Flying to the United States
Start working on your travel itinerary as early as you can to arrange your trip to the US. A note of caution: the US Department of State recommends that international travelers wait until they have secured a visa to the US before purchasing non-refundable plane tickets.
Getting to Campus
By plane to Ithaca:
You can fly to Ithaca directly! Our local airport -- the Ithaca Tompkins County Airport (ITH) receives flights by Delta and United Airlines, please see http://flyithaca.com .
By Plane to Syracuse:
Another option is to fly to Syracuse, NY, a larger city about an hour and a half by car from Ithaca, which is served by most major American airline carriers. More information on the Syracuse Hancock International Airport (SYR) is available at www.syrairport.org.
Shuttle Service from SYR to Ithaca:
From Syracuse, you can take a ride directly to the Ithaca College campus offered by a local transportation company such as:
Big D’s Limos – you can contact them by phone at +315-730-5931 or by email at Book@BigDsLimos.com to book your ride from the airport to campus. They also have a live chat option on their website. They charge an average of $140 for transportation from Syracuse Airport (SYR) to campus. In your initial email, let them know you are an international student looking for a ride from SYR to IC and when (date and time of your scheduled arrival at SYR) and they will assist you with the booking and payment for the ride.
Ithaca Dispatch – you can contact them at ithacadispatchcalltaker@gmail.com or call them at + 607-277-7777. They charge an average of $185 for transportation from SYR to campus. In your initial email, let them know you are an international student looking for a ride from the SYR to IC and when you are traveling (date and time of your scheduled arrival at SYR) and they will assist you with the booking and payment for the ride.
The reservation needs to be made in advance. These private transportation options which are available by prior booking only. You also need to provide a credit card payment to secure the booking. That way the car and driver can be at the Syracuse airport (which is about an hour and a half away) to wait for you when you land there and they will bring you to campus.
By Bus from SYR to Ithaca:
Depending on your travel schedule, you may be able to use a bus ride offered by public bus companies such as https://www.ourbus.com/routes/syracuseairport-to-ithaca .
By Train to Syracuse:
There is no train station in Ithaca, the nearest train station is in Syracuse https://www.amtrak.com/stations/syr . If you decide to take the train, you will need to book a shuttle ride to campus, see above for suggestions on local private transportation companies. Make sure that you book your ride in advance!
By Bus to Ithaca from NYC:
Coach USA https://us.megabus.com/ or Greyhound www.greyhound.com will take you from the Port Authority in Manhattan to Downtown Ithaca. FlixBus https://www.flixbus.com/ and Cornell's C2C campus-to-campus bus will take you to Ithaca from mid-town Manhattan. Another option is the express service offered by OurBus https://www.ourbus.com/ .
A note on ground transportation from the airports in New York City:
There are three major international airports in New York City:
Newark https://www.newarkairport.com/
JFK https://www.jfkairport.com/
LaGuardia https://www.laguardiaairport.com/
Each of these websites have a “To & From” section where you can find information about travelling from the airport to NYC. After you go through passport control, collect your luggage and go through customs, proceed to Ground Transportation where you can select the transportation mode (AirTrain, MTA Subway or bus, taxi, etc.) to fit your needs. The Ground Transportation desk can also offer you information on transportation options and answer your questions.
CoachUSA operates a shuttle and an express bus which can take you from Newark Airport to the Port Authority Bus Terminal, Grand Central or Bryant Park to catch a bus to Ithaca.
If you need assistance at the airport, look for the information desk near the exit of the Arrivals Terminal at the airport or ask uniformed officials for help. Don't be shy about asking people to repeat any directions or instructions you do not understand or ask them to write things down for you. Slow down or speak more clearly if they look uncertain about what you are saying. New Yorkers are known for their fast, abrupt and loud communication style; don't be offended if they address you in this way, just ask for clarification. Do not accept assistance with directions, rides, or help with your luggage from non-uniformed persons. If in doubt, look for an airline official or a uniformed police officer.
Arrival Information
If you are arriving on your own (if you are not accompanied by friends or family and if you are not going directly to a hotel in Ithaca) and you would like a member of our staff to meet you at the Ithaca bus stop or the Ithaca airport, please send us your detailed travel information as soon as you have it, as well as an e-mail address and phone number we can use to reach you while you are traveling. We will do our best to assist you -- we will send you a confirmation e-mail with the relevant details.
How to get to Ithaca College from the Ithaca airport or bus stop
If you have notified us ahead of time and we have confirmed a pick-up service for you, we will do our best to be at the Ithaca bus stop or the Ithaca airport to meet you and bring you to campus. If, however, something happens outside of our control or your travel plans have been altered, be prepared to make it to Ithaca College on your own by taking a taxi – there are usually taxis waiting at the airport or bus station. Here is a list of local taxi companies: https://flyithaca.com/ground/taxi-service/ . Ask the driver to take you to Ithaca College; the ride should cost about $20; additional charges for extra luggage may apply. If you have a lot of luggage or if there are several of you traveling together, give that information to the taxi company when you call, so they can send a larger car or a van. Uber and Lyft may be an option as well.
If you are driving to IC with relatives or friends, please go to https://www.ithaca.edu/about/driving-directions for directions to campus. An interactive campus map is available at https://map.ithaca.edu/ .
Phone numbers for the road
Please, have these numbers with you when you travel and call us if there is a change in your travel plans or if you have an emergency. Our office phone number is 607-274-3306. You can also e-mail us: Diana at ddimitrova@ithaca.edu and isss@ithaca.edu . Or use the Discord group if appropriate (do not send personal information to the chat group).
In the event of an emergency, please call Ithaca College Campus Safety at +607-274-3333, they are open all the time and they will be able to assist you in contacting the right person to offer you assistance right away.
Where to Stay
If you will be living on campus: you can check into your residence hall on the day you signed up for arrival. If you will be living off-campus or if you plan to arrive in Ithaca prior to the date the residence halls open, you must secure off-campus accommodations. A list of local motels and hotels is available at www.ithaca.edu/ithacaguide . Book your hotel reservations as early as possible! Please note: there is no on-campus housing for family, friends, or guests – if family or friends will be accompanying you to Ithaca, make sure they book a place to stay as early as possible!
More information
There is additional information you may find helpful on our web site www.ithaca.edu/oip/international.htm . You can also contact our office by phone at +607-274-3306 or via email at isss@ithaca.edu . We will also continue to use our Discord group.
More information on the city of Ithaca is available at http://www.downtownithaca.com .
As you prepare for your trip to Ithaca, you may also enjoy reading the online editions of local newspapers:
The Ithacan, IC’s student newspaper, can be found at http://theithacan.org
The Ithaca Journal, the daily city paper, is online at https://www.ithacajournal.com/
The Ithaca Times, a weekly area paper, is available at www.ithacatimes.com
The 14850, an online area news magazine is at https://www.14850.com/
