Car Travel

Although the city's public bus service, ABQ Ride, provides good coverage, a car is the easiest and most convenient way to get around. Albuquerque sprawls in all directions, but getting around town is not difficult. The main highways through the city, north-south Interstate 25 and east-west Interstate 40, converge just northeast of Downtown and generally offer the quickest access to outlying neighborhoods and the airport. Rush-hour jams are common in the mornings and late afternoons, but they're still far less severe than in most big U.S. cities. All the major car-rental agencies are represented at Albuquerque's Sunport airport.

Because it's a driving city, most businesses and hotels have free or inexpensive off-street parking, and it's easy to find metered street parking in many neighborhoods as well as affordable garages Downtown. Problems usually arise only when there's a major event in town, such as a concert near the University of New Mexico or a festival Downtown or in Old Town, when you may want to arrive on the early side to get a space.