Which airport should you fly to?
Lansing does have an airport but it's often less expensive to fly into Detroit and take ground transportation. Be sure to compare fares.
Lansing Capital Region Airport (LAN) - 9 miles from MSU
If you fly directly to Lansing, it is most convenient to rent a car or have a local contact drive you to and from the airport.
The Lansing airport has limited passenger flights so cabs often do not wait there for passengers. To arrange a ride, DD’s Downtown Taxi services the Lansing area and can be procured by calling (517)-252-4498. There are also ride share options through Lyft and Uber.
Our local public bus service is called CATA (Capital Area Transit Authority). There is no direct service between the airport and campus, but bus route #14 runs from the airport to the CATA Transportation Center in downtown Lansing. From there you would transfer to route #1, which runs past the MSU campus along Grand River Avenue. For the shortest walk to the MSU Library, ask to be let off at the MSU Union.
A one-way fare on CATA is $1.25. The fare boxes take coins and bills, but do not give change. You must ask for a transfer card when you board the #14 bus at the airport. Use that when you transfer to the #1 bus.
Detroit Metro (DTW) - 90 miles from MSU
The Michigan Flyer bus service will take you from the airport to downtown East Lansing. The round trip fare is $54 if purchased in advance online.
For many travelers, this is the best choice. The Flyer serves both Detroit Metro terminals (Evans and McNamara). The stop in East Lansing is the Marriott East Lansing at University Place, 303 M.A.C. Avenue; this is one block from the north edge of campus and a ten-minute walk to the MSU Main Library. The trip between the airport and East Lansing is about two hours.
Amtrak stops in East Lansing (station code LNS) at the "Capital Area Multimodal Gateway" (aka East Lansing train station) at 1240 South Harrison, on the west border of campus.
Cabs are usually available at the train station.
CATA bus route #20 runs past the East Lansing train station and then to Grand River Avenue, on the north edge of campus.