Chauffeur service in Santa Fe: airport transfers from ABQ and SAF, opera nights and Taos trips

How do most visitors reach Santa Fe?

Most fly into the Albuquerque Sunport, which has far more flights, and drive the 65 miles north on I-25. That transfer takes about 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes to the Plaza, or longer when snow covers La Bajada hill. Santa Fe Regional Airport, about 10 miles southwest of the Plaza, has a small terminal with a limited number of daily regional flights to large hubs; from there, the drive into town is 20 to 25 minutes. Either way, the booking engine at /book/ shows one fixed price for the chauffeur, fuel and included waiting before you pay.

Our Toronto desk dispatches the job, 24 hours a day, to a vetted operator serving Santa Fe and contracted to the BlaakLane.com written standard. The confirmation names the operator and chauffeur. Wedding weekends at the resorts, gallery-opening groups and film crews with several vehicles are planned by a coordinator and confirmed in writing.

Pickup at the Albuquerque Sunport for Santa Fe travellers

Your chauffeur meets you at the Sunport's lower-level curb outside baggage claim, in the lanes for commercial ground transportation, and sends the car details and door number after landing. Flights are tracked, so the chauffeur is there for the actual arrival. Included waiting is 30 minutes after a domestic landing and 60 minutes after an international one, then 15-minute blocks. A meet and greet inside baggage claim with a name board is an add-on; add-ons are only available in selected locations. Airport information is on the Sunport website. See also our Albuquerque page.

Santa Fe Regional Airport (SAF) and private jets

SAF's compact terminal makes pickups quick: the chauffeur waits at the kerb outside arrivals. The airport is also a common destination for business jets, since it puts owners and guests about 20 minutes from the Plaza and the resorts north of town. Send the tail number and handler, and the chauffeur meets the aircraft under the FBO's rules; private aviation and FBO transport describes the process. Other pickups include 15 minutes of waiting.

Transfer times

The historic centre and its streets

Santa Fe, founded in 1610, is the oldest state capital in the United States and at about 7,000 feet the highest. Its centre was laid out for carts, not cars. The Plaza and the streets around the Palace of the Governors and the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis are narrow, many are one-way, and several close for markets and festivals. Hotel entrances such as La Fonda on the Plaza, the Rosewood Inn of the Anasazi, the Inn and Spa at Loretto, Hotel St. Francis and La Posada de Santa Fe each have their own set-down arrangements, and the chauffeur confirms the exact spot with you. On market days, expect to walk a block or two to the car.

Areas that draw visitors:

• The Plaza: the Palace of the Governors, where Native American artists sell jewellery under the portal, and the Loretto Chapel.
• Canyon Road: about half a mile of galleries in old adobe houses, climbing east from Paseo de Peralta.
• The Railyard: the Santa Fe Farmers' Market, SITE Santa Fe, galleries and the Rail Runner station.
• Museum Hill: the Museum of International Folk Art and the Wheelwright Museum on Camino Lejo.
• The Siler Road area: Meow Wolf's House of Eternal Return and the city's growing arts district.
• The State Capitol: the round building known as the Roundhouse, a few blocks south of the Plaza.

The Santa Fe calendar, month by month

{note}Dates move each year. Confirm them with Tourism Santa Fe before you book.{/note}

• December to March: skiing at Ski Santa Fe in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, and the farolito walk on Canyon Road on Christmas Eve.
• Late June to late August: the Santa Fe Opera season at its open-sided theatre about 7 miles north of town on US-84/285. Performances end late, so we book a set return time. See the Santa Fe Opera.
• July: the International Folk Art Market and, late in the month, Traditional Spanish Market around the Plaza.
• August: Santa Fe Indian Market, usually the third weekend, when hundreds of Native artists fill the Plaza and surrounding streets; see SWAIA. Hotels and cars book out months ahead.
• Early September: Fiestas de Santa Fe and the burning of Zozobra at Fort Marcy Park.
• Autumn: golden aspens in the mountains and gallery openings on Friday evenings.

Tourism Santa Fe publishes the full calendar. For guests arriving for weddings at the resorts, see wedding limousine service.

Day trips and longer transfers

Hourly and day bookings are popular because the region's sights are spread out. Our city tours and day trips page explains how a day with a chauffeur works.

1. Taos: about 70 miles by the river road along the Rio Grande, 1.5 hours, or longer via the High Road through Chimayó and Truchas.
2. Bandelier National Monument and Los Alamos: 45 minutes to an hour to the canyon cliff dwellings and the Bradbury Science Museum.
3. Abiquiú and Ghost Ranch: about an hour northwest, the landscapes Georgia O'Keeffe painted.
4. Ojo Caliente: about 1 hour north for the mineral springs resort.
5. Albuquerque: about 1 hour south, for the Sunport or Old Town.
6. Denver: about 390 miles, 5.5 to 6 hours on I-25 via Raton Pass. See Denver.

Train options

The New Mexico Rail Runner Express links Santa Fe's Railyard and South Capitol stations with Albuquerque in about 1.5 hours, with fewer trains at weekends; see the Rail Runner. Amtrak's Southwest Chief stops at Lamy, about 18 miles south of the city, once a day in each direction between Chicago and Los Angeles. A chauffeur can meet the train at Lamy and reach the Plaza in about 25 to 30 minutes.

Vehicles and conditions

Santa Fe runs on Mountain time and traffic drives on the right. New Mexico has no toll roads. The altitude, winter snow and ice on I-25 and the ski road make an executive SUV the default for many trips from November to March. Standard Sedans suit short town trips; Standard Black SUVs and Sprinter Vans carry families or groups to the Opera and Taos. Stretch limousines and Rolls-Royce, Maybach or Bentley cars come from partners. Every vehicle is four model years old or younger. Compare classes on the fleet and see what fares include on rates. Child seats are free on request.

Cancellations

Cancel more than 72 hours before pickup at no charge. From 72 hours the charge is 10%, from 48 hours 50%, and from 24 hours, or for a no-show, the full fare. For Indian Market and Opera weekends, settle plans early.

Book your chauffeur in Santa Fe