As you prepare to say goodbye to your friends, family and dog, think ahead to what you’re going to do when your plane, train, car or bus pulls into Syracuse. Cabs can be expensive, and not everyone has the luxury of a car-owning friend to pick them up. Here are the best ways to get back to your dorm, how long it will take you and how much it will cost you out-of-pocket.

SA Shuttle
Each break, Student Association offers a free shuttle bus service to and from the Regional Transport Center, the Syracuse Hancock International Airport and Schine Student Center. This January is no exception with buses running on Sunday from 2–10 p.m. and Monday from 10 a.m. – 10 p.m.

The buses travel on a circuit stopping at Schine on the hour, the RTC at 20 minutes past the hour and the airport at 40 minutes past the hour.

Price: Free
Time taken: 20-40 minutes
Pros: This is the only option that is truly free which is a huge bonus for penny-pinching students. The bus will show up at the time listed, so there shouldn’t be too much waiting around.
Cons: The bus runs on a loop so if you are being picked up at the RTC, you will have to spend an extra 20 minutes on the bus, traveling via the airport before getting home. The buses will also only stop at Schine, so if you live on the Mount, you will have a long trek up the stairs with your bags.

Taxi
Wherever you arrive back, whether at the RTC or the airport, there will always be a line of taxis eager to take you back to your dorm. A cab ride back to main campus from the RTC typically costs $20, to the Mount will be approximately $25 and to South Campus will put you out $30. Since the airport is located farther from campus, a ride back to main campus will typically cost about $30. Most taxis will allow you to simply split the fare if you’re all headed back to the same place, and since SU students make up a big part of their clientele, taxi drivers often know what you mean when you say you’re headed to BBB.

Here’s a tip: Taxis, especially vans, will usually take as many students as they can in one trip — with each student paying the same fare. To save money, split it with another student and make different stops. That can possibly cut the total fare down to half price each, depending on where you are going. And always make sure you have cash for tips!

Price: $20-30 from RTC, $30-40 from the airport
Time taken: 10-20 minutes
Pros: Taxis are more direct than buses and often more comfortable. This option will save you time and deliver you right at your front door.
Cons: This is easily the most expensive option. Smaller taxis may not hold as many bags as the bus should you decide to split one with another student.

Your roommate’s car
If you are lucky enough to have a roommate or a friend with a car on campus, you may be able to persuade them to pick you up.

Price: Give them a couple of bucks for gas. We’re students.
Time: 15-20 minutes for you, 30-40 minutes for the driver.
Pros: You get a cheap private shuttle service. If the driver picks up a few people that all pay for gas, they can end up earning a profit for their services.
Cons: Your roommate’s car probably still smells like their dog, and why won’t the door close properly?

If you drove back to school, some of the cheapest gas stations within a five-mile radius of campus are Sunoco Gas Station on Erie Boulevard and Gulf on Salina Street, which offers 10 cents off if you pay with cash. If prices aren’t your highest priority and you don’t want to travel too far to get gas, the Mobil on Nottingham Road is just a short drive away.

If none of these options appeal to you, it will take you approximately 2 hours 30 minutes to walk from the airport to main campus, and just over one hour from the RTC.

Published on January 15, 2016 at 11:04 am

Contact Rachel: rcgilber@syr.edu