Because of its central location in Illinois and as the center of a region of 1.1 million residents, Bloomington is an easy place to get to. Plane, train, bus, and automobile are all options when choosing a method of transportation to get you there.  

By Air

The region is served by the  Central Illinois Regional Airport , in Bloomington (located 6 miles east of downtown on Empire Street, Illinois Roure 9), which is home to five airlines. AirTran provides several nonstop flights to Atlanta, Las Vegas, and Orlando on large Boeing 717 or 737 aircraft daily. Delta also provides service to Atlanta and Orlando. Northwest links to its Detroit  hub with several flights daily. Both American and United fly smaller 50-70 passenger jets to Chicago's O'Hare Airport (6-8 flights daily). There is currently no service to Chicago's Midway Airport, and TWA service to St. Louis was discontinued soon after that airline was merged into American. The Central Illinois Regional Airport attracts passengers from a wide area, including Peoria, Springfield, and especially Decatur and Champaign-Urbana (and even some from Chicago's south suburbs) because of its modern terminal, competitive domestic fares, and free parking.

The nearest international airports are located in Chicago. Chicago's southside Midway Airport is typically about a 120-minute drive from Bloomington, except during rush hour, when an extra 30-60 minutes should be allowed. One of the world's largest airports, O'Hare International Airport (located 15 miles NW of downtown), is only about 135 minutes away by car, although it can take up to three hours under extreme traffic or weather conditions. Rental cars are available at both Chicago airports for the drive to Bloomington; most of the larger rental companies (Hertz, Avis, Enterprise, Dollar, Budget, etc.) are represented in both cities.

Airports in St. Louis MO and Indianapolis IN are occasionally used by local travelers, but minimum driving times are about 3 hours for each.

Two coach services operate between Bloomington-Normal and O'Hare and Midway airports in Chicago, with about 15 round-trips daily, including some late-night departures. In addition to that airport service, Peoria Charter Coach provides service to Peoria. Lincolnland Express also provides service to Union Station in downtown Chicago, the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana, and Indianapolis Airport. Departures from Bloomington's Central Illinois Regional Airport are from the Baggage Area East door, but reservations are suggested, especially on weekends.

Finally, it is possible, but less convenient, to travel from one of the Chicago airports into downtown Chicago using public transit, and then take an Amtrak train or intercity bus into Bloomington-Normal.

By Train

Bloomington-Normal is also located along the Amtrak route between Chicago and St. Louis, with a daily train onward to Dallas, San Antonio, and (with a change of trains) Los Angeles. There are five trains each day to and from both St. Louis and Chicago, and the Texas Eagle continues on to Dallas. The trip to or from Chicago's Union Station is typically about 140 minutes, but the Texas Eagle often runs late. The trains can be crowded on weekends, so consider reservations. The Bloomington-Normal Amtrak station is located in Normal at 100 Parkinson Street, near the Illinois State University campus.

By Bus

If you're a fan of the bus, you can hop onto Greyhound  or Illini-Swallow Lines, which provide intercity service to Bloomington-Normal. The bus station in Bloomington is located at 525 Brock Drive, near the I-55/74 interchange with Market Street in west Bloomington.

By Car 

Bloomington, Illinois is located at the heart of the state, at the intersection of several major highways: Interstate 55 (which runs northeast to southwest) to Chicago and St. Louis, Interstate 74 (which runs east to west) to Indianapolis and into Iowa,  Interstate 39, which begins in Bloomington-Normal and runs north into Wisconsin, and U.S. 51 (which is a divided four-lane highway with some intersections) south to Memphis and New Orleans. The area is also served by U.S. 150 and Illinois Highway 9, both more minor routes. Its central location makes the city quite easy to get to via car. Typical driving times to nearby large cities are: Downtown Chicago, 135 minutes; St. Louis, 155 minutes; and Indianapolis, 180 minutes. During extreme traffic (rush hour) or weather conditions, additional time may be required.

If passing through the area, the greatest concentration of hotels and restaurants is located along an eight-mile stretch of Veterans Parkway (the old U.S. 66, now designated Business Loop I-55), which runs around the eastern and southern sections of the city. It can be accessed directly from Interstate 55, both at the northeast and southwest sides of the city, and from Interstate 74 southwest of the city. Veterans Parkway is also a major retail street in Bloomington, with two malls and hundreds of stores along its route.

Another major concentration of hotels, restaurants, and vehicle services is at the Interstates 55 & 74 interchange with Market Street in west Bloomington. Several hotels and restaurants are located at the Interstate 55 interchange in north Normal.

The area has about 3500 hotel rooms, including hotels operated by the upscale Doubletree and Clarion chains (both Marriott and Crown Plaza are constructing new hotels scheduled for opening in 2009). Numerous other brands offer many well-known national brands, often with multiple locations on the east and west sides of Bloomington or in Normal. The Bloomington-Normal Area Convention and Visitors Bureau website lists hotels approved under an inspection program.