Marathon Transportation

Marathon has a very nice paved bike path alongside of US 1 (bayside). Biking is a very popular way to get around the area, especially by cruisers who don't have a car. They can usually manage to stow a bike or a folding bike on the boat. Some of the bigger boats even have motor scooters. Bikes can be rented if you just want to get some exercise, but generally if you have a car, it will usually be the easiest way to go. Biking is very hot in the sun.

One problem with biking - there are some places like 7 mile bridge that it's not really safe to bike across (although you can ride your bike on the old bridge out to Pigeon Key). It is sometimes difficult and scary to cross US 1 (either on a bike or even on foot) if you are coming from or going to an oceanside location. There is sometimes a gravel track alongside the road oceanside, but it is not as even and it is inconsistent.

Key West also has good bike paths.

I often rest at this bus stop on the way back from walking to Castaways. I had heard there was a local Greyhound bus that went up and down the keys, but I didn't really believe it until today (March 17, 2004) when I actually SAW a Greyhound bus which had "Local" on the signboard.

This is the information:

Miami Dade Transit Bus - fee $1.50 Florida City to Marathon with scheduled stops in Key Largo, Tavernier and Islamorada. Bus departs Publix Supermarket in Marathon going north7:50 AM, 3:30 PM, 5:30 PM, 9 PM and 11 PM. You can hail the bus anyplace along US 1.

However, the bus I saw was coming from the Key West direction. So maybe it was the...

Greyhound Keys Shuttle - leaves Marathon Airport North - Daily 7:05 and 9:50 AM, 12:35 and 6:50 PM, South arrives at Marathon Airport 7:10 and 9:40 AM, 3:40 and 10:10 PM

There are four departures each day from the Miami Airport. departures are scheduled to leave at 6:30 am, 12:45 pm, 4:00 pm, and 7:00 pm. Return trips from Key West leave at 6:00 am, 8:45 am, 11:30 am, and 5:45 pm. The trip between detinations takes about 4 hours and 15 minutes.

Besides Key West and Miami , stops are made at BOCA CHICA, BIG COPPITT, SUGAR LOAF SHORES, CUDJOE KEY, RAMROD KEY, BIG PINE KEY, MARATHON ARPT., MARATHON, LAYTON, ISLAMORADA, TAVERNIER, KEY LARGO, HOMESTEAD, MIAMI SOUTH, MIAMI ARPT.

Taxis used to be a pretty good deal in Marathon. All trips were $4.00. Most phone booths have the numbers of the local cab companies posted. One of the local firms is Action Taxi (phone number below) and one is Sunset Taxi (web site below which the link seems to be broken). There is also A1 Cab.

Recently we have been charged varying prices for cabs which do not seem to be related to the distance traveled.