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Traveling to and Around Portland

By Car and Train

For participants traveling to Portland by car, Oregon's Interstate system into Portland consists of two major routes: Interstate 5, running north-south, and Interstate 84, running east-west along the Columbia River. Smaller connecting sections of the Interstate include I-205, south of the Portland metro area, and I-405, running north-south on the west side of downtown Portland.

Amtrak offers three convenient options for train travel to Portland's Union Station. The Cascades schedules three daily departures between Seattle and Portland, as well as daily service to Vancouver, British Columbia. The Amtrak Coast Starlight provides daily connections to Portland from Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Seattle; the Empire Builder travels west from Chicago with several stops along the way.

Special discounts have been arranged with Amtrak. To receive a 10 percent discount on tickets, please telephone Amtrak at 800-872-1477 and use the discount code X23L-966 to make reservations. Please note the discount is not available for reservations made online.

By Air

Portland International Airport (PDX) has five passenger terminals, A-E, serving 17 major airlines with over 300 arrivals and departures daily to 120 domestic and international locations. To access information on the airport, view a list of airlines with routes to Portland, or check for non-stop flight options, please visit the Portland International Airport web site.

Special discount fares have been arranged with American Airlines and Continental Airlines for participants traveling roundtrip to the 16th National Conference on Child Abuse and Neglect. To make reservations, call American Airlines at 800-433-1790 or Continental Airlines at 800-468-7022, identify yourself as a participant of the 16^th National Conference on Child Abuse and Neglect, and provide the appropriate discount code—A8147AC for American Airlines and BTF2CV plus Z code ZUGA for Continental Airlines. Please call early to receive the largest discount available and note that some restrictions and service fees may apply.

Taxi, Shuttle, and Car Rental Services

Upon arrival at Portland International Airport, participants may choose from a variety of ground transportation options, including taxis, hotel and airport shuttle services, and rental cars, as well as public transportation in the form of MAX light rail.

The pick-up area for taxis and shuttles is located in the center section of the airport terminal's lower roadway on the baggage claim and departure terminal level. Taxi rides from the airport to downtown Portland average 20 to 30 minutes at a rate of approximately $25. Two Conference hotels—Courtyard Marriott and Holiday Inn Portland, Downtown—offer complimentary shuttle service.

A special discount rate has been arranged with Raja Tours Airporter shuttle service: $11 per person from the airport to any downtown area or Lloyd Center area hotels. To take advantage of this discount, call 503-524-4386 and identify yourself as a participant of the 16th National Conference on Child Abuse and Neglect. When arriving at the airport, exit the doors at baggage claim and walk to the general information booth located on your left at the corner and ask for directions to the Raja Tours shuttle.

Portland International Airport has several car rental options both within and outside the airport terminal. Three rental car companies are offering special discount rates to Conference participants: Avis at 888-754-8878, Enterprise at 800-rent-a-car, and Thrifty at 800-thrifty. Again, to receive the special rates, please be sure to identify yourself as a 16th National Conference on Child Abuse and Neglect participant, as well as provide the appropriate discount code: J995204 for Avis, 46W2222 for Enterprise, and CAN for Thrifty.

Convenient Public Transportation

TriMet, Portland's public transportation system, accommodates local travelers with bus, streetcar, and MAX light rail services. The rate for a one-way ride is $1.95, except for the city's treat of gratis trips within the appropriately named Fareless Square. To elaborate, all trips beginning and ending within the Fareless Square area are free of charge—all day and daily. When boarding a bus, streetcar, or the MAX light rail within Fareless Square, simply take a seat and enjoy the ride. Fareless Square includes most of downtown Portland (within the boundaries of the Wilamette River, NW Irving Street, and the I-405 freeway), as well as MAX stations from the Rose Quarter to Lloyd Center and stops along NE Multnomah to 13th Avenue. Please visit www.trimet.org to access system maps, the trip planner, and detailed stop information.

Passengers may catch the MAX light rail at 64 stations throughout the metro area. Trains run every 5-15 minutes daily, between approximately 4:30 a.m. and midnight. A rider must have a validated ticket, bus transfer receipt, or monthly pass before boarding MAX. Ticket machines are located at each station.

At the Portland International Airport, the MAX station is located near the baggage claim area on the lower level in Zone 3. The majority of hotels in the downtown and Lloyd Center areas are accessible via MAX light rail. Several hotels reimburse guests for MAX travel to and from the airport. Please check with your hotel to verify their proximity to MAX stations and their policy regarding reimbursement.

Updated on September 18, 2008