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Planning guide
If you are reading this, you probably have a Mayo Clinic appointment on the calendar and a list of things to sort out before you travel. Transportation is one of them. This guide covers the practical parts: which airport to fly into, how to get from the airport to Rochester, how to get around once you are there, and what changes in winter. It is written by the team at Gold Crown Limousine, a Rochester car service that has been driving patients and families since 1988, so we mention our own service where it fits. The planning advice holds up whichever way you travel.
Mayo Clinic schedules can shift as test results come in, and some visits become several days long. Before you book anything you cannot change, ask your care team how many days to plan for. If you can, choose a refundable fare or leave your return date open until you have the full schedule.
Write down three things before you book transportation: the date and time of your first appointment, which campus or building it is in, and who is traveling with you. Those three answers determine nearly every other choice.
Most out-of-state patients fly into Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport (MSP), about 80 miles from Rochester. MSP has far more flights and usually more fare choices. The drive to Rochester adds roughly an hour and a half in good conditions.
Rochester International Airport (RST) is less than 20 minutes from downtown and takes a fraction of the time to reach your hotel. It has fewer flights, and most itineraries connect through another hub. For some patients, particularly those who tire easily or are in pain, a connecting flight into RST is easier than a long drive from MSP. Compare both on the same dates before you decide.
There are four realistic ways to make the trip.
A rental car gives you freedom and costs the least when two or more people share it, but you will drive 80 miles after a flight and manage downtown parking while you are in Rochester. It is a harder choice in winter.
A scheduled shuttle runs between MSP and Rochester on a timetable. It is economical and works well if your flight lands near a departure time. It makes stops, which lengthens the trip, and the schedule can leave you waiting after a late arrival.
Rideshare and taxis are inconsistent for a trip this long. Availability at the airport varies, and a driver may not accept a ride to Rochester.
A private car service, booked in advance, picks you up at baggage claim and drives straight to your hotel or campus. It costs more than a shared shuttle but removes the timetable. This is the option Gold Crown provides. Our MSP to Rochester page has the route details, and this comparison of every option goes deeper.
Mayo Clinic’s downtown Rochester campus is a cluster of buildings connected by an underground level and skyways, including the Gonda Building and the Mayo Building. Saint Marys Hospital and the Mayo Clinic Hospital, Methodist Campus, are separate locations with their own entrances. Your appointment letter lists the building, and it is worth reading twice. Patients arrive at the wrong campus more often than you might expect.
When you book a ride, give the driver the name of the building and the appointment time. A driver who knows the campuses can drop you at the right entrance instead of the closest curb, which matters if you use a walker or wheelchair.
Hotels near the downtown campus let you walk, or take a short ride, to appointments. Some hotels run their own shuttles to the clinic. Ask when you book your room, and ask about the hours, because some stop in the evening. If your hotel does not run a shuttle, a standing daily pickup from Gold Crown is one way to keep your mornings predictable.
Appointments are rarely back to back with equal gaps. A morning of lab work can lead to a same-day consult. Build slack into the day and avoid scheduling the return ride to the minute. With a private car, you call when you are finished and the driver comes, or you set a window in advance.
For stays of several days, think about the whole routine: breakfast, the morning ride, lunch, the afternoon ride, dinner. If you do not plan to rent a car, nearly everything can be handled with a mix of walking, hotel shuttles, and booked rides.
Caregivers are a regular part of the trip, and they carry a lot: luggage, medication lists, paperwork, and questions for the doctor. Transportation that keeps the patient and caregiver together is worth the extra planning. Gold Crown vehicles carry both, and the Chevrolet Suburban and Lincoln Nautilus have room for a folding wheelchair or walker alongside the bags. Our vehicles are standard passenger cars with a chauffeur, not medical transport, so riders should be able to enter and exit a car with a companion’s help. If you are unsure, call and describe your situation before you book.
Rochester winters are serious. From November through March, snow and ice can stretch the MSP drive well past ninety minutes and occasionally close roads. Build in extra time on arrival day, avoid booking the tightest possible connection at a hub airport, and keep your phone charged. A local driver watches conditions and knows when to leave early. Our blog post on winter driving from MSP to Rochester goes into more detail.
Pack for the cold even if you plan to spend most of the visit indoors. The walk between a car and a clinic entrance can be exposed.
Costs vary by route and vehicle, and any honest number depends on your plans. A shuttle will cost the least per person. A rental car shifts the cost to fuel, parking, and the hassle of driving. A private car is quoted by trip, and you hear the amount before you book. If you are comparing, ask each company what is included, such as wait time, luggage, and meeting you at baggage claim.
If you are traveling from the West Coast, the Southeast, or overseas, give yourself more slack than you think you need. Time zone changes, long flights, and layovers all take a toll, and the clinic schedule starts early. Arriving a day before your first appointment gives your body time to catch up and gives your schedule room to absorb a flight delay.
International patients often arrive in the middle of the night after long flights. Booking a pickup in advance, with your airline and flight number, means a driver is waiting even if you land hours late. Keep the driver’s phone number handy and send a message once you clear customs.
Keep your appointment letter, a list of medications, insurance cards, and a phone charger in a bag you carry with you, not in checked luggage. If you use a walker or cane, tell the driver beforehand so the trunk is cleared and the seat is positioned for easy entry. A light blanket helps in winter, and a bottle of water helps in summer.
Many patients have family members who are not traveling with them. Share the driver’s name, the vehicle, and your pickup time with someone at home. It is a small step that lowers worry on both ends, and it makes it easy to confirm you have arrived. Gold Crown confirms the pickup details before your trip so you have something to share.
Travel for care adds up quickly: flights, hotels, meals, and ground transportation. Ask your hotel if it offers a medical rate, and ask Mayo Clinic’s patient services office about lodging resources. For transportation, compare the options in this guide on convenience as well as price. A ride that gets a tired patient to a bed an hour sooner can be worth the difference.
If you would like a private ride, call (507) 285-9528 or 800-238-2054, or use the reservation form. Tell us your flight, your hotel, and your appointment details, and we plan the rest. See the Mayo Clinic transportation page for more on how we handle visits from patients and families.
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FAQ
It depends on your priorities. A scheduled shuttle costs less, a rental car gives you freedom, and a private car booked in advance picks you up at baggage claim and goes directly to your hotel or campus.
MSP has more flights and fares, but adds roughly an hour and a half of driving. RST is only minutes from downtown, with fewer flights. Price both on your dates.
Many patients do not. Hotels near downtown are close to the campuses, and a mix of walking, hotel shuttles, and booked rides covers most trips.
Choose a provider that lets you adjust the return time. With Gold Crown, call the office and we move the pickup.
Plan your ride. Talk to someone in Rochester any hour, or reserve online. You get a quote before you commit, and nothing is booked until you say so.
