Travel

Getting To Ithaca

By air directly into Ithaca

Two airline carriers service Ithaca’s airport (blue lines). US Airways runs direct flights from Philadelphia and NY-La Guardia airports only. Northwest Airlines runs direct flights from Detroit, MI only. It is generally more expensive to fly directly into Ithaca, but extremely convenient to reach the campus and hotel locations for the congress. A taxi ride from the airport to either North Campus or the hotels costs about $13. Contact Ithaca Dispatch, phone (607) 277-7777. We will try to provide some (intermittent) free shuttle van service for passengers arriving in Ithaca on August 9 between 10:00 am and 5:00 pm.

By air into Syracuse

Most major US carriers service Syracuse's Hancock International Airport (SYR), and international carriers servicing the greater New York City area offer connecting flights to Syracuse (red lines). Please note that even though the three main NYC airports are close together, it is difficult and time-consuming to move between them on the ground, so make sure your connecting flight leaves from the same airport as your arrival airport in NYC. Syracuse is approximately a 1.5-hour drive from Ithaca. We currently have four bus trips from Syracuse to Cornell’s North Campus on Saturday afternoon Aug. 9, leaving the airport at 11:00 am, 2:00 pm, 5:00 pm, and 8:00 pm. We have three trips leaving Ithaca back to Syracuse Airport on Aug. 15 at 8:00 am, 11:00 am, and 2:00 pm. You must indicate your interest in a bus ride within the online registration website (use your registration code and edit to add your bus trip choice), so that we can accurately assess the number and sizes of buses to charter. The cost will be $20 each way, payable in cash before boarding the bus. If there is sufficient interest in additional trips, we can try to add another trip or two. You should also consider using the electronic bulletin board (Rideshare discussion) to arrange a shared taxi ride (see below).

You can also book a ride with one of the two airport limousine services. Airline Limo Service, phone (607) 273-3030 (or toll-free: 1-800-273-9197), offers regularly scheduled trips throughout the day at approximately 2.5 hr intervals, cost is $65 one way or $102 round trip. They require 48 hr advance notice, and they will add more vehicles if many people reserve. Their last evening trip leaves Syracuse at 10:00 pm on Saturdays. Ithaca Dispatch, phone (607) 277-7777 (or toll-free: 1-888-321-1149), is a local taxi service that can also send larger vehicles to Syracuse Airport. The cost is $125 one way for the first one or two people, additional $20 per person up to 7 passengers total if luggage is minimal, so the minimum cost if shared among 7 people is $32. They require a one-day advance reservation; service can be obtained any time day or night.

By bus from NYC

International travelers may find it most economical to fly into NYC and take a bus to Ithaca (green lines). Short Line Bus Company offers direct trips every 2 hours from the Port Authority Bus Terminal, 42nd St and 8th Ave in downtown Manhattan, to Ithaca and the Cornell campus. There are frequent shuttle trips from all of the New York area airports to the Port Authority Bus terminal. The drive from NYC to Ithaca is approximately 4.5 hours. The bus makes one quick stop in Binghamton before heading to Ithaca. Usually the first bus stop, upon reaching the Ithaca area, is the North Campus area (Robert Purcell), but on some routes they go to the downtown bus terminal in Ithaca first, and then to North Campus. The company is offering ISBE participants a special price on a round trip ticket of $99 (or $50 one way) and the ability to purchase the ticket online. Do not use Greyhound Bus service from New York City, it is both more expensive and a very long trip with several stops and transfers.

By car

If you plan on driving to Ithaca (green lines), you will need to purchase a parking permit to park anywhere on campus, including the residence hall area. The cost is $10 per day. Parking space is limited, so please use public modes of transportation if at all possible.

For driving directions to Cornell from all points, see the following Cornell website. Some of the roads leading to the Robert Purcell registration site will be closed to traffic. Please download the following maps if you are arriving from the north via Route 13 or from the south via Route 79. The routes indicated by red arrows on the maps will be marked by green Cornell signs and/or red and white ISBE signs on the streets. There are also visitor information booths at all of the main entrances to Cornell University, where directions and campus maps may be obtained. You may also find the map highlighting ISBE 2008 events useful.