The flight is booked, the appointment letter is in your bag, and you are about to land in a city you may have never visited. The trip from MSP to Mayo Clinic is only about 80 miles, but for a first-timer, it is full of small questions. Where do I meet my ride? How long does this take? Who do I call if something goes wrong? This walkthrough follows the journey from the gate to the clinic door, so none of it comes as a surprise.
Before you leave home
Gather the details you will need on the road and put them in one place on your phone, with a paper copy in your carry-on. You want your appointment date and time, the building name from your letter, your hotel confirmation, your flight number, and the phone number for your driver or ride provider.
Book your ground transportation before you fly. A confirmed ride waiting at the airport is one less decision at the end of a long travel day. With Gold Crown, you give us your flight number and hotel or campus, and we confirm the pickup.
Landing at MSP
MSP has two terminals, Terminal 1 (Lindbergh) and Terminal 2 (Humphrey). Your airline decides which one you use, and the boarding pass shows it. Tell your driver or ride provider the airline and flight number so they know where to be.
When you land, take your time. Check your phone for a text or call from your driver, then follow signs to baggage claim. The big terminals are easy to get lost in, and nobody expects you to move quickly. If you need a wheelchair from the gate, you can request one through your airline before you travel.
Meeting your driver
At baggage claim, look for a driver holding a sign with your name. If you do not see one, call the number on your confirmation. The driver will help with your bags and walk with you to the car. Gold Crown does not charge extra for the baggage-claim meet-and-greet.
If your flight is late or early, the driver already knows. We track every arriving flight on the day of travel.
The drive to Rochester
The route is mostly highway. You leave the airport, head south and east toward U.S. Highway 52, and follow it into Rochester. The trip takes a bit under an hour and a half in good conditions. It is a comfortable time to eat a snack, call family, or rest. Free Wi-Fi and bottled water are in the car.
If the weather is rough, the driver might slow down or leave a little earlier than planned. That is normal in Minnesota, and it is why we suggest arriving a day before your first appointment if you can. See our post on winter driving from MSP to Rochester.
Arriving in Rochester
Rochester is smaller than most people expect. Downtown hotels are close to the Mayo Clinic campuses, and many buildings connect through skyways and underground passages. Your driver can take you to the hotel entrance, or directly to the clinic if your appointment is the same day.
Know which campus you are headed to. The downtown campus includes several large buildings, Saint Marys Hospital is a separate location, and the Methodist campus is another. Your appointment letter names the building, so have it handy and tell the driver.
Your first day
Check in at your hotel, drop your bags, and plan the walk or ride to your appointment. Leave earlier than you think you need to. First-time patients often spend extra time finding the right entrance, checking in, and filling out paperwork. A ride that arrives with time to spare beats a rushed one.
If you are visiting for several days, think ahead about how you will get to appointments. A mix of walking, hotel shuttles, and booked rides works for many people, and a standing daily pickup from Gold Crown is available if you want predictable mornings.
Who can ride with you
Family members and caregivers can ride in the same vehicle. The Chevrolet Suburban and Lincoln Nautilus have room for luggage and a folding walker or wheelchair, and the Ford Transit suits larger families. If you are traveling with mobility equipment, tell us when you book so we assign the right vehicle. Our cars are standard passenger vehicles with a chauffeur, so riders should be able to get in and out with a companion’s help.
Heading home
When your visit ends, book the return ride with a flexible window rather than a precise time. Medical schedules can run long, and nothing is more stressful than a driver waiting while you finish a consultation. With a private car, you call when you are ready and the driver comes. For flights out of MSP, plan on leaving Rochester about three and a half hours before takeoff in good weather, and more in winter.
Common first-visit mistakes
- Booking the first appointment for the morning after an overnight flight.
- Going to the wrong campus because the letter was not read carefully.
- Booking the return flight before the schedule is clear.
- Skipping the ride booking and finding no options at midnight.
- Not saving the driver’s phone number.
What to do if something goes wrong
If your flight is canceled or delayed, call the ride provider as soon as you know. Gold Crown’s office takes calls at any hour at (507) 285-9528 or 800-238-2054. If you miss an appointment because of travel trouble, call the clinic before the appointment time and explain; they handle this regularly.
What to do while you wait for bags
Baggage claim at a large airport can take a while, especially if you landed with a full flight. Use the time to stretch, drink some water, and send a message to family letting them know you arrived. If you need a place to sit, there are benches near most carousels. If you are traveling with someone, ask them to stay with the bags while you take a break.
Questions to have answers for
Before you meet your driver, be ready with the name of your hotel, the campus and building for your first appointment, and the number of bags you have. Drivers ask because they plan around the answers: a patient with a morning appointment gets a different drop-off plan than someone checking in to a hotel for the weekend.
If you are arriving without a reservation
Some people show up at MSP without a ride and hope for the best. It can work, but it is stressful. If you are already on the ground, call (507) 285-9528 and ask whether a car is available. If it is, we send one, and if it is not, we say so and you can plan something else.
A note for caregivers
If you are the person traveling with the patient, you are also the person carrying the folder, the bags, and the phone numbers. Take a moment at baggage claim to let someone else lift. A driver who helps with luggage gives you a minute to check that the patient is comfortable, has water, and knows what happens next.
Ready to book
Our MSP to Rochester page has the route details, and the Mayo Clinic transportation page explains how we work with patients and families. When you are ready, use the reservation form or call.