Does anyone here have experience using Uber/Lyft/Taxi to get from hotels outside downtown (e.g. near the airport) to the ICC and back? Any sense about the typical price of a ride? I know that the latter can be complicated by time of day (and thus traffic, surge pricing, etc.). All the same, it would be nice to get an idea from someone who has done it what the standard costs were.
Can't answer about Uber/Lyft but for taxis, you need to pay attention to the prices on the door. Unlike other cities, it appears taxi companies can set their own prices (flag pull, per mile, per guest). Once you understand that you can pretty much budget, taxies don't have surge pricing.
In 2017 or 2018, I stayed out by the airport. I took the free hotel shuttle to the airport, then caught the Number 8 IndyGo bus to downtown. It was 1.50 if I remember correctly, and the driver told me she would tell me when we got to the convention center stop. They also had a direct IndyGo bus to downtown, but it was way more expensive, though faster. I took taxis back from the ICC to the hotel in the evening since the IndyGo buses stopped running that late. The taxi was 25.00 back to the airport hotel from the ICC. So that was 5ish years ago in the pre-Covid world, so things may have changed. IndyGo has since added a Rapid bus, but I haven't checked the details, and don't know what runs now.
I stayed on the North ring road in 2018/2019 and used Lyft to get to and from the convention.
It was about $35 each way IIRC, sometimes got surge pricing heading back in the evening but I would stay in the Convention Centre for another 10-15 minutes and it would usually go back to normal. Lyft were partnered with Gen Con and there was a dedicated, staffed pick up/dropoff point at the ICC, I think there was a discount on the first few rides as well.
Can't speak to availability or price last year as our borders were closed and I was unable to attend.
"Due to COVID-19, the Downtown Indy Express Airport Shuttle Service is not currently operating." I pray they resurrect this for Gencon.
Is Gencon partnering with any taxi/Uber/Lyft services?
in 2021 my ride from the airport to downtown was $28 and was at 11pm on a Wednesday.
My ride to the airport Sunday was $50 because there was a football game.
As pointed out above, there was no airport shuttle last year because of Covid and so far not one this year. "Due to COVID-19, the Downtown Indy Express Airport Shuttle Service is not currently operating." I pray they resurrect this for Gencon. so for those people that booked/got an airport hotel. Yeah transportation will cost you.
The Indy 8 Bus isn't bad. Sure, it stops alot along the way, but check the schedule and plan a few extra minutes. It is not bad.
Who do we beg to speak to IndyGo about bringing their bus back?
I believe you will need to speak to the Indianapolis city transportation division or, if that doesn't work, find a brick wall.
I believe there are plans for a dedicated bus lane from the airport to downtown, but that won't likely be for another few years.
Odds are they’ve allocated that budget money else so getting it back isn’t a thing.
Way back before Covid times (2019) Lyft was really great and I think the most I paid was 40 dollars including tip back to the airport.
There were a lot of available lyft drivers. I don’t know if that will be the case this year based on some corporate policy and pricing changes. Rides will be more expensive because of those changes and because of the inflation we’re currently experiencing. Planning for that price increase is prudent.
I have stayed at Hotels 10-15 mins away from downtown and I typically paid $20-$25 each way through Lyft. There are certain garages that if you arrive early then you only pay $13 for the day so some days I did that.
Surge times were usually 9-11pm IIRC but it's based on the number of people looking and the number of drivers nearby so surges sometimes only last a few minutes.
Some friends and I stayed in an AirBnB in the suburbs one year--it was great to rent a whole house, but I was one of the people who got stuck sleeping on the sofa, heh. Anyway, you'll spend way less on Uber/Lyft than a downtown room would set you back, but you will be dealing with rush hour traffic heading in Thursday and Friday mornings, so be aware of that. OTOH, it's super easy to hail a cab in the evening, as there are usually several milling around the ICC (I find it easier to do that than find a place for a Lyft to pick me up along a busy street among thousands of people).
If you stay out by the airport, it's $30 each way. My room is $153 (ignoring taxes). That brings me up to $213. That isn't much of an improvement over downtown rates.
(I find it easier to do that than find a place for a Lyft to pick me up along a busy street among thousands of people)