Getting Around Dallas: DART, Driving and Both Airports

Getting around Dallas is easiest with a mix: DART (Dallas Area Rapid Transit) rail and buses for airport trips and the downtown core, and a car, taxi or rideshare for everything else. From Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) you can ride the DART Orange Line straight into downtown Dallas. From Dallas Love Field (DAL) you take a short DART bus to a rail station, or a taxi or rideshare.

Dallas is spread out. The neighborhoods that matter most to visitors, such as Downtown, Deep Ellum, Uptown and the Dallas Arts District, are linked by rail or streetcar. The Dallas Streetcar runs out to Oak Cliff's Bishop Arts District, but Lower Greenville, Knox/Henderson and most of the White Rock Lake shoreline are not on rail, so plan around that.

How do you get from DFW Airport into Dallas?

The simplest low-cost route from DFW into downtown Dallas is the DART Orange Line, which stops at DFW Airport Terminal A Station. DART's airport page says you reach the platform by a lower-level walkway near Entry A10 in Terminal A.

Here are your real options.

• DART Orange Line (light rail). Board at DFW Airport Terminal A Station. DART says all Orange Line trains serve downtown Dallas, and you can transfer to other DART rail lines at Pearl/Arts District, St. Paul, Akard or West End.
• DART Silver Line. This stops at DFW Airport Terminal B Station, but DART states Silver Line trains do not go to downtown Dallas. They serve Cypress Waters, Carrollton, Addison, Richardson and Plano. Pick it if your hotel is in one of those.
• Trinity Railway Express (TRE) with the TRE LINK shuttle. A shuttle bus connects Terminal D (boarding upper level outside Gate D22) with CentrePort/DFW Airport Station. DART lists it every 20 minutes at weekday peaks, every 40 minutes off-peak and Saturdays, and no Sunday service.
• Taxi. DFW's official ground transportation page puts taxi stands on the lower level of Terminals A through E, with a guest assistant helping with the queue from 8 a.m. to midnight. After midnight you call for a cab.
• Rideshare. DFW lists app-based rides (transportation network companies) among its ground options. Follow the airport signs and your app's pickup instructions.
• Rental car. A rental car shuttle runs between the terminals and the Rental Car Center. Check the official DFW rental car page for current companies and shuttle details.

Heading back to DFW on an airline other than American with a bag to check? DART says to take the free Terminal Link shuttle bus on the lower level to your departure terminal. Carry-on only? Clear security and ride the Skylink people mover to your gate.

Going to the airport, board the Orange Line train marked "DFW" and ride it to the end of the line.

How do you get from Dallas Love Field into the city?

Dallas Love Field is closer in than DFW, and the rail link is a bus hop: DART Bus Route 5, the Love Link, connects the airport with Inwood/Love Field Station, which is served by the DART Green and Orange lines.

DART says Route 5 buses pick up along the lower-level drive outside baggage claim, at a DART bus stop sign. Check the Route 5 schedule on DART's site for frequency and hours.

For rideshare, Dallas Love Field's guest services guide sends app-based rides to the valet pavilion and Garage C, a short walk from baggage claim, and the City of Dallas directs taxis and limousines to Garage C Level 1 beside the valet pavilion. For a rental car at Love Field, check the airport's ground transportation page for current counters and shuttles.

Airport rules move, so confirm the pickup spot in your app and on the signs when you land.

A useful trick for a connection between the two airports: ride the Love Link to Inwood/Love Field Station, then board an Orange Line train marked "DFW" toward DFW Airport Terminal A Station.

How does DART work, and what does it cost?

DART runs light rail, buses, GoLink on-demand service and the Dallas Streetcar, and one Local Pass, bought in the GoPass app, at a ticket vending machine or with contactless payment, covers all of them.

DART fares, as listed on its official pages, are typically:

• Local 3-Hour Pass: about $3, or $1.50 reduced. It includes transfers within the window.
• Local Day Pass: about $6, or $3 reduced. For two or more rides in a day, it is the one to buy.
• Local monthly pass: about $126.
• Regional Day Pass: about $9. It adds the full Trinity Railway Express, Trinity Metro in Fort Worth and the Denton County Transportation Authority (DCTA).

Prices change, so check DART's fares page before you travel.

How to pay, according to DART:

1. GoPass app. Buy passes on your phone and show it as proof of payment.
2. Ticket vending machines. They sit at DART and TRE rail stations and sell Day and 3-Hour Passes for cash or credit and debit cards.
3. Tap to pay. Tap a GoPass Tap card or use contactless payment at the reader before you ride.

You need a valid fare on every bus and train, and fare inspectors can ask for proof of payment. A DART Local Pass also covers the TRE between EBJ Union Station and CentrePort/DFW Airport Station, so the TRE LINK route from Terminal D works on the same pass.

DART's discounted Tap card offers 50% off for riders who qualify, and group fares exist for conventions and large events.

What does DART reach, and what doesn't it?

DART rail reaches downtown Dallas, Deep Ellum, the Arts District, Victory Park and Fair Park, plus DFW Airport, and the Dallas Streetcar reaches Bishop Arts, but Lower Greenville, Knox/Henderson and the White Rock Lake shoreline are not on rail.

Our rule of thumb:

• Rail is a good fit for: DFW to downtown, the West End, the Dallas Arts District, Deep Ellum, Victory Park, home to Victory Station, and Fair Park, where DART's Fair Park Station on the Green Line sits at the fairgrounds entrance.
• Streetcar is a good fit for: the Bishop Arts District in Oak Cliff. The Dallas Streetcar runs between EBJ Union Station downtown and Bishop Arts, and a DART pass covers the ride.
• Rail is weak for: Lower Greenville, Knox/Henderson and East Dallas and White Rock Lake. These are drives, rideshares or bus rides.
• Uptown trolley: Uptown has the McKinney Avenue Trolley, the M-Line, which the McKinney Avenue Transit Authority runs with no ticket needed. Donations are welcome.

Special events change the picture. For Fair Park and the State Fair of Texas, rail is often the sane choice because parking around big events fills fast. Check the event's official page.

When do you need a car in Dallas?

You need a car if you plan to see several neighborhoods in a day, stay outside the downtown core, or head to Oak Cliff, East Dallas or the suburbs. Many Dallas trips are an easy mix: no car for the first two days, a rental or rideshares for the rest.

Practical guidance, based on how the city is laid out:

• Downtown stay, museums and the Arts District: skip the car. Rail, streetcar and walking cover it.
• Deep Ellum nights: take rail or a rideshare. Street spots fill up on busy music nights, and it is an easy place to avoid driving after a show.
• Bishop Arts and Oak Cliff: the streetcar gets you to Bishop Arts, but for the rest of Oak Cliff, a large area, a rideshare or car is simplest.
• White Rock Lake and the Arboretum: best by car or rideshare, since most of the lake loop and the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden in East Dallas sit away from rail.
• Game nights at the American Airlines Center: the arena is in Victory Park, which has its own rail stop, Victory Station, so ride in. The Dallas Cowboys play at AT&T Stadium in Arlington and FC Dallas at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, both outside the city of Dallas, so those need a car or special event transport.

For fewer parking headaches, pick lodging in a walkable area, ask your hotel about parking, and treat the first block you find in Deep Ellum or Uptown on a weekend night as optional rather than certain.

How we chose

We built this from the official pages of DART, Dallas Fort Worth International Airport and Dallas Love Field, plus the McKinney Avenue Transit Authority. We only list fares as "typically" because agencies update them, and we left out travel times and schedules that the agencies do not publish on those pages.

Your Dallas getting-around checklist

Screenshot this before you land:

1. DFW to downtown: ride the Orange Line from Terminal A Station (Entry A10 walkway).
2. Love Field to rail: DART Bus Route 5 Love Link, lower-level drive outside baggage claim, to Inwood/Love Field Station.
3. Staying near Plano, Addison or Richardson: Silver Line from Terminal B instead. It skips downtown.
4. Two or more rides in a day: a Local Day Pass is typically about $6, versus about $3 for each 3-Hour Pass.
5. Pay by GoPass app, ticket machine or contactless tap, and keep proof of payment handy.
6. Bishop Arts: take the Dallas Streetcar from EBJ Union Station. Lower Greenville or White Rock Lake: plan a rideshare or car.
7. Love Field rideshare: head for the valet pavilion and Garage C, and follow the signs.

The same Orange Line train that leaves DFW Terminal A also runs through the Arts District, so you can reach the city's museums without renting a car.

More on where to go next: browse things to do in Dallas, check where to eat, or see the full areas guide. Official sources: DART, DART to Airports, DFW Airport and Dallas Love Field.

Last verified: November 2026.

Frequently asked questions

How do I get from DFW Airport to downtown Dallas?

Take the DART Orange Line from DFW Airport Terminal A Station to downtown Dallas. A DART Local Pass covers the ride, bought in the GoPass app, at a ticket vending machine or with contactless payment. Taxis and rideshares are also available at DFW.

How do I get from Dallas Love Field to downtown?

Take DART Bus Route 5 Love Link from the lower-level drive outside baggage claim to Inwood/Love Field Station, then ride the Green or Orange Line into downtown Dallas. Rideshares pick up at the valet pavilion and Garage C.

How much is DART?

DART's Local 3-Hour Pass is typically about $3 and the Local Day Pass about $6, with reduced fares at half price. Check DART's official fares page before you travel, since prices change.

Does the DART Silver Line go to downtown Dallas?

No. DART says Silver Line trains do not go to downtown Dallas. They serve DFW Airport Terminal B, Cypress Waters, Carrollton, Addison, Richardson and Plano. Use the Orange Line for downtown.

Do you need a car in Dallas?

Not if you stay downtown or near a DART rail stop, but yes if you want to cover several neighborhoods like Oak Cliff, East Dallas and White Rock Lake in one day. Many visitors mix rail with rideshares or a short rental.