Getting in
- Santa Fe Regional Airport: SAF is close to town, but it is a small airport with limited service. Take a taxi/rideshare or rent a car; downtown is roughly 15–20 minutes away. Do not expect a useful rail link or frequent airport public transport.
- Albuquerque International Sunport: Usually the better-value gateway. If you need a car for pueblos, hiking, the Opera, or day trips, rent one at ABQ and drive I-25: about 1 hour in clear conditions, longer or occasionally difficult in winter at La Bajada. Car-free, use a Groome Transportation shuttle to Santa Fe (book ahead; roughly 1–1.5 hours depending on stops) or take the airport bus into downtown Albuquerque and the New Mexico Rail Runner to Santa Fe Depot. The Rail Runner is cheap—a day pass is typically about $5–10—but the airport-to-downtown transfer makes it a roughly 2-hour, schedule-dependent trip.
- Santa Fe Depot (New Mexico Rail Runner Express): The useful Santa Fe rail arrival point: it is at the Railyard, about a 15–20 minute walk from the Plaza. Rail Runner trains connect with downtown Albuquerque and run daily, but frequencies thin out outside weekday commuting periods. Buy on board or online; expect roughly $5–10 for a day pass.
- Lamy Amtrak station (Southwest Chief): The Southwest Chief stops at Lamy, about 15 miles south of Santa Fe—not in town. Use the connecting shuttle arranged with/for the train; allow about 30–40 minutes onward to Santa Fe and confirm the connection when booking. This is practical only if the train schedule suits you; the train is once daily.