The three main ways for arriving in Santa Fe is by plane, by rail and by car.
By Plane
Commercial air service into the Santa Fe Municipal Airport (IATA: SAF) exists but is distinctly limited. If entering New Mexico via the larger Albuquerque airport, simply rent a car and drive, as there is currently no commuter air service connecting these two airports. You can also take one of the shuttle buses such as Sandia Shuttle, which will pick you up at the Albuquerque airport and drop you off at one of a handful of locations in Santa Fe. The flights directly into Santa Fe all originate instead in Denver.
Commercial service to Salt Lake City and Los Angeles on ExpressJet, flying as Delta Connection, and to Los Angeles (LAX) and Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) was due to begin in mid-December. However, a required Federal Aviation Administration environmental assessment, triggered by new turbo jet commercial service, has been delayed, meaning that all commercial service, including the flights to and from Denver, has been suspended. They are expected to resume in February.
By Rail
A commuter rail line, the New Mexico Rail Runner Express connects Santa Fe to Albuquerque and surrounding communities (from downtown Albuquerque you can catch a shuttle to the airport). There are currently two stations open in Santa Fe: the Santa Fe Depot at the railyards on Guadalupe Street near the Sanbusco Center, and the South Capitol station on Alta Vista Drive between Cerrillos Road and St. Francis Drive. The former will be more useful for sightseeing, as it puts you in the historic downtown area within relatively easy walking distance of the plaza, with a shuttle circulating around the downtown area if you don't want to walk. The South Capitol station is meant more for commuters. Currently the Rail Runner only runs on weekdays (and mainly at the peak commuting hours at that) with some limited weekend service. Fares are based on how far you ride; a day pass will be in the range of $2-$9. Tickets can be purchased online or from ticket agents on the train.
The major Amtrak route across the Southwest, the Southwest Chief approaches but does not enter Santa Fe. The nearest Amtrak station is at Lamy about 15 miles south of town on US Highway 285. Shuttle-bus service is available from Lamy to Santa Fe and is coordinated with Amtrak's Southwest Chief train.
By Car
Santa Fe lies along Interstate 25, which skirts the city. Be suspicious of weather conditions if coming to Santa Fe on this road. Santa Fe is nearly 1500' (half a kilometer) above Albuquerque, and on I-25, most of the elevation change is on a single long, steep hill known as "La Bajada." La Bajada hill is hairy to drive during winter snowstorms and is frequently closed for periods of several hours. East of town, I-25 North goes over a moderate pass along the southern end of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains before heading out into the plains; this too can be closed during blizzards, although La Bajada is the main problem.
If conditions are good and you're not in a hurry, consider using back roads as an alternative to I-25 if coming from Albuquerque. State road 14 passes along the east side of the Sandia Mountains and through the quaint little towns of Madrid and Cerrillos before joining the interstate just south of Santa Fe.
Travelers following the Route 66 itinerary should note that Santa Fe was on the "original" Route 66, although it was bypassed during the 1930s as a result of some curious political shenanigans and the much shorter, "modern" Route 66 didn't go anywhere near here. Coming from points east, you might also consider entering town via the Santa Fe Trail itinerary, which shares roads with the Route 66 itinerary near Santa Fe.
Before booking a hotel room, make sure you are getting the lowest price for it. Different hotel booking websites offers the same room at different prices. If you stick with one site all the time, you could be paying more for the same room. Now why pay more?
The form below is a Research Engine. It doesn't take bookings. Instead it lets you find the hotel booking website that offers the room you want at the lowest price. You can see and compare what different sites are offering, and then click to choose the one with the best price. Do this, and you're guaranteed to save a whole lot of money on your room reservations!
