Airport
Minneapolis-St Paul International Airport
IATA Code: MSPLocation: The airport is situated 10 miles (16km) south of Minneapolis and 12 miles (19km) south of St Paul.
Time: GMT -6 (GMT -5 from March to November).
Contacts: Tel: +1 612 726 5800.
Transfer between terminals: The airport's two terminals are linked by covered walkways and a free light rail that takes three minutes.
Transfer to the city: A Ground Transportation information booth provides passengers with information and directions. City buses leave from the Lindbergh Terminal to both Minneapolis and St Paul. A light rail operates between the airport, downtown Minneapolis and Mall of America. SuperShuttle provides a shared van door-to-door service to the local cities and towns. Taxis are also available.
Taxis: Taxis are easily hailed from outside the arrivals terminals at the taxi booth. The journey from the airport to Minneapolis takes approximately 30 minutes, costing between $35 - $45, and to St Paul around 20 minutes costing $28 - $34. Travellers can also call 612 726 5877 to book a taxi. To reach the taxi booth from the Lindbergh Terminal, cross through the Tunnel Level toward the parking ramp and go up one level.
Car rental: Car rental companies include Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, Hertz and National and counters can be found in the Hub Building, which can be reached by the free underground tram from the Lindbergh Terminal. Shuttle buses to the off-site rental companies are accessible from the Transit Center in the Hub Building.
Facilities: Northstar Crossing in the Lindbergh Terminal is a collection of numerous shops, restaurants and food courts. Other facilities include ATMs and bureaux de change, duty-free, postal services and a children's play area. Business centres situated throughout the airport offer Internet, fax and photocopying services. Wireless Internet access is also provided. The nearby Hilton hotel offers its rooms and gym facilities at day rates. Disabled facilities are good; those with special needs should contact their airline in advance.
Parking: Both long and short-term parking is available.
Departure tax: None.
Website: www.mspairport.com
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Minneapolis-St Paul
Minneapolis and St Paul are the two halves of a singular metropolis bisected by the Mississippi River in eastern Minnesota. The older city, St Paul, is the state capital, smaller, quieter and more reserved than its modern sibling across the river; it has a compact downtown area sporting a variety of restored Victorian architecture among its glass skyscrapers. It is the home to several major universities, and many museums and theatres. Minneapolis, founded on money made by the hundreds of saw and flourmills along the Mississippi has many contemporary buildings in a slick new downtown area with a lively, arty character and a vibrant nightlife.
The very existence of the Twin Cities is due to the only waterfall on the Mississippi, St Anthony Falls, whose hydroelectric power fuelled numerous flour and timber mills along the river, and today the Riverfront district in Minneapolis is a scenic stretch lined with old warehouses, mills and historical walking trails.
While Minneapolis and St Paul are the original 'Twin Cities' of Minnesota, the name now refers to the sprawling metro area, encompassing dozens of smaller towns, that extends for 30 miles in all directions. These towns have their own unique charm and identities, from the quaint 150-year-old main street of Anoka in the north to the antique stores and scenic St. Croix River valley of Stillwater to the south.
With hundreds of lakes lying within the Twin Cities area, there are endless opportunities for outdoor recreation, with miles of trails surrounding the lakes. Residents of the Twin Cities pride themselves on a high quality of life that includes sport and outdoor activities as well as top priorities such as a good education, a clean environment, excellent health care and a low crime rate. They boast a rich arts and cultural entertainment scene with more concert venues per person than any other city in the country, except New York. And the southern suburb of Bloomington is home to the largest shopping centre in the US that includes an aquarium and amusement park under the same roof as hundreds of shops, restaurants, bars and theatres.
