves to help families travel for free / cheap, especially larger families. If you are looking for help, drop him an email at
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