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Austin Facts
Population: City of Austin: 963,981; Austin Metropolitan Area: 1,249,763
The Austin metropolitan area is the 38th largest region nationally and the City of Austin is 16th.
Area: 218 sq miles
Austin extends about twenty miles from north-south and eighteen miles east-west, divided by I-35 (between Dallas and San Antonio) to the east. The Colorado River runs south of downtown.
Elevation: 550 ft
State: Texas
Time Zone: Austin is in the Central Time Zone. When it is noon in New York City it is one hour earlier (11:00 AM) in Austin. Daylight Saving time is observed April-October.
Industry: Austin has a strong high-tech presence. Austin's high-tech employment represents almost 15% of total non-agricultural employment. Although the region is gaining numerous biotech and software firms, the anchor of Austin's high-tech industry is hardware driven.
Climate: The climate is temperate, with 300 days of sunshine annually. Average temperatures range from 42 to 62 degrees in winter and 75 to 95 degrees in the summer. Rain falls evenly throughout the year. Snowfall is rare.
Public Holidays:
1 January - New Year's Day
Third Monday in January - Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday
January 19 - Confederate Heroes Day
Third Monday in February - Presidents' Day
March 2 - Texas Independence Day
Late March or April - Easter
April 21 San Jacinto Day
Last Monday in May - Memorial Day
June 19 - Emancipation Day
4 July - Independence Day
August 27 - Lyndon Johnson's Birthday
First Monday in September - Labor Day
11 November - Veterans' Day
Fourth Thursday in November - Thanksgiving
25 December - Christmas Day
When to Go
Spring brings cool, fresh, clear weather to Austin. In March and April, when temperatures average in the 70s, short-lived wildflowers bloom in extravagant color. March is also the month of the popular South by Southwest Music Festival, when hotel rooms are in short supply. Summer is dry and often very hot. Fall, finds temperatures falling back into the 70s and 80s, and gorgeous foliage to be seen. Winter is mild.
Arriving
By Air
Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) ( 3600 Presidential Blvd., 512/530-2242), This ultra modern facility is 8 miles from downtown Austin on the site of the former Bergstrom Air Force Base.
Some sample flying times are: 2 hours from New York, and 9 hours from London.
Transfers Between the Airport and Town
By Bus
Capital Metro Bus ( 512/474-1200; 800/474-1201 outside Austin) provides daily bus service from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport to several major stops in town, where you can transfer to any one of the sixty other bus routes that cover Austin and surrounding areas. Look for the Airport Limited Route #100 bus at the Capital Metro bus stop on the 2nd Level Concourse of the Barbara Jordan Passenger Terminal. (Buses run every 60 to 70 minutes, 5 AM to 10 PM weekdays, 7 AM to 9 PM Saturdays, 8 AM to 9 PM Sundays.)
By Car
Take Route 71 (Ben White Blvd.) heading west and U.S. 183 heading north to get to downtown Austin. The drive time will be anywhere from 20 to 40 minutes, depending on the time of day.
By Shuttle Van
Super Shuttle ( 512/258-3826 in Austin; 800/258-3826 outside of Austin) provides 24-hour shared-van service from the airport to Austin. Expect to pay from $8 to $15 per person, depending on your destination.
By Taxi
Austin has several taxi companies; all provide 24-hour service at a standard rate .
By Bus Greyhound Bus Lines () connects Austin with Dallas, San Antonio, Houston, and other cities in Texas and beyond. The bus station is located near the Highland Mall and I-35 at 916 E. Koenig La. ( 512/458-4463).
Arriving By Car
Austin is located in central Texas at the intersection of Interstate 35, (running north and south through the city), and Texas Highway 290 (east and west), within easy driving distance of the other three major Texas cities. From Dallas, Austin is about a three-hour drive south on I-35 (195 mi), and from San Antonio about an hour's drive north (78 mi). From Houston, take Texas Highway 290 west; it's 166 miles to Austin.
Arriving By Train
Amtrak (250 N. Lamar, 512/476-5684; 800/872-7245 for reservations) provides passenger rail services aboard the Sunset Limited and Texas Eagle, with routes linking Austin north to Chicago, south to San Antonio, and to destinations between Orlando to the east and Los Angeles to the west.
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