Reno - Transportation
Several thousands of people fly into Reno every year on their journey to the playa. As a result, rental cars are in high demand as well as pricey – especially with cleaning fees.
But there have arisen other, innovative, funner means for folks to make it from here to the playa. Whether hopping a ride on the Bio Bus Space or Bio Tour shuttles to the playa, jumping on a plane flying direction to Black Rock Airport, heading over to one of the Rideshare Bases to hook up a ride, or catching a free shuttle from the airport to one of the Rideshare Bases, it’s very easy and, indeed, exciting to make your way to the playa, thanks to the creativity and generosity of the locals and of the waves of your fellow burners making their way to the playa.
We’ve therefore included here on this Transportation page of the Reno Pages, the ways to get to the playa from Reno, as well as a little mention fo the few portals one may come to arrive here other than via automobile, spacecraft, or wormhole.
Reno-Tahoe International Airport
2001 E. Plumb Ln. - 775-328-6468 - (Plumb Lane)
Upon landing and leaving the airplane, a few things to check out before heading off for the playa. First, it is highly recommended that you keep your eyes open for the Burning Man Art Exhibit upon leaving the terminal. Lots of great pictures, memorabilia, and more on what the event has come to mean to the area year-round. Second, as you leave the airport, please be sure to check out the Air Playa Info table c/o Burning Man for questions, resources, and some local burner hospitality.
Greyhound Bus Station
135 Stevenson Lane – 775-322-2970 - (Downtown)
Located just on the edge of downtown Reno, the Greyhound bus station is less than a mile away from the most popular store in Reno during the burner migrations, Save Mart on Keystone Avenue, which also happens to be a Rideshare Base.
Advantage Flight
1880 Gentry Way – 775-852-3512 - (Plumb Lane)
Ever want to fly into Black Rock City?! Well, you can! Advantage Flight will fly ya to the playa! After four consecutive years of offering flights to and from Black Rock City, Advantage Flight offers two services from Aug. 26 – Sept. 7, 2009:
--Reno - BRC Air Shuttle
The Air Shuttle offers up to six flights daily before, during, and after the event between Reno-Tahoe International Airport and Black Rock City.
--King Air Connection Service
Offers fast, non-stop Super King Air 200 service connecting to the BRC Air Shuttle for up to eight passengers and gear from most airports in the Bay Area, Los Angeles, San Diego, Portland, Seattle, Denver, and throughout the West.
BioBus Space Shuttle
Reno-Tahoe International Airport to Black Rock City,
We’re back for Year 3! Meet new lifelong friends on the BIOBUS (space) SHUTTLE to Black Rock City. You will be scooped up at Reno International and whisked to Whole Foods for a quick grocery run and then on to the playa! This is our third year in a pilot program to lessen our cumulative impact of travel to the greatest city on Mama Earth. A $65-$75 donation to Burn Clean Project will reserve a One Way ride to or from the playa, helping you to avoid burning petroleum, the cost of a car rental, and the worst part of all—scrubbing the rental car thoroughly enough so they don’t charge you a playa-sized cleaning fee!
If you still haven’t bought your BM ticket and plan to ride the BIOBUS, then please get your tickets shipped to you and carry them by hand, to help the BIOBUS avoid long waits at Will Call. We have biodiesel-fueled rides on Mon 31st, Tues 1st, and Wed 2nd from Reno-to-BRC, and the following Sun 6th and Mon 7th from BRC-to-Reno. A one-way ticket is on a sliding scale of $65-75.
BioTour
Reno-Tahoe International Airport to Black Rock City
Kick-off Burning Man with an eco-friendly rideshare on a vegetable oil-energized bus. Listen to the solar generated beats as we party our way onto the playa..!!! Operating Monday – Thursday, August 31 – September 3, picking up passengers at the airport at 4:30pm. Pit-stop at Trader Joe’s and drugstore before making off for home on the playa. Donation - $75 (plus paypal fee) via reservations on website.
Rideshare Bases - catching a ride from fellow burners to the playa. Whole Foods Market, Trader Joe’s, and the Save Mart on Keystone Avenue are hosting Rideshare in their parking lots again this year. Each is greatly populated by burners on their way to Black Rock City, and each is near the freeway and other businesses. Finding a ride to the playa should therefore really not be a problem, as many many many burners before and during the event come to shop at these stores, and are likely more than willing to accomodate you with a free and fun seat to the playa. And, well, experience proves all this.
Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods Market are a few miles south of the airport on South Virginia Street right next to US-395. While the Save Mart location on Keystone Avenue straddles Interstate-80, is open 24 hours, is the single-most populated store in Reno during Burning Man, and is the location the shuttle will make its way to in the early evening as Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods begin to close. Should be relatively easy to land a ride – offering to help with gas money helps! Please do try to remember though that the parking lot is not just for burners, to Leave No Trace, that everyone in the vehicle must be wearing a seatbelt, and to be comfortable with those in the vehicle before getting in!
-- Save Mart
525 Keystone Ave - 775-786-2150 - (Keystone Ave.)
-- Trader Joe’s
5035 S McCarran Blvd – 775-826-1621 - (South Virginia and Kietzke Lane)
-- Whole Foods Market
6139 S Virginia Street – 775-829-8666 - (South Virginia and Kietzke Lane)
Free Shuttle to Rideshare Bases –
And...(drum roll, please)... for the first time this year, there will be a Free Shuttle operating from the airport during peak-travel hours to these Rideshare locations! Please stop by the Air Playa Info table inside the Reno-Tahoe International Airport to catch the next trip. The shuttle c/o of the wonderful folks of The Amendment 21 will be operating Monday-Wednesday (Aug. 31-Sep 2) from 10am-3:30pm and 7:30pm-9:30pm (it’s a pilot program).
Otherwise, to get to these Rideshare locations or elsewhere in the area, perhaps you can carpool a taxi with other burners, or use public transportation too.
Finally, as there are innumerable rental car agencies in the area, each with their own particular programs, we suggest you check out the yellow pages to see what will work for you – but reserve well ahead!
Yellow Pages – Reno – Rental Cars
Need more info? Try: Reno-Sparks Convention & Visitors Authority, Reno News and Review, Reno Gazette-Journal, Reno Magazine, Reno Passport, National Traffic and Road Closure Information, PlayReno, NevadaNet, goTahoe.com, Tahoe.com, Fernleynews.com. 
