Ticket2Ride

I'm planning a trip from Providence, RI to Houston, TX. Will be departing December 17 and returning on the 19. For airfares, so far I am seeing $155 on Southwest which flies into Hobby. And then there are others like United and US Airways which fly into IAH for similar price. Southwest was $144 just earlier this week. I am now going to start losing money if I don't get this scheduled soon.

I'm trying to find fares from either Hobby or IAH to Webster, TX. I'll be staying at the Staybridge Suites - NASA on W. Texas Ave. On the way home I need to get from Johnson Space Center to either Hobby or IAH. I will be done on the 19th of December by 3 PM hopefully. So I will need a flight after 5 PM. Southwest - Hobby's last flight to Providence on that day is 5:10 PM, but it costs $250. I'm not sure I'm willing to pay that.

I can leave the next day and stay in a youth hostel if someone can find a better fare for all day on the 20th. I really need help with the public transportation as well. I'm not paying $50 for a cab. I'm hardly getting paid at all for this trip. My hotel is covered, but I only get a stipend each day for food.

I did find the Google Page for the bus route: Hobby to Webster, TX. But I can't find a page where I can see the cost of fares on ridemetro.org.

Would greatly appreciate if anyone has some advice for me. I'm going to cancel this trip if I can't get some numbers down.

lindaiah

Fares are usually pretty cheap on Metro -- call (713)635-4000 and they can help you figure out your fares and stops from Hobby. Don't fly into IAH if you can get a cheaper deal from Southwest into Hobby. IAH is too far from Webster and Johnson Space Center if you don't have a car or don't want to pay for a cab. There are a couple of bus stops in the area of your hotel. How are you planning to get into JSC? Or are you just going to the visitor center?

Ticket2Ride

Hi Lindaiah. Thanks for the number. I actually did visit their website as that is the link in my first post. I called the number up and she said there is no bus service to Webster, TX. Unbelievable! I read earlier that Houston is very "car-centric." I guess so. She recommended I call Super Shuttle. I had also come across this before but it said $40 dollars on their website each way. Well, I called them just now out of curiosity. Iit is $31 to the hotel, and then $26 from Johnson Space Center back to Hobby airport. That's still a lot of money. I'm not sure at this point what I'll be doing. Southwest's return flight came down a $100 dollars today so now is the time to buy it. I'm still not sure about this. If you have any other leads please let me know. Thanks again for your help.

lindaiah

You got an uninformed Metro agent, apparently. Unless she meant there are no direct buses from Hobby to Webster. You will probably have to change somewhere. Less than one mile from your hotel is a very large metro park&ride site, and there is another large parking area next to the freeway where people get on the buses - that is also less than a mile from your hotel in the other direction. I suggest calling back and telling the metro agent you need to get from Hobby airport to the Clear Lake/NASA-JSC area. Webster is really part of that. The #246 bus should be involved somehow if I remember correctly. I'd take the bus from the airport and take a cab back. You will be more pressed for time on the return, probably. How are you planning to get around once you arrive? Are you too young to rent a car?

lindaiah

Meant to say take Super Shuttle back rather than a cab - assuming they're cheaper...

Ticket2Ride

Thanks again lindaiah. Sorry for not getting back to you sooner over the weekend. Your information is very helpful to me. I will definitely have to call back. Super Shuttle even recommended that I call Southwest up. On Google Maps they give you Bus #249 that leaves from near the University of Houston. That is the main bus that Google is showing when you do an A to B (Bus) Direction from Hobby to either the hotel or JSC. But I will mention #246 over the phone if you think it is that. But you have to take another bus to go north to that destination. This ride could take up to 3 hours it seems! Not worth the headache I don't think.

I'm old enough to rent a car but I don't want to do that. I'm trying to save as much money as possible on this trip. I will just walk around in the hotel area. I love to walk so even it means 30 minute walk somewhere that is fine. Super Shuttle did tell me over the phone they'd be there at the time I'd need them. They said I'd be the last one to pick-up which is good. So we'd go directly to Hobby after picking me up. Trouble is, I don't know if I'll finish at 3pm or 2pm. Or possibly even 3:30 PM, but that is planning for the worst. I just need to make sure I call Super Shuttle the night before (at least 10 hours ahead of time).

Any particular cab company you recommend before I randomly google search them in the Clear Lake area? I haven't actually called one up but I did do one of those automated cab fare estimates and it looks like it'll be at least $50.

lindaiah

I don't usually take cabs around here so I can't recommend one. There aren't many though.
I'm not familiar with the #249 bus - but the #246 has stops in several places in the Clear Lake/JSC area. You aren't planning to walk from your hotel to JSC, are you? I assume someone is picking you up at the main gate because without a badge you aren't getting past that. Could that person give you a ride to the airport? Or from your hotel to JSC at least? Walking from your hotel to JSC will take longer than 30 minutes I think. What if it rains?
An economy car could work out much cheaper than cabs - I'd look into it at least.

Ticket2Ride

No I'm all set with getting from hotel to JSC. Thanks for your concern, though. I will be picked up. I most likely will be taking Super Shuttle to and from airport. I think that is what it will come down to.

What do you think of the restaurants in that area? There's a Mexican restaurant called Lupe Tortilla's Mexican Restaurant within walking distance. Will probably get take out and bring back to hotel. And there is an amusement park I could take a look at at night called Kemah Boardwalk. Don't know if it will be open--says seasonal on the website. There's also the Baybrook Mall.

TMOliver

TexMex restaurant take out, even at a decent joint (and Lupe's, part of a Texas chain with a number of Houston area locations, overall draws decent reviews for "standard chain" TexMex), falls below appreciable to the just plain inedible. TexMex does not travel well, in fact badly (except for lunch and breakfast tacos/burritos, for which there are dozens of better, cheaper alternatives). For a traveler from Old Rhody, you'll get far more from the experience "dining in". Service will likely be acceptably quick, and although "Border Kitsch", the atmosphere is what you'll really paying (modestly) to get. A couple of reviewers note that the corn tortillas, the "staple" fare of lower income Mexicans and Mexican Americans, are OK.

lindaiah

There are many restaurants out on the main road( bay area boulevard) next to your hotel. Lupe Tortillas isn't the closest or even the best. You'll have plenty to choose from and won't have a problem. BJs Brewery (and restaurant) is good.
The Kemah Boardwalk is mostly a seafood restaurant area with some rides and midway type games (Skeeball , etc) on the channel going out to Galveston Bay. Gets VERY crowded on weekends, especially with good weather. I assume you're taking a cab because it is several miles from your hotel. The food is typical chain seafood fare (Joe's Crab Shack, etc.)

djp98374

Are you traveling for work at Johnson Space Center? If so they may have an internal or a contract with a shuttle company for travel to/from the airports and to/from nearby hotels. I wager that they do, just finding that info can be difficult. If they operate like most large military bases they would have on property lodging accomidations.

EmailKid

There is also Galveston Shuttle with service to Nasa Road from both IAH and HOU, but agree you are better off if you can fly into HOU.

Also agree that you may well end up saving money by renting a car, even though that appears not to be your first choice.

Cannot help with Houston buses, as I've always driven when I lived in Galveston.

EmailKid

Ticket2Ride

Thanks for the follow up replies here since I last visited. I appreciate all the helpful advice. I haven't flown since pre-9/11 so if you have any tips please let me know. I will be flying Southwest. I know there's all kinds of regulations now so I will have to look that up.

Galveston Shuttle. Thank you. I will write them down and keep it as a back-up transportation source. Looks like they charge more than Super Shuttle. Thanks for the information about restaurants. That's good to know there will be a lot to choose from on the Boulevard. So I guess this hotel is in a pretty good location. No, I'm not working there but I will be meeting with employees who do. Other than Hotel to JSC and back, NASA no longer provides transportation for volunteers who are visiting. I believe this is due to budget cuts.