El Paso: Transportation

El Paso: Transportation

Approaching the City

The El Paso International Airport offers passenger services and air cargo services and is the gateway to West Texas, southern New Mexico, and northern Mexico. El Paso International Airport is served by American Airlines, AeroLitoral, Frontier, America West, Continental, Delta, Southwest, and United, and provides an average of 136 daily arrivals and departures. In 2003 the airport served 2,910,663 customers and transported 81,922 tons of cargo. The airport was recently expanded, adding two 144,000 square foot air cargo buildings, more than 34 acres of aircraft parking, and an additional 6.4 miles of roadways. Once a thriving Air Force Base, Biggs Army Airfield lies adjacent to the El Paso International Airport and boasts more miles of runway than any Army airfield in the world. Now part of Fort Bliss, the airfield is used for Army exercises and refueling.

Two major highways transport drivers in, out, and through El Paso: I-10 runs east and west, and Highway 54 runs north and south; Highway 375 loops around the outskirts of the city, through Fort Bliss, and close to downtown. Several bus lines offer service to and from El Paso, and Amtrak provides passenger rail service west to California and east as far as Florida.

Traveling in the City

The Franklin Mountains literally split the city of El Paso down the middle, creating what El Pasoans call the city's east and the west sides. The Rio Grande flows along the city's southern edge. The city is laid out around these two natural features. Sun Metro provides bus and trolley service throughout the city, with 51 weekday routes, 41 Saturday routes, and 38 Sunday routes.