Nashville Unscripted · BNA Transportation
How long it takes, what it costs, and the best way from Nashville Airport to downtown and Broadway, plus when to leave for your flight home.
The short answer: downtown Nashville and Lower Broadway are about 8 miles west of BNA, roughly 15–20 minutes by car in normal traffic and 30–45 minutes at rush hour. The most predictable ride is a taxi at a $30 flat fare. Uber and Lyft are often similar but surge. The WeGo bus costs about $2. Rideshare, taxis, shuttles and the bus all pick up at the Ground Transportation Center on Level 1 of Terminal Garage 2.
Staying Near Broadway?
Book Your Hotel or VRBO Before You Land
Downtown Nashville books up fast, especially on event weekends.
Browse Nashville Hotels → Browse Nashville VRBOs →Quick Answer: BNA to Downtown and Broadway
| Option | Cost | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Taxi | $30 flat (+$2 per extra passenger) | Predictable price, surge times, groups of 2–4 |
| Uber / Lyft | Live app fare | Most travelers outside surge times |
| WeGo Route 18 | About $2 | Budget travelers with light luggage |
| Hotel shuttle | Often free | Guests of airport-area hotels |
| Rental car | Varies + parking | Trips beyond downtown, day trips |
How Long Does It Take?
The main route is I-40 West, about 8 miles. Time depends almost entirely on when you travel. These are typical estimates, so check live traffic before you go:
| Situation | Drive Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Normal traffic | 15–20 min | Weekday midday, weekend mornings |
| Weekday morning rush (7–9 a.m.) | 30–45 min | I-40 backs up heading into downtown |
| Weekday evening rush (4–7 p.m.) | 30–45 min | Nashville’s worst commute window |
| Weekend evenings | 20–30 min | Broadway-area traffic slows the last mile |
| Major events | 35–60+ min | CMA Fest, Titans games, New Year’s Eve, big conventions |
| WeGo Route 18 bus | Longer than driving | Stops along the way and sits in the same traffic |
Add 10–15 minutes on arrival for walking to the Ground Transportation Center and, for rideshare, waiting for your driver.
Drive Times to Other Nashville Areas
| Destination | Approx. Distance | Normal Drive Time |
|---|---|---|
| Downtown / Lower Broadway | 8 miles | 15–20 min |
| East Nashville | 6 miles | 12–18 min |
| The Gulch | 9 miles | 15–22 min |
| Germantown | 9 miles | 15–22 min |
| Midtown / Vanderbilt | 10 miles | 18–25 min |
| 12 South | 10 miles | 18–25 min |
| Brentwood | 19 miles | 22–35 min |
| Franklin | 27 miles | 30–45 min |
Every Option in Detail
Metro Nashville sets a flat $30 taxi fare between BNA and downtown (and Opryland), plus $2 for each extra passenger. There’s no surge pricing. For three people heading to Broadway, that’s $34 total.
Where: follow the Taxis/Limo signs to the Ground Transportation Center, Level 1 of Terminal Garage 2. Confirm your destination is in the flat-fare zone. Other destinations are metered.
Rideshare is the most popular choice. The app shows your fare before you confirm, so compare it to the $30 taxi. When surge pricing hits (big events, storms, late-night arrival waves), the taxi often wins. Uber and Lyft can differ by several dollars for the same trip, so check both.
Where to get picked up: from baggage claim, take the escalator down to Level 1, exit the terminal and turn right, then follow the covered walkway to the Ground Transportation Center in Terminal Garage 2. Uber and Lyft use separate zones: Lyft picks up in Zone A, Uber in Zones B and C. Don’t wait on the arrivals curb. See our step-by-step BNA pickup guide.
Our trip: landing on a weekday around 1 p.m., our Uber from BNA to Broadway took about 20 minutes and cost $25 with tip.
WeGo runs about hourly between the airport and WeGo Central downtown, next to the Municipal Auditorium, a short walk to Broadway. It’s by far the cheapest way in, but it makes stops and sits in the same traffic as cars. Skip it with big suitcases or for late-night arrivals. Check wegotransit.com for current times and fares, and see our WeGo visitor’s guide.
Many hotels near BNA and Opryland run shuttles. Downtown hotels near Broadway generally don’t. Call your hotel when you land to confirm the pickup spot and timing.
Rental counters are on Level 1 of the main terminal, at the north and south ends, as you come down the escalators from baggage claim. After you check in, cross Terminal Drive to Terminal Garage 1 and follow the Rental Cars signs to pick up your car. It’s all walkable, with no shuttle. BNA is building a new rental car facility, so follow current signs.
Do you need one? If you’re staying near Broadway and sticking to downtown, the Gulch and nearby neighborhoods, probably not, and downtown hotel parking is expensive. For day trips or a stay in the suburbs, a car makes life easier.
Where to Stay Near Broadway
If you want to walk to the honky-tonks without a car or a ride, stay downtown. Hotels within a short walk of Lower Broadway include the Omni Nashville (next to the Country Music Hall of Fame), Hilton Nashville Downtown, Hyatt Place Nashville Downtown, and Dolly Parton’s SongTeller Hotel on Commerce Street. The JW Marriott and Westin sit a few blocks up near the convention center.
Two We’ve Checked Out Ourselves
Dolly Parton’s SongTeller Hotel, 211 Commerce Street: about a two-minute walk to the Lower Broadway honky-tonks, with its own live music rooms and Dolly’s Life of Many Colors Museum upstairs. Read our SongTeller first look.
Union Station Nashville Yards, a converted 1900 train station on upper Broadway: a calmer stay that’s an easy walk to Bridgestone Arena and the 5th and Broadway food spots, and a longer walk or quick ride down to the honky-tonks. We stayed in a patio room. Read our Union Station review.
Our Picks Near Broadway
Check Rates for Your Dates
Prices swing a lot by date, especially on event weekends.
SongTeller Hotel → Union Station Hotel →The Gulch and Midtown hotels are a short rideshare away and often cheaper.
Groups: Consider a VRBO
Short-term rentals in downtown high-rises are limited. Groups often get more space for the money in East Nashville, about 10–15 minutes from Broadway by rideshare.
Book Your Nashville Stay
Downtown Hotels and VRBOs
Event weekends sell out months ahead. Lock in your stay before your trip.
Browse Nashville Hotels → Browse Nashville VRBOs →Heading Back: When to Leave for BNA
Missing a flight costs more than any ride. Work backward from your departure time:
- Normal traffic: leave downtown about 2 hours 45 minutes before a domestic flight. That’s the drive, plus check-in and security.
- Weekday rush hour: add 20–30 minutes.
- Major event days: add 30–45 minutes.
- During BNA construction: add about 15 minutes for walking routes inside the terminal.
- Carry-on only with TSA PreCheck? You can cut your buffer, but on busy days give yourself at least 90 minutes before departure.
Driving yourself? See current rates in our BNA airport parking guide.
BNA Construction
BNA is in the middle of its Central Core project and building a new rental car facility and garage. Walking routes inside the terminal can shift, so follow posted signs and staff. Details are in our BNA construction guide.
→ BNA Uber, Lyft & Taxi Pickup: Where to Go
→ BNA Airport Parking: 2026 Rates
→ WeGo Transit Nashville: Visitor’s Guide
→ Parking Near Broadway Nashville
Last updated October 2026. Travel times are typical estimates. Fares, schedules and pickup locations can change, especially during BNA construction. Confirm at flynashville.com, wegotransit.com and in your ride app before you travel. This post contains affiliate links. We may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.