“ASU travel” means different things to different people. A faculty member booking a conference trip needs the university’s travel system. A parent flying in for a campus visit needs to know how to get from the airport to Tempe, and which hotel will not add surprise fees. This guide covers both, with most of the detail for visitors.
SoloTravelPro.com is not affiliated with Arizona State University. For policy questions, use the official ASU pages linked below.
Quick answer
For most visitors, fly into Phoenix Sky Harbor (PHX), take the free PHX Sky Train to the 44th St/Washington station, and ride Valley Metro light rail east to Tempe. A single ride is $2, paid with a Copper card or the Valley Metro app. Rideshare is faster with luggage. Polytechnic and West Valley are far easier with a car or hotel shuttle. ASU staff and students on university business should book through My ASU TRIP.
Key takeaways
- Light rail is the cheapest route to the Tempe and Downtown Phoenix campuses, but paper tickets are gone. You need a Copper card or the app.
- Compare hotels by total cost (room rate, daily fee, parking), not headline rate.
- Polytechnic is a different trip entirely. Plan transport before you book a hotel.
- Check which “ASU” you mean. Arkansas State has its own travel rules.
Which ASU travel do you need?
| You are… | Start here |
|---|---|
| Visiting an Arizona State campus | This guide, then visit.asu.edu/travel for hotel booking links |
| ASU faculty, staff or student on university business | cfo.asu.edu/myasutrip |
| Traveling for Arkansas State | Your institution’s travel office |
For business travel, My ASU TRIP covers trip requests, booking and expense reports, and applies to trips with an overnight stay or airfare. Approvals and deadlines change, so confirm them with your department’s business office or the official policy rather than a third-party summary. Arkansas State’s system, for example, has a separate procedure effective September 1, 2025.
Getting from Phoenix Sky Harbor to your campus
| Campus | Best option | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tempe | Sky Train + light rail, or rideshare | Rail is cheapest. Rideshare is simplest with bags. |
| Downtown Phoenix | Sky Train + light rail | Same rail line, westbound from 44th St. |
| Polytechnic (Mesa) | Rideshare, rental car or hotel shuttle | Transit takes well over two hours with transfers. |
| West Valley | Rideshare or rental car | Hotels listed by ASU for this campus are mostly car-oriented. |
| SkySong (Scottsdale) | Rideshare or car | Tempe-adjacent, but not on the light rail route. |
The rail route to Tempe, step by step
- Follow signs to the PHX Sky Train. It is free and connects all terminals to the 44th St/Washington light rail station. friendsoftransit
- At 44th St/Washington, tap your Copper card or scan the Valley Metro app, then board eastbound.
- Ride to the Tempe stop nearest your destination. Mill Ave/3rd St is the common one for downtown Tempe.
Paying the fare. Smart Fare requires you to choose either a Copper card or the Valley Metro app, and to tap or scan on every ride. Cap prices: $4 daily, $20 weekly and $64 monthly. A Copper card has cost $4 to buy, though that may have changed. Confirm at valleymetro.org/fares.
Tempe Streetcar. The streetcar now charges $1 per ride, and the same $4 daily cap covers rail, bus and streetcar.
Rideshare vs rail
Published estimates vary a lot (aggregator pages quote anything from roughly $10 to $35 depending on time and source), so check the app before you land. As a rule of thumb:
- One carry-on, daytime arrival: light rail.
- Checked bags, kids, or a late arrival: rideshare.
- Hotel with a free shuttle: compare that against the $2 fare plus your time.
Hotel shuttles
ASU’s visitor page notes that Crowne Plaza Phoenix Airport has a 24-hour airport shuttle, and Hyatt Place Tempe/Phoenix Airport shuttles guests within a 3-mile radius including ASU. For Polytechnic, Courtyard by Marriott Phoenix Mesa Gateway Airport offers a free shuttle within 3 miles, covering Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport and ASU Polytechnic. Confirm shuttle hours with the hotel.
Where to stay: ASU-rate hotels and what they really cost
ASU’s visitor page lists contracted-rate hotels grouped by campus, plus other cities. Many waive daily fees that are normally added at checkout. Examples from that page:
- Canopy by Hilton Tempe Downtown waives a destination fee normally $30 per room per day. asu
- Omni Tempe Hotel at ASU waives a destination fee valued at $25 per night. asu
- Arizona Biltmore waives a resort fee normally $45 per room per day. asu
Check each booking link’s terms for who qualifies, since the page does not spell out eligibility.
The true nightly cost formula
True nightly cost = room rate + mandatory daily fee + parking + taxes
Hypothetical example (not real prices):
| Hotel A | Hotel B | |
|---|---|---|
| Room rate | $150 | $165 |
| Daily fee | $30 | $0 (waived) |
| Parking | $15 | $0 |
| Nightly total | $195 | $165 |
Hotel B costs $30 less per night despite the higher headline rate, which is $120 over four nights. On parking, Hyatt House Tempe lists $15 per night in its garage, while Moxy Phoenix Tempe lists free parking.
Car-free? Prioritize walking distance or a rail stop and ignore parking perks. Renting a car? Parking can outweigh a fee waiver.
Sample 3-night campus visit budget (illustrative)
| Item | Rail + walk | Rideshare + car-free |
|---|---|---|
| Airport to hotel (round trip) | ~$4 | ~$30–$70 estimate |
| Local transit (3 days) | ~$4–$12 (capped daily) | ~$0–$12 |
| Hotel (3 nights, True Cost) | per formula above | per formula above |
Your costs depend on dates and fees, so plug real numbers into the formula.
Getting around Tempe without a car
- FLASH and ORBIT: Both free. tempe
- Streetcar and rail: capped at $4 per day combined.
- On foot: Tempe’s central campus area is walkable, but Arizona summer heat makes midday walks hard. Plan mornings and evenings.
Traveling on ASU business?
- Start at cfo.asu.edu/myasutrip.
- For international trips, ASU may restrict travel to Level 3/4 areas under State Department and CDC ratings, and such requests need additional senior-leadership review. asu
- Check travel.state.gov and cdc.gov/travel before you request approval.
Common mistakes
- Choosing hotels by room rate alone.
- Assuming the ASU rate is automatically lowest. Compare against public rates for your dates.
- Booking ASU business travel outside the official system.
- Showing up at a rail station expecting paper tickets.
- Trying to do Polytechnic by transit on a tight schedule.
- Underestimating the heat on walking days.
- Trusting an unofficial summary of ASU policy.
Safety and planning checklist
- Confirm which campus and which “ASU”
- Load a Copper card or the Valley Metro app before arrival
- Save the hotel’s direct phone number
- Check the last train time, or arrange a rideshare
- Carry water in warm months
- Keep digital copies of your ID and itinerary
- For business travel: confirm approvals before booking
FAQs
Is the PHX Sky Train free?
Yes.
Can I buy a paper ticket for light rail?
No. Paper passes were discontinued, so use a Copper card or the Valley Metro app.
How much is light rail to Tempe?
$2 per ride, capped at $4 per day.
Is there one train from the airport to ASU?
No. You take the Sky Train, then transfer to light rail.
Is Tempe Streetcar free?
No, it is $1 per ride.
How do I get to ASU Polytechnic from the airport?
Rideshare, rental car, or a hotel shuttle are the practical options.
Do I need a car?
Not for Tempe or Downtown Phoenix. For Polytechnic, West Valley or Scottsdale, a car or rideshare is much easier.
What is My ASU TRIP?
The university’s system for faculty, staff and student travel requests, booking and expenses.
Can visitors use ASU hotel rates?
The page is for campus visitors, but check each booking link’s terms.
Which ASU is this?
This guide covers Arizona State. Arkansas State has separate travel rules.
Final takeaway
Free Sky Train plus $2 light rail gets you to Tempe or Downtown Phoenix cheaply. Choose hotels by true nightly cost, and treat Polytechnic as its own trip. Staff and students should go straight to My ASU TRIP.
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