New Car Rental Area At TPA
 

Just a heads up, it seems all TPA car rentals are now off site. Has anybody used this train yet ? I think it just opened or is going to in the near future.

I guess today's the grand opening: wtsp.com | SkyConnect train opens today at Tampa International Airport

I fly down there in April - I had no idea they were doing this.

We fly in April 14 and also had no idea. There was a little talk on the car rental forums but I figured the news would get much more exposure here.

Going up and down all those big escalators with bags seems like fun but maybe having 16 car rental companies at the same location will lower prices as TPA rentals have increased a lot the past few years

Fortunately Mr. Otis had a good idea. :p

Yes, good luck getting thousands of people on the 3 elevators located near the escalators

Well Mr. Seeberger also had some good ideas. It's not an all or nothing proposition. Some will use one way and some will use the other. My money is on natural selection. I'm sure any Black Fridayesque lines will be reported tout de suite and then we'll know for sure.

My $$$ says the vast majority are on the escalators or maybe some just jump


https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...9557a7223e.jpg

BTW, I never said lines would be long, I said bags might be a PIA on Escalators this steep.

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...3a94168866.jpg

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...8d1b19f28f.jpg

Neither did I. That was my point. Most people will use the escalator and be just fine however the elevator is there should people prefer. You then implied that everyone would use the elevator. "Good luck getting thousands of people on the 3 elevators". So I suggested that wouldn't happen but if it did I'm sure we would hear about how there were crazy long lines.

Maybe you didn't pick up on the sarcasm.

You implied that "Mr Otis" solved the escalator issue. I then replied stating there are only 3 Elevators in the area so it would be tough for many to use them.

Maybe you also didn't pick up on my sarcasm about "good luck getting thousands of people on 3 elevators"

Seems to me a much better design would have been to make everything ( cars and check in counters) on one level the way the old rental car pickup was at TPA.

Maybe the escalator has bigger steps that let you rest your bags on them easily, guess I'll find out in a month or so.

I used this just yesterday. No one at Avis or Airport personnel are too happy about it and there will be some confusion. You'll get your daily workout walking. Tram runs from Rental Car center to Economy Parking, then to the Terminal. Be sure to allot the extra 20 minutes it will take when returning your vehicle.

Ugh, this used to be my favorite airport, by far, for ease of convenience both in and out, especially with a rental car. Even with National going offsite 10+ years ago it still was a breeze with the short bus. I guess this will change too.

Looks like a virtual copy of the very far away car rental building at PHX. Difference being TPA got the tram there on opening day.

I was implying that Mr Otis provided an option for those travelers who didn't want to use the escalator.

As another poster noted this is very similar to other airports such as PHX and the escalators/elevators aren't an issue there. Meaning I expect it'll be a non issue and people will use whichever they are comfortable using and thousands of people won't opt for the elevator. At least not all at the same time.

Are you talking TPA ? I always rent from National or Alamo and they are ( or were) both located across from the baggage claim @tpa