Memphis International Airport (MEM), Central Station and the Airways Boulevard coach station bring you into different parts of Memphis. Include the journey into downtown when comparing tickets, especially if you arrive with heavy bags or children. Court Square is the common downtown endpoint here, so you can weigh the final transfer as well as the trip from your own starting point.
Plane, train, coach or car?
| Criterion | Plane | Amtrak | Coach | Car |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arrival transfer to Court Square, excluding pickup waits | Road: about 18 minutes. Bus: about three quarters of an hour | Walk: about 26 minutes | Road: about 14 minutes. Bus: about an hour | Depends on approach |
| Changes after arrival | Road: none. Bus to Court Square: one | None on foot | None on road or bus | None |
| One-way cost basis | Flight per person + road transfer per vehicle or pilot bus: $0/person | Dynamic Coach fare per person + free walk | Greyhound from $12.48/person, FlixBus from $11.48/person + transfer | Fuel and route charges per vehicle |
| Service frequency | Flights depend on origin. Airport bus: every 2 hours weekdays/Saturdays, 75 minutes Sundays | Once daily each direction | Depends on origin and date | Leave when you choose |
The cheapest choice depends on your origin and how many people share the cost. A low coach fare can lose its advantage once you add a paid transfer, while sharing an existing car spreads vehicle costs across the group.
Flying suits longer journeys and time pressure. Amtrak suits origins on its direct corridor, and coaches widen the overland choices. With luggage, children or a late arrival, favour a manageable final transfer over the lowest ticket price. To compare the whole journey from your starting point to Court Square, add access to your departure point, waiting, intercity travel and the downtown transfer.
Memphis International Airport transfers
Fly into Memphis International Airport (MEM) for the city’s principal scheduled passenger gateway. Flight prices vary with origin, connections and demand. Baggage collection and reaching your pickup point come before the downtown transfer, so allow for them separately.
From the ground transportation centre to Court Square, the road journey is about 13 miles and takes about 18 minutes, excluding pickup waits. Budget roughly $30–$50 per vehicle for a taxi or rideshare, with higher rideshare prices possible during busy periods. Extra bags may require a larger vehicle.
Airport taxis use the meter rather than a fixed downtown fare. Applicable fuel surcharges also contribute to the fare.
- Minimum taxi fare
- $10
- Airport surcharge
- $4
- Luggage surcharge
- $0.50 per piece beyond three per person, excluding briefcases and handbags
MATA Route 28 Airport runs directly to William Hudson Transit Center downtown via Airways Transit Center, without changing buses. Board at the marked stop on the upper inner drive outside Terminal C, following bus-stop signs from baggage claim.
During MATA’s Zero Fare Pilot, the bus costs $0 per person and needs no transfer ticket, payment or validation. Outside the pilot, cash must be exact at the front farebox, which accepts cash and passes but gives no change. Drivers cannot handle money.
The direct bus to William Hudson Transit Center is not the same as the onward journey to Court Square. The Route 28 connection to Court Square includes one change and walking portions, covering about 15 miles in about three quarters of an hour. Keep the gap before boarding separate from the transfer, and choose your downtown stop according to where you are staying.
Amtrak and Central Station
Amtrak serves Memphis Central Station on the City of New Orleans, the direct Chicago–Memphis–New Orleans corridor. The service runs once daily in each direction on weekdays and weekends.
Southbound Train 59 arrives at 6:27am on Sundays, Mondays and Thursdays through Saturdays. Arrange somewhere to leave your luggage if your room will not be ready. Northbound Train 58 arrives at 10:45pm daily, so plan how to reach your accommodation and get inside after a late arrival.
One-way adult Coach fares vary by itinerary and availability. The price at reservation is the lowest then available for that class, so compare the particular departure you intend to take rather than assuming a single Memphis fare.
From Central Station, the walk to Court Square is about 1.1 miles and takes about 26 minutes. Walk if you can comfortably manage your bags, or use a vehicle pickup for heavy luggage or reduced mobility. An early or late arrival also makes having your accommodation address ready particularly useful.
For the journey before you reach Central Station, explore train tickets and boarding for Memphis for worked origin approaches, ticket choices and boarding arrangements.
Greyhound and FlixBus arrivals
Greyhound and FlixBus use Memphis Bus Station at 3033 Airways Boulevard, outside the downtown core. Include an onward transfer in your coach budget, rather than treating the station as a downtown arrival.
- Name
- Memphis Bus Station
- Location
- 3033 Airways Boulevard, Memphis Maps
- Essential fact
- The intercity coach station on Airways Boulevard in Memphis.
One-way adult tickets start at $12.48 per person with Greyhound and $11.48 with FlixBus. These are minima, with prices varying by origin, date, demand and how far ahead you buy. Show the ticket’s QR code to the driver, and a digital ticket on your phone is accepted without printing.
MATA Route 12 Mallory runs from Airways Transit Center at the station to downtown, including Central Station and William Hudson Transit Center, without a required change. During the Zero Fare Pilot, this connection costs $0 per person one way and requires no transfer ticket.
The separate Route 4 connection to Court Square includes walking portions but no bus change, covering about 14 miles in about an hour. By road, the transfer is about 9.9 miles and takes about 14 minutes, excluding pickup waits. Allow roughly $25–$45 per vehicle for a taxi or rideshare, with demand and vehicle size affecting the price.
For a worked Nashville journey and the effect of luggage on your costs, coach tickets and arrival in Memphis takes the intercity part of the trip further.
Arriving by car
Interstate 40 provides an approach to downtown Memphis, with the Hernando de Soto Bridge carrying it across the Mississippi. Interstate 55 follows the city’s western corridor, with downtown access via Riverside Drive and Crump Boulevard. Use Court Square as the downtown destination when comparing the drive with the other arrival options.
Compare shared vehicle costs with tickets for every person travelling. An existing car can make sense for a group carrying luggage or continuing beyond Memphis. Include fuel, any route-specific charges and parking in the budget, and include breaks and arrival traffic in the journey time.
Flying and hiring a car is a different calculation from driving a vehicle you already have. Add the variable hire charge and fuel to your flight budget, and weigh them against how much you will actually use the car after arrival. If your stay centres on downtown, consider whether a transfer alone meets your needs.
Sources & fact-checking
Checks against the sources below cover: fares and charges, services, and key figures.
- City of New Orleans Train | Amtrak
- City of New Orleans Route Timetable
- Amtrak — fares and charges
- Memphis, TN – Central Station (MEM) | Amtrak
- Greyhound; FlixBus; Memphis Area Transit Authority (MATA) — fares and charges
- Greyhound and FlixBus — service
- Route 12 Mallory timetable
- Greyhound — key figures
- Route 28 Airport schedule; effective September 6, 2026
- Route 28 — Airport
- Route 28 | Airport
- Fares | MATATransit.com
- Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority — fares and charges
