Visiting Orlando Without a Car

Many places in Greater Orlando are far apart. A trip without a car works best if you choose lodging close to the places you want to spend time and accept some planning. Public transit, hotel shuttles and ride services can fill many gaps, but not all of them, especially in the evening or on weekends.

Write down a back-up for each leg of the trip, such as a ride service if a bus is delayed.

Orlando International Airport lists ride-share pick-ups at the arrivals curbs, metered taxis, shuttle vans that charge per person, LYNX local buses on the ground transportation level, and complimentary shuttles that some hotels offer. The airport also has a station for high-speed intercity rail.

SunRail does not stop at the airport, but SunRail and LYNX describe a weekday bus connection from Sand Lake Road station. Ask your hotel whether it runs a shuttle, and compare the cost of per-person shuttle vans with a ride service if you are traveling as a group.

LYNX buses cover Orange, Osceola and Seminole counties; LYNX publishes a list of routes serving popular destinations. SunRail connects some downtown and suburban stations on weekdays only. LYMMO, the downtown circulator, is described by LYNX as fare-free.

NeighborLink offers on-demand rides inside set zones, Monday to Saturday, with same-day booking only. Because routes and times change, use the LYNX trip planner and service alerts each day you travel.

Some areas are walkable once you arrive. For example, the City of Orlando says the sidewalk around downtown's Lake Eola Park is 0.9 miles long. The city also allows dockless shared bikes and scooters; it asks riders to follow traffic laws, wear a helmet (required for riders under 16), slow near pedestrians, and park out of the way of sidewalks, ramps and bus stops.

Visit Orlando notes that afternoon rain is common in summer, and Ready.gov notes that humidity increases the feeling of heat, so plan walking for cooler or drier times and carry water.

Large resort areas often run their own transportation. One park operator's guest services page, for instance, lists bus service, a monorail and water transportation. Check each resort's and park's own site for who can use their transportation and when it runs.

Ask your hotel about complimentary shuttles, because the airport notes that some local hotels provide complimentary transportation to and from the airport.