okay so literally just landed at nashville international airport, bna, and im honestly still kinda recovering from the whole journey to get here and i just gotta share some thoughts cause its not like some of the bigger airports where you just kinda expect a million options and you dont really think about it until youre standing there with your bags and realizing you gotta actualy get to the airport you know. its a whole thing here and you really gotta plan it out a bit otherwise youre gonna be stressed out and probably paying more than you wanted to and thats never fun especialy when youre traveling. i mean ive flown into and out of bna a bunch of times now and ive tried pretty much everything and i think ive finally kinda settled on what works best for me but it really depends on what you have with you and how much you wanna spend which is always the case but here it feels a bit more pronounced.
i remember one time i was kinda rushing and didnt book anything ahead and ended up waiting forever for a shared ride shuttle and it was just a nightmare cause it made a million stops and i was late for my flight check-in and it was just not ideal at all and since then ive learned my lesson, basically, to always have a plan even if its just a rough one you know. sometimes you just cant beat the convenience of an uber or lyft but then you gotta factor in the surge pricing which can be absolutely brutal here especialy during peak times or events and nashville always has something going on so youre basically always dealing with some kind of surge and its just not great for the wallet. parking is an option sure but if youre going away for like more than a few days the cost starts to really add up and then you gotta walk pretty far sometimes depending on which lot you pick and its just a hassle with luggage.
My Go-To Transportation Picks
honestly my absolute go-to these days is usually an uber or lyft, even with the surge sometimes, because the door-to-door service is just so incredibly convenient and you dont have to worry about schedules or sharing a ride with like five other strangers who are going in completely opposite directions and that just saves so much mental energy especially when youre already tired from traveling or anticipating a long flight. but i always check the price first and if its absolutely ridiculous then i might reconsider. i also really like booking a private shuttle if im traveling with a group cause then you can split the cost and it feels a lot more personal than a big bus and its almost like having your own driver without the uber price tag sometimes. public transportation isnt really much of a thing to the airport here which is a bummer cause that would make things so much easier and cheaper for a lot of people but its just not set up like that at bna.
Is it worth the extra cash?
and this is the big question right, like is it actualy worth paying more for a taxi or an uber black or even a pre-booked private car instead of just hoping for a cheaper shared ride or dealing with the hassle of airport parking, and honestly, for me, most of the time, yes it is absolutely worth it for the peace of mind and the convenience. especialy if im on a tight schedule or if ive had a long day and just want to get to my destination without any extra fuss and not having to drag my bags across like three parking lots is a huge plus. the amount of stress it saves is worth a few extra bucks in my opinion because traveling is already stressful enough without adding transportation worries into the mix and thats just how i feel about it after doing this song and dance a few times now.
now about those shared rides versus an uber or lyft, heres my raw advice cause its not always a clear choice and it really comes down to your luggage situation and how much patience you have that day:
- if youre literally just carrying a backpack and maybe a small personal item, the shared shuttle is totally fine and probably the cheapest option and youll probably be okay with the extra stops.
- if you have one standard carry-on and a laptop bag, you can still probably manage the shuttle but know you might be cramped and putting your bag overhead might be a tight squeeze.
- if youre hauling a full-size suitcase, even just one, ditch the shuttle and just go for an uber or lyft, you dont wanna be wrestling that thing in and out of a packed shuttle van.
- if you have two or more suitcases, or any oversized items like golf clubs or a musical instrument, dont even think about the shuttle, seriously, just bite the bullet and get a private ride or pre-book a larger vehicle cause youll thank yourself later.
- if youre traveling with kids and all their gear like car seats and diaper bags, its an instant no for the shared shuttle, just get a private car, your sanity is worth it.
so yeah, thats basically my take on getting to and from bna, its not the worst airport but it definitly requires a bit of foresight and planning to make your life easier and not waste a bunch of money or time and hopefully this helps someone else whos trying to figure out their airport transport cause its truly a whole process here.