Getting Around Mesa
Mesa sits within the Greater Phoenix metropolitan area and is laid out on a straightforward north–south, east–west grid. Center Street and Main Street run perpendicular to each other and intersect in the city center, which makes the city relatively easy to navigate and gives visitors a reliable reference point for finding their way. Most of the practical transport options below hinge on that grid and on the connections Mesa shares with its neighbors, Tempe, Chandler, and Gilbert.
Light Rail
The Valley Metro Light Rail runs through Mesa along Main Street, linking the city to Tempe and Downtown Phoenix. Within Mesa, the line begins and ends at the Gilbert Rd/Main St Station. Next to that station is a transit center served by the 40 and 45 buses, while the 136 bus passes along Gilbert Road without entering the transit center. For a visitor, the light rail is the most useful fixed-rail option for moving between Mesa and the rest of the metro corridor.
Buses and Public Transport
Valley Metro buses pass through Mesa on multiple routes, connecting the city into the neighboring cities of Tempe, Chandler, and Gilbert. The bus network also feeds into the light rail at the Gilbert Rd/Main St transit center, so buses and trains can be combined for longer trips. For intercity travel, Greyhound has a stop in Mesa at 1423 N Country Club Dr #7, with ticketing available daily; the local phone number is +1 480-834-3360 and the toll-free line is +1-800-231-2222.
- Valley Metro buses — multiple routes through Mesa, connecting to Tempe, Chandler, and Gilbert.
- Transit center — beside the Gilbert Rd/Main St light rail station, served by the 40 and 45 buses.
- Route 136 — runs along Gilbert Road and does not enter the transit center.
- Greyhound — 1423 N Country Club Dr #7; ticketing daily, 7AM–6PM.
Taxis and Ride-Hailing
The source material does not describe taxi stands or ride-hailing services in Mesa, so visitors should treat these as options to arrange directly rather than something to count on finding at a specific location. The grid layout of the city's major streets makes point-to-point trips by car straightforward once you have a driver.
Walkability
Mesa's major streets follow a clear north–south, east–west grid, and the intersection of Center Street and Main Street in the city center provides an excellent reference point for orientation on foot. Beyond that, the source material does not offer detail on pedestrian conditions, so plan to walk mainly in the central area and rely on buses, light rail, or a car for longer cross-city trips.
Getting In from the Airport
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) lies to the west of Mesa and is the major air hub for Arizona and the southwestern United States, with domestic and international flights. To reach Mesa from Sky Harbor by public transport, take the PHX Sky Train people-mover to the light rail station at 44th St/Washington Station, then ride the Valley Metro Light Rail, which runs through Mesa along Main Street and terminates at the Gilbert Rd/Main St Station.
Mesa also has its own airport, Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport (AZA), in southeast Mesa. It offers flights to multiple destinations in the United States, served by Allegiant Air and seasonally to and from Minneapolis/St Paul with Sun Country. It is a small airport that is being redeveloped into a major regional airport. A third facility, Falcon Field (MSC), sits due east of Phoenix off the Red Mountain Freeway, just northeast of Mesa; it is home to the CAE Oxford Aviation Academy and a Boeing AH-64 Apache helicopter factory adjacent to the airport.
- From PHX: PHX Sky Train to 44th St/Washington Station, then Valley Metro Light Rail along Main Street into Mesa.
- Phoenix-Mesa Gateway (AZA): southeast Mesa; Allegiant Air plus seasonal Sun Country service.
- Falcon Field (MSC): northeast of Mesa; flight school and Boeing helicopter factory on site.
Arriving by Car
If you are driving in from an easterly direction such as New Mexico, you will likely take US-60, the Superstition Freeway, which runs through Mesa as part of the Greater Phoenix metropolitan area. Several other highways serve the city:
- SR-87 — connects Tonto National Forest through the Salt River-Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, Mesa, and Chandler toward I-10; it runs north–south through Mesa as Country Club Drive.
- SR-101 — runs north–south between Scottsdale and Chandler and divides Tempe from Mesa.
- SR-202 — loops around the northern and eastern edge of Mesa, from its junction with SR-101 in the northwest corner to its junction with US-60 east of Mesa; west of SR-101 it runs alongside the Salt River toward Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.
Various east–west roads also connect Tempe to Mesa, including Rio Salado, Apache Blvd/Main St, Broadway Rd, and Southern Ave. Of these, Apache Blvd/Main St was the former US Highway 60 before the Superstition Freeway was built.