By plane

Erie is within a two hour drive of Buffalo-Niagara, Cleveland-Hopkins and Pittsburgh International Airports. Erie International Airport ( is a medium airport that is worth considering. The airport is served by four major airlines: Continental (via Cleveland), Delta/Northwest (via Detroit), and US Airways (via Philadelphia). Bargains can be had and the airport itself is a breeze to navigate, get in and out of, and also has a full compliment of car rental agencies on-site. Parking is easy, but it is also fairly pricey. (Erie's airport is not large enough to justify a competitive parking market like most larger airports have - park on-site, get a friend to drive, or take a cab/bus.)

By bus

Erie has a newly built Greyhound Bus Station  located right across from the Library and Maritime Museum. Buses come and go frequently from Buffalo and Cleveland. Erie can even be accessed from New York City, Chicago, and Toronto typically with only one transfer. City buses stop at the station, so you can visit parts of the city without a taxi or car, although you will have less freedom.

By train

Amtrak serves the downtown Union Station, although this is not a common method of transportation, as most, if not all trains arrive or depart between midnight and 6:00 AM.

By car

Erie is easily accessible via Interstate 90 and 79. The recently completed Bayfront Connector Highway links the northern terminus of I-79 through the city along the bayfront and then through the industrial East side and newer housing and office developments around Knowledge Park and Penn State University (Behrend College). The new highway (completed Summer 2005) is 3-4 lanes, but has few buildings or side streets that connect directly with the road, making traffic relatively smooth and making it much easier to get in and out of the downtown. The completed highway is a scenic detour away from the traffic and strip malls of I-90 south of Erie.