Travel

Purdue University is located in West Lafayette, Indiana (126 miles southeast of Chicago, 65 miles north of Indianapolis). To get to campus, most people first fly to Chicago or Indianapolis and then travel to Lafayette/West Lafayette by bus/shuttle.

Air travel

  • Flights to Chicago
  • Flights to Indianapolis

Many international students prefer to fly to Chicago O’Hare (ORD), about 2.5 hours from campus, as it’s the largest airport nearby and has many international flights. If you choose to fly to Indianapolis (IND) it is just an hour away and is usually a better, more convenient, option for regional flights.

Prior to travel, go through the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) checklist to avoid unfortunate incidences: https://www.tsa.gov/travel/travel-tips/travel-checklist. Also, be sure that you are carrying your required visa documents (e.g. DS-2019 form for J1 visa holders and I-20 for F1 visa holders).

Shuttle services

Regular shuttle services are provided from both the Indianapolis airport (approximately every 2 hours during the day) and the Chicago O’Hare airport (every 3 hours during the day). For the shuttle service schedule, rates, and reservations, please use their web sites, which also explain the pick-up and drop-off locations:

  1. EAC (Express Air Coach):
    https://expressaircoach.com/
  2. Lafayette Limo
    http://www.lafayettelimo.com/
  3. Reindeer Shuttle
    http://reindeershuttle.com/

Bicycle loans

SLCF International loans out bikes for a deposit of $50-100, which is fully refundable if the bike is returned back in good condition.

https://slcfpurdue.com/bike-loan-program/