

GETTING TO TUSCALOOSA
Tuscaloosa is located approximately 330 kilometers west of Atlanta, Georgia; 96 kilometers southwest of Birmingham, Alabama; 1153 kilometers south of Chicago, Illinois; 451 kilometers northeast of New Orleans, Louisiana; 1617 kilometers southwest of New York City, New York; and 3753 kilometers east of San Francisco, California.
AIRPORT INFORMATION
We recommend students to plan to fly into Birmingham-Shuttlesworth Airport (Airport code BHM): http://flybirmingham.com/, which is the closest major airport to The University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
Tuscaloosa can be reached from the Birmingham-Shuttlesworth Airport via rideshare, airport shuttle,
HOTELS IN BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA FOR OVERNIGHT STAY
If you arrive in Birmingham during the late evening hours, we suggest that you stay overnight in a nearby hotel which provides shuttle service to and from the Birmingham-Shuttlesworth Airport. Many motels and hotels in Birmingham have free shuttle service to and from the Birmingham Airport. Therefore, if you plan on staying in Birmingham overnight, you may want to consider this free service.
For reservations and further information, please contact the hotel where you intend to stay. Below are two hotels, which are close to the airport and offer free shuttles to and from the airport:
AIRPORT HOTEL | ADDRESS | PHONE |
---|---|---|
Ramada Birmingham Airport | 5216 Messer Airport Hwy, Birmingham, AL 35212 | 205-591-7900 |
Holiday Inn Birmingham-Airport | 5000 Richard Arrington Jr Blvd N, Birmingham, AL 35212 | 205-909-1999 |
TRANSPORTATION FROM BIRMINGHAM TO TUSCALOOSA
Most international students fly into the Birmingham-Shuttlesworth Airport. The city of Birmingham is approximately 60 miles from the UA campus.
ISSS recommends that students seeking transportation from Birmingham first contact their respective student nationality organization, which can be found in the listing of organizations with The Source and on our Organizations Page.
Tuscaloosa is served by the Greyhound bus line. Fares vary depending on the date and time that you travel. Schedule and fares are subject to change without notice. For more information, call Greyhound at (205) 758-6651 or 1-800-231-2222 ext. 9 (www.greyhound.com).
BUS STATION | ADDRESS | PHONE |
---|---|---|
BIRMINGHAM BUS STATION | 1801 Morris Ave., Birmingham, AL 35203 | 205-252-7190 |
TUSCALOOSA BUS STATION | 3301 Greensboro Ave., Tuscaloosa, AL 35401 (inside Chevron Gas Station) | 205-758-6651 |
AMTRAK TRAIN SERVICES
Information/Reservations (800-872-7245)
Please note that you will need to make arrangements to get from the Birmingham-Shuttlesworth Airport to the train station in Birmingham as well as from the Tuscaloosa train station to the UA campus.
TRAIN STATION | ADDRESS | PHONE |
---|---|---|
BIRMINGHAM TRAIN STATION | 1801 Morris Avenue, Birmingham, AL 35203 | 205-752-3200 |
TUSCALOOSA TRAIN STATION | 2105 Greensboro Avenue, Tuscaloosa, AL 35401 | 205-758-3578 |
AIRPORT SHUTTLES
- Birmingham Door-to-Door Shuttle Service: 888-349-1544 or 205-591-5550
- Cooper Global: 662-244-5773
- Crown Transportation: 205-758-3875
- Groome Transportation
- Prestige Limousine
- Scuttle Shuttle: 205-471-7433
- UBER Airport Shuttle
TUSCALOOSA – CITY TRANSPORTATION
CRIMSONRIDE – UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA’S BUS SYSTEM
The University of Alabama is a large campus, and CrimsonRide provides quick and easy access to all areas of campus, whether you live on- or off-campus.
TUSCALOOSA BUS AND TROLLEY SYSTEM
Tuscaloosa has an affordable public bus system which serves the UA campus and the city, but bus routes are limited to the most popular destinations. For bus schedules, routes, maps, and rates, please visit the Tuscaloosa Transit Authority website: http://tuscaloosatransit.com/.
TUSCALOOSA TAXIS
There are several taxi services in the Tuscaloosa area. Rates for transportation are generally much more expensive than public transportation.
TAXI COMPANY | CONTACT |
---|---|
Alpha/Omega Taxi Service | 205-242-8936 |
Deluxe Radio Cab Company | 205-750-9025 |
Dixie Cab Service | 205-710-7123 |
Druid Cab Company | 205-345-5688 |
Everett’s Cab Company | 205-233-1777 |
Lee’s Taxi | 205-886-2923 |
Radio Cab Service | 205-758-2831 |
YellowCab of Tuscaloosa | 205-331-5016 |
LYFT | http://bamaparking.ua.edu/lyftfrontpage/ |
UBER | https://www.uber.com/global/en/cities/tuscaloosa/ |
FALL 2021 ORIENTATION AND IMMIGRATION CHECK-IN – VIRTUAL
Orientation and immigration check-in is required for all international students. All new students will be registered for International Orientation and Check-in as a BlackBoard course, which can be accessed via MyBama.
The mandatory International Orientation and Check-in is required for students to activate their F-1 or J-1 status.
When completing Orientation in BlackBoard, you must upload clear document scans of the following:
- Contact Information Sheet;
- Acknowledgement of Responsibility Form;
- Your passport main information page;
- Your F-1 Visa or J-1 Visa;
- Your F-1 I-20 (pages 1 and 2 only) or J-1 DS-2019 (page 1 only);
- I-94 Arrival/Departure Record (note: only accessible after arrival to the U.S.); and
- Any other immigration documents you have.
- If you have a spouse or children with you, please also scan their documents for check-in.
After you have completed the International Orientation and Check-in in Blackboard and submitted the above documents, ISSS will process the validation of your immigration record with Homeland Security’s Student Exchange Visitor Program and also be able to process any requested verifications for I-9 processing, Alabama Credit Union accounts, Driver’s Licenses, and Social Security Number applications.
BAMA BOUND SESSION (UNDERGRADUATE ORIENTATION)
Bama Bound is for all first-year and transfer undergraduate students at UA – both American and international students must attend.
All new and transfer undergraduate international students must register and attend a Bama Bound Orientation.
GRADUATE ORIENTATION AND WELCOME (GROW)
GROW is mandatory for all new International Graduate Students.
GROW is designed to prepare incoming graduate students with the necessary information to make their time at UA a success. In addition, it serves to supplement your departmental orientation experience and give you a well-rounded view of the UA experience through the graduate student lens.
WORKSHOP FOR NEW GRADUATE TEACHING ASSISTANTS
Held in the Fall Semester only. This workshop is required for all new Graduate Teaching Assistants. New GTAs should contact the Graduate School about participation in the August Workshop.
ARRIVING IN TUSCALOOSA
For more information on how to get to Tuscaloosa and about local hotels for temporary housing, please see our arrival section.
NOTE: Fall 2021 Classes start on Wednesday, August 18, 2021.