Arizona is a driving state. The main sights are hours apart, most parks have no public transport to their gates, and the Navajo Nation, the Grand Canyon's North Rim and the southeast's small towns are reachable in practice only by car. Inside Phoenix, Tucson, the South Rim and Sedona, though, you can park once and use trains, streetcars and free shuttles, which saves the hunt for a parking space at the busiest viewpoints and trailheads.
This guide covers what runs, where, and in which season, as of November 2026.
Why you need a car
Distances between the places most visitors combine, measured by road with OSRM:
| Route | Distance | Driving time |
|---|---|---|
| Phoenix to Tucson | 113 mi / 182 km | about 2 h |
| Phoenix to Flagstaff | 144 mi / 232 km | about 2 h 35 min |
| Flagstaff to Grand Canyon Village | 87 mi / 140 km | about 1 h 50 min |
| Flagstaff to Page | 134 mi / 216 km | about 2 h 50 min |
| Page to Kayenta (for Monument Valley) | 100 mi / 160 km | about 2 h |
| South Rim to North Rim by road | 213 mi / 342 km | about 5 h |
| Tucson to Tombstone | 72 mi / 115 km | about 1 h 30 min |
The two rims of the Grand Canyon are only about 10 miles apart across the canyon, but the National Park Service puts the drive between the villages at about 212 miles and four and a half hours. Amtrak's two routes cross the state but stop only at a few towns (see our airports and Amtrak guide), and there is no rail link to Sedona, Page or Tucson's parks.
Phoenix: light rail and the Sky Train
Valley Metro, the regional transit agency, runs buses, light rail and a streetcar in the Phoenix area. The light rail began in 2008 within Phoenix, Tempe and Mesa and has since been extended several times, and Valley Metro and the City of Tempe opened a 3-mile streetcar line through downtown Tempe and Arizona State University's Tempe campus in May 2022.
From Sky Harbor, the free PHX Sky Train runs 24 hours a day from both terminals to the Valley Metro Rail station at 44th and Washington streets. Waits average about 3Â― to 7 minutes between 5 a.m. and 10 p.m.
The light rail is useful if you stay in central Phoenix or Tempe and want to reach downtown, museums and the airport without a car. It does not reach the trailheads of the Phoenix mountain preserves, Scottsdale's resorts or the Superstition Mountains, and in summer the walk from a station can be the hardest part of the trip. Valley Metro's own site could not be checked for this guide, so look up current fares and timetables at valleymetro.org.
Tucson: Sun Link streetcar and free buses
Tucson's Sun Link streetcar runs a 3.9-mile route with 23 stops through five districts: Mercado San AgustÃn, downtown, Fourth Avenue, Main Gate Square and the University of Arizona. A full round trip takes about an hour.
Sun Tran says its buses, Sun Link, Sun Van, Sun On Demand, Sun Express and Sun Shuttle all remain fare free at the direction of the Mayor and Council. Visit Tucson gives streetcar frequencies of 10 to 30 minutes, with extra late-night service while the university is in session.
For Tucson's outdoor sights, such as both districts of Saguaro National Park, Sabino Canyon and the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, you still need a car or a tour.
Grand Canyon South Rim: free park shuttles
The South Rim's shuttle buses are free; a share of your entrance fee pays for them, and no ticket is needed. From September 12 to November 30, 2026 three routes and an early hikers' bus run:
| Route | What it serves | Fall 2026 hours |
|---|---|---|
| Village (Blue) | Visitor Center, lodges, campgrounds, Backcountry Information Center, Market Plaza | 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.; every 12 to 15 minutes |
| Kaibab Rim (Orange) | South Kaibab Trailhead, Yaki Point, Pipe Creek Overlook eastbound; Mather Point and Yavapai Geology Museum westbound | 6 a.m. to one hour after sunset; every 15 to 20 minutes |
| Hermits Rest (Red) | The 7-mile Hermit Road and its overlooks | Every 12 minutes from 8 a.m. to sunset; last bus one hour after sunset |
| Hikers' Express | Bright Angel Lodge to South Kaibab Trailhead | Departs 6, 7 and 8 a.m. |
| Tusayan (Purple) | Park & ride from Tusayan | Summer only; tentatively May 22 to September 10, 2027 |
Two rules shape a South Rim day:
- Hermit Road is closed to private vehicles from March 1 to November 30. The Red Route and commercial tours are the only motor access then. Walkers and cyclists can use the road all year, and the park offers a Scenic Drive Accessibility Permit for visitors with mobility needs.
- Desert View Drive east to the Watchtower has no shuttle; it is open to cars all year unless snow closes it.
Buses carry two or three bicycles, are wheelchair accessible, and don't allow food, open drinks or pets other than service animals. Expect queues at busy times, and service can be suspended in bad weather. Outside shuttle hours, the park lists a taxi service for the South Kaibab Trailhead.
The North Rim has no shuttle, and its road closes for the winter after November 30, 2026.
Sedona: trailhead shuttle
Sedona's trailhead shuttle is free, and Visit Sedona lists it as running Thursday to Sunday all year. The city's shuttle site could not be checked for this guide, and Sedona has been dealing with flood damage since November 1, 2026, so confirm the routes in service before you rely on it.
The flooding also closed State Route 89A through Oak Creek Canyon between Sedona and Kachina Village. If you come from Flagstaff, drive Interstate 17 and State Route 179 instead, about 58 miles (93 km) and an hour and a quarter.
Other parks
- Saguaro National Park: each district has its own loop drive and you need a car for both. The east district's Cactus Forest Drive is an 8-mile paved loop without RV parking; the west district's Bajada Loop Drive is a 6-mile graded dirt road that doesn't need high clearance. Vehicles over 8.5 feet wide, or 40 feet long with a trailer, are banned from both loops.
- Chiricahua National Park: the 8-mile road up to Massai Point is closed to oversized vehicles and trailers, and the small campground is by reservation only.
- Monument Valley: the 17-mile loop is a rough dirt road; you can drive it yourself in a suitable vehicle or book a Navajo-guided tour, which is the only way into areas such as Ear of the Wind.
- Canyon de Chelly: the overlooks are free and open to visit on your own; trips along the canyon floor are run by local tour companies listed by Navajo Nation Parks and Recreation.
Sky Harbor has taxi and shuttle pick-up at Terminals 3 and 4. At the Grand Canyon, the park publishes a list of companies authorised to run tours, including between the rims, and taxis may operate without one. On Navajo land, guided tours with Navajo operators are the only way into places such as Ear of the Wind in Monument Valley.
Before you go
- Rent a car unless your trip is a single city.
- Check the Grand Canyon shuttle page for the season's routes; they change on set dates.
- Leave the car in the village and take the Red Route out Hermit Road until November 30.
- Check az511.gov for SR 89A before driving from Flagstaff to Sedona.
- In Tucson, ride the streetcar and buses free for downtown and the university.
Details checked November 6, 2026.
