Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
New Mexico Airlines
(
&
888/564-
6119;
www.pacificwings.com/nma) pro-
vides daily flights between Albuquerque
and
Cavern City Air Terminal,
near
Carlsbad. The airline also serves Alamog-
ordo and El Paso, Texas.
Some large airlines offer transatlantic or
transpacific passengers special discount
tickets under the name
Visit USA,
which
allows mostly one-way travel from one
U.S. destination to another at very low
prices. Unavailable in the U.S., these dis-
count tickets must be purchased abroad in
conjunction with your international fare.
This system is the easiest, fastest, cheapest
way to see the country.
By Train
Due to limited options, the train is not the
best way of getting around the region.
Amtrak
(
&
800/USA-RAIL
[872-7245];
www.amtrak.com) has two routes through
the region. See “By Train,” under “Getting
to the Southwest,” above.
If you're headed to the Grand Canyon,
you can get to the town of Williams, 30
miles west of Flagstaff, Arizona, on
Amtrak, and transfer to the Grand Can-
yon Railway excursion train, which runs
to Grand Canyon Village at the South
Rim of the Grand Canyon. Be aware,
however, that the Williams stop is on the
43
outskirts of town; you'll have to arrange in
advance to be picked up.
You can get a copy of Amtrak's national
timetable from any Amtrak station, from
travel agents, or by contacting Amtrak.
International visitors can buy a
USA
Rail Pass,
good for 15, 30, or 45 days of
unlimited travel on Amtrak (
&
800/USA-
RAIL
[872-7245]; www.amtrak.com).
The pass is available online or through
many overseas travel agents. See Amtrak's
website for the cost of travel within the
western, eastern, or northwestern United
States. Reservations are generally required
and should be made as early as possible.
Regional rail passes are also available.
By Bus
The long distances between destinations
in the Southwest makes riding the bus a
pretty grueling prospect.
Greyhound
(
&
800/231-2222;
www.greyhound.com)
does traverse the region and can be a good
option for those on a tight budget. Inter-
national visitors can obtain information
about the
Greyhound North American
Discovery Pass.
The pass, which offers
unlimited travel and stopovers in the U.S.
and Canada, can be obtained from foreign
travel agents or through www.discovery
pass.com.
3
4
MONEY & COSTS
The Value of the U.S. Dollar vs. Other Popular Currencies
US$
C$
UK£
Euro €
A$
NZ$
1
1.24
.70
.75
1.44
1.76
Frommer's lists exact prices in the local
currency. The currency conversions quoted
above were correct at press time. However,
rates fluctuate; before departing consult a
currency exchange website such as
www.
oanda.com/convert/classic
to check up-
to-the-minute rates.
The most common U.S. bills are the $1
(a “buck”), $5, $10, and $20 denomina-
tions. There are also $2 bills (seldom
encountered), $50 bills, and $100 bills
(the last two are usually not welcome as
payment for small purchases).
