Where it is
Portland International Airport (PDX) sits in Northeast Portland on the south bank of the Columbia River, about ten miles northeast of downtown. One terminal, one roadway loop, no shuttle between concourses; the rebuilt main terminal with its timber roof opened in 2024. Everything below assumes a normal day; add time for snow, ice or a holiday weekend.
Four ways in
| How | What to expect | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| MAX Red Line (TriMet light rail) | The train runs straight into the terminal; the platform is a short covered walk from baggage claim. From downtown (Pioneer Square) allow about 40 minutes; from the Hollywood or Gateway transit centers less. Trains run from early morning to around midnight. One fare for the trip; pay with a Hop card, a contactless card or phone, or a ticket from the platform machine. | Downtown, Northeast, Southeast via Gateway, the west side via the Red Line's own run to Beaverton. Cheapest by far. |
| Driving and parking | I-205 to the Airport Way exit from the east side or from I-84; Airport Way or Marine Drive from the north. Short-term parking sits beside the terminal, long-term and economy lots farther out with a shuttle. Cell phone waiting lot for pickups; the terminal curb is for active loading only. | Early flights, families with bags, trips of a few days where the economy lot beats two rideshares. |
| Rideshare and taxi | Uber, Lyft and taxis pick up from a marked lot a short walk from baggage claim, not the curb; drop-off is at the departures curb. Twenty to thirty-five minutes from downtown outside rush hour; the airport adds a pickup fee. | Odd hours, heavy bags, groups of three or four. |
| Bus | TriMet buses serve the airport area along Airport Way and connect at Gateway or Parkrose transit centers to the MAX. Slower than the train; useful from the north and east sides. | Outer Northeast and East Portland without a car. |
How long to allow, by district
| From | By car, off-peak | By MAX | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northwest and downtown Southwest | 25 to 35 min | 40 to 50 min | I-84 east to I-205 north. The Red Line from any downtown stop. |
| Northeast (Hollywood, Alberta) | 15 to 25 min | 20 to 30 min | Closest district. Red Line from Hollywood/NE 42nd. |
| North (St. Johns, Kenton) | 20 to 30 min | 45 to 60 min | Columbia Blvd or Lombard east to I-205; by rail it is Yellow Line down to Rose Quarter, then Red Line out. |
| Southeast (Hawthorne, Sellwood) | 25 to 35 min | 40 to 55 min | I-205 north from Powell or Division. Bus or Blue/Green Line to Gateway, then Red Line. |
| East Portland (Lents, Gateway) | 15 to 25 min | 15 to 30 min | Gateway Transit Center is three stops from the terminal. |
| South (South Waterfront) | 30 to 40 min | 50 to 60 min | I-5 north to I-84 or I-405 across; streetcar or bus to a Red Line stop downtown. |
| The burbs: Beaverton, Lake Oswego, Vancouver, Gresham | 30 to 50 min | 45 to 75 min | Beaverton is on the Red Line's own run. Vancouver crosses the I-205 bridge, minutes away by car. Gresham: Blue Line to Gateway, then Red. |
At the airport
Security lines are usually short by big-airport standards; TSA PreCheck and CLEAR lanes are at the main checkpoints. Food and shops are mostly past security and local by policy, at street prices. Free wifi throughout. Oregon has no sales tax, which is why the shops are worth a stop on the way out.
Leaving the airport without a car
Follow the signs to MAX from baggage claim; the platform is outside, under cover. Buy or tap a fare before boarding. For downtown hotels stay on until Pioneer Square or Pioneer Courthouse; for the Lloyd District, Convention Center; for the east side, change at Gateway. Rideshare and taxi pickups are in the lot across the roadway from the terminal, signed from baggage claim.
Related: Getting around Portland (the grid, the bridges, MAX, streetcar, bikes) and the district map.