Getting Around

Minneapolis is one of the most heavily biked cities in the country, with an average of 10,000 people riding daily for commuting and recreation (there are significant seasonal variations, but many people bike year-round). In fact, Minneapolis has a higher percentage of residents who commute by bicycle than any other large city in the country. There are 34 miles of on-street bike lanes and 56 miles of off-street bike trails in Minneapolis alone. In Hennepin County, there are more than 400 miles of trails and designated routes. This is in addition to extensive off-street recreational biking available throughout the metro area and the state.

The Twin Cities metropolitan area boasts an extensive bus system. There are more than 35 direct routes to serve the campus, including convenient express buses. University students and employees get a fare discount through U-Pass/Metropass. The University runs a regular shuttle service that links the Minneapolis and St. Paul campuses. All campus shuttles are free.

The downtown areas in Minneapolis and St. Paul feature an extensive series of skyways—indoor above-ground walkways. The seven-mile climate-controlled network of glass-enclosed pedestrian overpasses connect over 72 city blocks of shopping areas and offices.

As of 2006, the Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport was the twelfth largest airport in the United States and the twenty-first largest airport in the world in terms of annual passengers. The airport serves as a hub for Northwest Airlines, with convenient non-stop flights to such cities as New York, Los Angeles, Washington D.C., London, Paris, Amsterdam, and Tokyo.