Mason City Airport IA to the Winnebago Factory
Jan 25, 2014, 7:59 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 1998
Location: australia
Posts: 5,762
Mason City Airport IA to the Winnebago Factory
Anyone have knowledge of getting from Mason City Airport at Clear Lake to the Winnebago Factory in Forest City IA. I presume a pre-booked cab is the only way and that there are no shuttle services. Google maps has it as 26 miles - do cabs in rural Iowa charge you for the roundtrip journey if you are crossing between counties?
Jan 26, 2014, 6:55 pm
#2
Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 2,653
Unfortunately it appears that the airline which flies to Mason City, Great Lakes Airlines, is ending nearly all service out of Minneapolis February 1st. That means until a replacement is found no airline will serve Mason City. Great Lakes has had quite a few difficulties for awhile, and they have especially been hard hit by pilot shortages recently. Unless you are flying in the next few days you're likely not going to be able to fly.
You're already flying to Minneapolis to get to your flight to Mason City, and MSP airport is about as close as you can fly to Mason City now anyway. Jefferson Bus Lines does have a once-daily bus which goes from the Minneapolis airport and stops at the Mason City airport. Assuming you can't rent a car (which is my top suggestion) you can contract with a shuttle service to take you to your destination, although it may be expensive (like a few $100).
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news...
You're already flying to Minneapolis to get to your flight to Mason City, and MSP airport is about as close as you can fly to Mason City now anyway. Jefferson Bus Lines does have a once-daily bus which goes from the Minneapolis airport and stops at the Mason City airport. Assuming you can't rent a car (which is my top suggestion) you can contract with a shuttle service to take you to your destination, although it may be expensive (like a few $100).
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news...
Last edited by knope2001; Jan 26, 2014 at 7:43 pm
Jan 26, 2014, 6:59 pm
#3
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You might want to investigate what it would cost to book a car service from MSP.
However, the obvious solution is to rent a car.
However, the obvious solution is to rent a car.
Jan 26, 2014, 8:28 pm
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: May 1998
Location: australia
Posts: 5,762
Unfortunately it appears that the airline which flies to Mason City, Great Lakes Airlines, is ending nearly all service out of Minneapolis February 1st. That means until a replacement is found no airline will serve Mason City. Great Lakes has had quite a few difficulties for awhile, and they have especially been hard hit by pilot shortages recently. Unless you are flying in the next few days you're likely not going to be able to fly.
You're already flying to Minneapolis to get to your flight to Mason City, and MSP airport is about as close as you can fly to Mason City now anyway. Jefferson Bus Lines does have a once-daily bus which goes from the Minneapolis airport and stops at the Mason City airport. Assuming you can't rent a car (which is my top suggestion) you can contract with a shuttle service to take you to your destination, although it may be expensive (like a few $100).
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news...
You're already flying to Minneapolis to get to your flight to Mason City, and MSP airport is about as close as you can fly to Mason City now anyway. Jefferson Bus Lines does have a once-daily bus which goes from the Minneapolis airport and stops at the Mason City airport. Assuming you can't rent a car (which is my top suggestion) you can contract with a shuttle service to take you to your destination, although it may be expensive (like a few $100).
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news...
Unfortunately the obvious solution is not a feasible solution as there doesn't appear to be any major car rental firm in Forest City and as the reason for the trip is not to do the Winnebago Factory Tour (which I am sure would be a highlight of any tour of the Midwest) but to pick up an RV for a relocation to the West Coast, a car rental would need to be a one-way and that just doesn't appear to be an option .
I've checked buses from MSP and Des Moines but it still seems the closest that I can get to Forest City is Clear Lake/Mason City
I suppose I could always tow the rental car back behind the Winnebago!
Last edited by 3544quebec; Jan 26, 2014 at 8:33 pm
Jan 28, 2014, 6:29 pm
#6
Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 2,653
If you have not yet made reservations, you might want to look into flying into Des Moines and taking Executive Express. Sometimes shuttles like this will take you to your exact destination with prior planning, or at worst you can get the shuttle to Clear Lake and then call a taxi to take you the rest of the way, just as you would have done flying into Mason City.
http://www.executiveexpress.biz/
Looks like one way DSM-Clear Lake is $81, so this might well be less expensive than the original plan to fly to MSP and take Great Lakes down to MCW.
http://www.executiveexpress.biz/
Looks like one way DSM-Clear Lake is $81, so this might well be less expensive than the original plan to fly to MSP and take Great Lakes down to MCW.
Jan 29, 2014, 2:31 am
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: May 1998
Location: australia
Posts: 5,762
If you have not yet made reservations, you might want to look into flying into Des Moines and taking Executive Express. Sometimes shuttles like this will take you to your exact destination with prior planning, or at worst you can get the shuttle to Clear Lake and then call a taxi to take you the rest of the way, just as you would have done flying into Mason City.
http://www.executiveexpress.biz/
Looks like one way DSM-Clear Lake is $81, so this might well be less expensive than the original plan to fly to MSP and take Great Lakes down to MCW.
http://www.executiveexpress.biz/
Looks like one way DSM-Clear Lake is $81, so this might well be less expensive than the original plan to fly to MSP and take Great Lakes down to MCW.
Mar 3, 2015, 11:54 am
#9
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: New Zealand
Posts: 1
Hi
I am doing the same thing early May and are having the same problem. There are two taxi companys listed for Mason City, I have phoned both. One said they don't go to Forest City, for the other I always just get an answering machine, I have left a message but have not had a response.
I am doing the same thing early May and are having the same problem. There are two taxi companys listed for Mason City, I have phoned both. One said they don't go to Forest City, for the other I always just get an answering machine, I have left a message but have not had a response.
Mar 19, 2015, 1:42 pm
#10
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 1
Fly into Des moins and get the shuttle with these guys
https://www.executiveexpress.biz
I just talked to them and they didn't realize that Forest City was not listed on their website yet and their Shuttle that goes as far as Clear Lake now goes up to Forest City
their number is toll free: 888-522-9899
https://www.executiveexpress.biz
I just talked to them and they didn't realize that Forest City was not listed on their website yet and their Shuttle that goes as far as Clear Lake now goes up to Forest City
their number is toll free: 888-522-9899
Apr 30, 2017, 7:06 am
#11
Join Date: Mar 2006
Programs: SK*G
Posts: 39
Picking up this old post...
Will travel from Norway tomorrow to pick a RV May 3rd on a spontanious mission for Route 66 to Los Angeles.
Any suggestion for ground transport to Winnebago Factory either from MSP or Mason City Airport now?
Will travel from Norway tomorrow to pick a RV May 3rd on a spontanious mission for Route 66 to Los Angeles.
Any suggestion for ground transport to Winnebago Factory either from MSP or Mason City Airport now?
Apr 30, 2017, 11:21 am
#12
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Chicago, IL, US
Posts: 2,210
If you have 2 drivers, rent a car at the Mason City airport for a couple of hours, go pickup the RV, head back to airport to drop off. Appears there is only Enterprise at Mason City airport, so a one-way from MSP would be out (Enterprise doesn't really do one-way rentals)