IAH to Galveston Shuttle
Shared seats from Bush Intercontinental (IAH) to every Galveston cruise terminal at a flat $39, one way.
The only Galveston shuttle that refunds you if your flight is late.IAH (Bush Intercontinental) to the Galveston cruise port
Houston's international gateway, north of the city. Five terminals, A through E. From IAH to the Port of Galveston is about 70 miles, and the shared van normally takes about 2 hours depending on traffic through the Gulf Freeway corridor and across the Galveston Causeway.
This is one of the two routes where we run both services. You can book a shared seat at $39 per person, which is the cheapest way to reach the Port of Galveston from IAH, or a private black car at a fixed rate for the whole vehicle. Which one makes sense comes down to how many of you there are.
Galveston is the only cruise homeport in Texas and the fourth-busiest in North America, but the island has no airport of its own and there is no train or public bus from Houston. Whatever you choose, you are covering that distance by road. A cruise transfer from IAH is the cleanest way to do it without leaving a car parked at the port for a week.
Rates from IAH
| Service | Capacity | Rate, one way |
|---|---|---|
| Shared shuttle seat | Per person | $39 / seat |
| Black Suburban | 1 to 6 passengers | $257 / vehicle |
| 14-Passenger Sprinter | 7 to 14 passengers | $600 / vehicle |
Private rates are per vehicle, not per person, and they include tolls, fuel, luggage, and Shuttle Protection. Round trips are the same rate each way. Groups larger than 14, call 832.899.4040.
Every Galveston cruise terminal
We drop at whichever terminal your ship is actually using. The four terminals sit up to a mile apart along Harborside Drive, and the difference matters on embarkation morning.
| Terminal | Cruise lines | Address |
|---|---|---|
| Terminal 10 | Royal Caribbean | 1152 Royal Caribbean Way |
| Terminal 16 | MSC & Norwegian | 1602 Harborside Drive |
| Terminal 25 | Carnival & Princess | 2502 Harborside Drive |
| Terminal 28 | Disney & Princess | 2702 Harborside Drive |
Ships shift between terminals by season and by sailing, so the terminal printed on your boarding pass is the one that counts. Give us that number when you book. See the Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and Disney pages for line-specific detail.
Timing your IAH to Galveston transfer
Your cruise line assigns a check-in window at online check-in, and that window is the anchor. Work backward from it. From IAH the shared ride alone is about 2 hours, and cruise Saturdays with several ships in port run heavier than a normal day.
If you are flying in on embarkation morning, remember the drive sits on top of your flight, baggage claim, and the walk to the meeting point. A reasonable target is to land no later than late morning. This is exactly the scenario Shuttle Protection exists for: if a delayed flight causes you to miss your pickup, the fare is refundable.
Coming home, the return trip from Galveston to IAH runs the same route in reverse, and a late ship arrival is covered by protection.
Why book with us
Most Galveston shared cruise transfers are non-refundable. If your flight lands late, the van leaves and the money is gone. Every shared seat we sell is protected instead.
| Shared shuttle feature | Houston to Galveston Shuttle Co. | Typical Galveston shared shuttle |
|---|---|---|
| Refund if your flight is delayed | Yes, full refund | No, usually non-refundable |
| Rebooked on a later van if you are delayed | Yes, when there is room | No, the van leaves |
| Free cancellation | Yes, up to 2 hours before | Rarely |
| Refund if the ship returns late | Yes | No |
| Price per seat, one way | $39 flat | $40 and up |
| Standard cruise luggage | Included | Sometimes extra |
| Surge pricing on cruise weekends | Never | Varies |
Read more about Shuttle Protection, or see the fleet.
IAH to Galveston
Shuttle Protection, included on every shared seat
Most shared shuttles to the Galveston cruise port are non-refundable. Ours is not. If a delayed flight, a canceled flight, or a late ship arrival causes you to miss your shared pickup, you get a full refund, and we will move you to a later van when there is room. You can also cancel for any reason up to 2 hours before pickup.
Refunds are returned less a small card processing fee. Full terms are shown at checkout.
We also run from these Houston areas
Private black car service, door to door, from anywhere in greater Houston.
What the IAH to Galveston shuttle costs
A shared seat on the IAH to Galveston shuttle is a flat $39 per person, one way, from George Bush Intercontinental Airport to any of the four Galveston cruise terminals. The fare is the same whether you book three months ahead or the night before you sail, and it does not rise on cruise Saturdays.
| Service | Capacity | One way | Round trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shared seat | per person | $39 | $78 |
| Black Suburban | 1 to 6 | $257 | $514 |
| 14-seat Sprinter | 7 to 14 | $600 | $1,200 |
| Child safety seat | per seat | $15 | $30 |
Standard cruise luggage travels free with no per-bag fee. Gratuity is never included and never added automatically at checkout. There is no fuel surcharge and no booking fee, so the number you see is the number that leaves your account.
How long the IAH to Galveston shuttle takes
Bush Intercontinental sits about 70 miles from the Galveston cruise terminals, which makes it the larger of the two Houston airports and about 30 miles further from the port. A shared van covers it in about two hours. A direct private car does the same run in about 1 hour 15 minutes.
The difference is not traffic. A shared van collects several parties at the airport, waits a short window at the meeting point, then serves the cruise terminals in sequence along Harborside Drive. That sequencing is what turns a 45-minute drive into an hour, and it is also what makes a $39 seat possible.
| Shared van | Direct private car | |
|---|---|---|
| Distance | about 70 miles | about 70 miles |
| Time | about 2 hours | about 1 hour 15 minutes |
| Fare | $39 per seat | from $257 per vehicle |
| Departures | hourly, 8 AM to 8 PM | any time |
| Met at | ground transportation curb | baggage claim, name sign |
Where you meet the IAH to Galveston shuttle
Bush Intercontinental is five terminals lettered A through E, connected by the Skyway train above ground and the Subway tram below. Which one you land at changes how long it takes to reach ground transportation: budget 30 to 40 minutes on a domestic arrival, and 45 to 60 minutes arriving internationally into Terminal D or E, where customs comes before baggage claim.
We send exact meeting-point instructions, including door detail, by email and text before you travel. Shared passengers meet the van at the designated ground transportation area on the lower level. On a private transfer your driver meets you inside at baggage claim holding a name sign.
- Read your confirmation before you fly. It carries the meeting point and door number.
- Collect your bags first. The shared van meets you at the curb, not at baggage claim.
- We track your inbound flight, so an ordinary delay does not cost you your seat.
- Call 832.899.4040 if you are running late. A call moves you to a later departure faster than anything else.
Which terminal the IAH to Galveston shuttle drops at
Galveston has four cruise terminals on Harborside Drive and they sit up to a mile apart. We drop at the one your ship is actually using, which is why we ask for the terminal number rather than the cruise line name.
| Terminal | Address | Cruise lines |
|---|---|---|
| Terminal 10 | 1152 Royal Caribbean Way | Royal Caribbean |
| Terminal 16 | 1602 Harborside Drive | MSC Cruises, Norwegian |
| Terminal 25 | 2502 Harborside Drive | Carnival, Princess |
| Terminal 28 | 2702 Harborside Drive | Disney Cruise Line, Princess |
Ships move between berths by season and by sailing. Princess in particular splits between Terminals 25 and 28, so read the number off your boarding pass and give us that.
Timing an IAH arrival on cruise day
Your cruise line assigns a check-in window during online check-in, usually a one to two hour slot between late morning and mid-afternoon. Work backward from that window rather than from the sailing time, which can be four hours later.
From Hobby the shared transfer is about two hours. Add 30 to 60 minutes for baggage claim and the walk to ground transportation, then a cushion for causeway traffic on a busy Saturday. Four hours before your window is comfortable.
| Your check-in window | Book the IAH departure | Latest comfortable landing |
|---|---|---|
| 11 AM to 12 PM | 7 AM or 8 AM | about 6:00 AM |
| 12 PM to 1 PM | 8 AM or 9 AM | about 7:00 AM |
| 1 PM to 2 PM | 9 AM or 10 AM | about 8:00 AM |
| 2 PM to 3 PM | 10 AM or 11 AM | about 9:00 AM |
| 3 PM to 4 PM | 11 AM or 12 PM | about 10:00 AM |
Why the IAH to Galveston shuttle is protected
Most shared shuttles serving this route are non-refundable. If your flight is delayed, the money is gone and you are buying transport a second time on the busiest morning of the week.
Every shared seat we sell includes Shuttle Protection at no extra charge. If a delayed or canceled flight causes you to miss your pickup, the fare is refunded and we move you to a later van when there is room. If your ship docks late on the return, the same applies. You can also cancel for any reason up to 2 hours before pickup.
| Us | Typical Galveston shared shuttle | |
|---|---|---|
| Refund if your flight is delayed | Yes, full | No |
| Moved to a later van | Yes, when there is room | No |
| Free cancellation | Up to 2 hours before | Rarely |
| Refund if the ship docks late | Yes | No |
| Surge pricing on cruise weekends | Never | Varies |
Booking your IAH to Galveston shuttle
Choose your date and party size, give us the terminal number from your boarding pass, and reserve child safety seats at $15 each way if you need them. Book two to three weeks ahead for a cruise Saturday, since mid-morning departures suit the most common check-in windows and sell first.
Folding wheelchairs, walkers and mobility scooters travel free on standard vehicles. A ramp or lift vehicle needs at least 48 hours notice. Groups above 14 run as multiple vehicles on a single booking, so call 832.899.4040 rather than using the online form.
The return leg runs the same route in reverse at the same fare, departing all four Galveston cruise terminals and island hotels between 8 AM to 5 PM daily.
Book your IAH to Galveston transfer
A fixed rate, door to door, with every shared seat protected.
Book your rideIAH to Galveston questions
A shared seat is a flat $39 per person, one way. A private black Suburban is $257 for the whole vehicle, and a 14-passenger Sprinter is $600.
About 2 hours, covering about 70 miles. Cruise Saturdays and holiday weekends run heavier, especially crossing the Galveston Causeway.
Yes. This is an airport route, so you can book a shared seat at $39 per person or a private vehicle at a fixed rate.
All of them: Terminal 10 for Royal Caribbean, Terminal 16 for MSC and Norwegian, Terminal 25 for Carnival and Princess, and Terminal 28 for Disney and Princess. Give us the terminal printed on your boarding pass.
Every shared shuttle seat includes Shuttle Protection: cancel for any reason up to 2 hours before pickup for a full refund, and a missed pickup caused by a delayed flight or a late ship is refundable. Private transfers have their own cancellation terms, shown at checkout.
Yes. Standard cruise luggage is included with no per-bag fee. A Suburban handles 6 to 7 cruise bags, and the Sprinter handles 14 or more.
Yes. Child safety seats are $15 each way. Add them when you book so we can plan for them.
Yes. We run the return from the Galveston cruise terminals and island hotels back to IAH. A late ship arrival is covered by protection.