Getting from Orlando International Airport (MCO) to your hotel, the theme parks, or downtown is its own puzzle. Taxis are metered (there are no flat rates), LYNX city buses cost just $2, Mears runs 24/7 shuttles to Disney-area hotels, and Brightline trains to South Florida depart from right inside Terminal C. Here is how every option works, terminal by terminal.
Taxis: Where to Find Them
Authorized taxi pickup locations at MCO, per flymco.com:
- Terminal A: Ground Transportation Curb, Level 1, spaces A22–A25
- Terminal B: Ground Transportation Curb, Level 1, spaces B30–B34
- Terminal C: Arrivals Curb, Level 6 (the official flymco.com taxi page lists only Level 6 for Terminal C)
Important: all MCO taxicabs run on meters under the City of Orlando’s Vehicle-for-Hire ordinance — flat-rate fees are not authorized, despite what some third-party sites suggest. Taxis carry up to 9 passengers at the same rate regardless of passenger count, so a group can share one cab.
Authorized taxi companies at MCO: Diamond Cab Co. (407-523-3333), Quick Cab (407-447-1444), Town & Country Transport (407-828-3035), and Mears Taxi (407-422-2222).
On cost: flymco.com references approximate rates on its taxi page, and secondary estimates put metered fares at roughly $38–$45 to Downtown Orlando or International Drive and $52–$68 to Walt Disney World resorts — but the actual fare is metered and varies with traffic, so treat those as rough ballparks, not promises.
Mears Connect: The 24/7 Disney Shuttle
Mears Connect is a 24/7 shared shuttle between MCO and Walt Disney World resorts, Disney Springs resorts, and other Disney-area hotels — the successor to Disney’s Magical Express, operated by the same company.
Check-in is on Level 1 (Ground Transportation) on the Terminal B side, at the big blue Mears Connect digital sign. If you arrive in Terminal A, take the escalator or elevator up to Level 3, walk across to the B side (Level 3 is the only level connecting Terminals A and B), then go down to Level 1. No reservation is required — a walk-up kiosk is available.
Pricing note: reported one-way fares and service tiers (Standard shared vs. Express direct) come from third-party sources and were not verifiable on Mears’ own pages at research time — confirm current pricing at mearsconnect.com before you commit.
LYNX Public Buses: The $2 Option
LYNX city buses serve MCO on Level 1 (Ground Transportation), Terminal A side, at bays A38–A41 — by far the cheapest way out of the airport. Routes serving MCO, per LYNX’s official airport brochure:
- Link 11 — Downtown Orlando (LYNX Central Station) via Orange Avenue
- Link 42 — International Drive, Florida Mall, and the Sand Lake hotel district
- Link 51 — Downtown via Conway Road
- Link 111 / 311 — SeaWorld, Florida Mall, Disney Springs
- FastLink 407 — Medical City and Kissimmee
- Link 436S — the Premium Outlets
Route-numbering caveat: LYNX’s older airport brochure lists Link 111 serving MCO, but 2024–2025 LYNX and SunRail documents list Link 311 (Disney Springs/OIA/Universal) instead — Link 111 appears to have been renumbered to 311. Verify the current number on golynx.com before your trip.
LYNX fares (official): $2.00 single ride; $4.50 all-day pass (buy from the operator before paying); free 90-minute transfers (not valid on the same route or for round trips); $16 for 7 days; $50 for 30 days. Tap-to-pay and the LYNX Paw Pass app are accepted.
SunRail (Via a LYNX Connection)
SunRail has no direct airport stop. Connect via LYNX Links 11, 42, or 311 from the Sand Lake Road SunRail station (8030 South Orange Ave, Pine Castle, FL 32809) — LYNX runs between the station and MCO roughly every 15 minutes on weekdays from 5:30 a.m. to 10:45 p.m.
SunRail itself operates Monday–Friday only (roughly 5:30 a.m.–9:30 p.m.; trains every 30 minutes at peak and every 2–2.5 hours off-peak), with no service on six federal holidays. Fares are zone-based: $2–$5 one-way, $3.75–$9.50 round trip.
Brightline: Train to South Florida from Terminal C
Brightline’s Orlando station sits at Terminal C (Level 5 of Garage C), with service to West Palm Beach, Boca Raton, Fort Lauderdale, Aventura, and Miami. Orlando service launched in September 2023, and trains run approximately hourly, daily.
Brightline fares are dynamic — no fixed price is published — so check gobrightline.com for current fares. Third-party estimates of typical starting fares exist, but treat them as unverified until you price your date on the official site.
Image: elisfkc2, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Don’t Forget Rideshare and Rental Cars
Rideshare pickups are at the arrivals curbs — Level 2 for Terminals A and B, Level 6 for Terminal C — with a late-night exception at A/B (Level 3, 9 p.m.–2 a.m.). Full details are in our MCO Uber/Lyft rideshare pickup guide. Driving yourself? Our MCO rental car guide covers counter locations across all three terminals, and drivers meeting arriving passengers should read the cell phone lot guide to avoid circling the terminals.
Before, During, and After: AirportGo as Your Ground-Transport Companion
AirportGo is built for the whole trip — not just indoor navigation. Before your flight, compare your exit options from your specific terminal: taxi bays A22–A25, the LYNX bays at A38–A41, the Mears Connect sign on the Terminal B Level 1, or the Brightline station at Terminal C’s Garage C Level 5 — all mapped and searchable. During your journey, step-by-step directions route you from your gate straight to your chosen curb, platform, or check-in sign without doubling back through the terminal. After you land, AirportGo’s directory search gets you from baggage claim to the right level for your ride in one clean path.
