Kansas City safety advice solicited

[John Webb]

I will be detraining from #3 upon arriving in Kansas City. My hotel is the Crown Plaza Kansas City Downtown on Wyandotte Street. (Yes, I know there is a closer hotel but this choice was made based on economics).

Since my arrival will be at night and the hotel is 1.2 miles from the station should I walk or taxi?

I don't mind walking but it's late at night and I'm not familiar with the area at all. Is it safe to walk in that area at that time?

I am booked to take the RiverRunner at 8:15 AM the next morning. Is it OK to walk back to the station at that time? Or should I taxi both ways?

Are Kansas City taxis reliable?

Thanks in advance to anyone knowledgable about the area.

 

[Steve4031]

I would take a taxi. There should be taxis available at the station. When you check in ask about cabs in the morning. You should be able to get back. Walking is a problem because of hills and not being able to take a direct route. If you want to walk, pull up google maps and plot the walking directions.

 

[Guest]

I would taxi there, and walk back. It's an OK town for walking on main streets (including, oddly, Main Street!), and during the day, if this is some time in the next few weeks, the weather should be comfortable. At night it can get chilly this time of year, though, so that and unfamiliarity are both good reasons to do the taxi at night.

 

[Bob Dylan]

According to the Web Site for your Hotel(Very Nice!!! ) there is a Free Hotel Shuttle To/From the Hotel and Union Station! Its a little over a Mile to the Hotel and Crown Plaza is between the Hotel and Union Station, But I wouldnt suggest Walking it @ Night, Daytime is Different! The Union Station Area isnt Unsafe but its not surrounded by Much and is Sort of Deserted @ Night! If the Shuttle isn't for you I agree with Hoping a Cab, shouldnt be a Problem alhough the Cabbies might not like such a Short Run! Its been 2 years since i was in KCY so dont know the Cab Rates, shouldnt be too much!

 

[Zach]

No concerns about the walk safety-wise, but there are definitely hills. Going towards downtown is generally up, and coming back is generally down...so I agree that, if you're going to walk one way, it's better to do in the morning heading back. I would hop a cab there, walk back in the morning.

(If a shuttle isn't available. Or even if it is, and the weather is nice in the morning, I would likely walk it without much luggage)

 

[NE933]

The Union Station Area isnt Unsafe but its not surrounded by Much and is Sort of Deserted

But that's where the fun is: arriving at a deserted station in the middle of the night, the month of Halloween, with no one or nothing except leaves and twigs blowing around!

 

[guest]

No concerns about the walk safety-wise, but there are definitely hills. Going towards downtown is generally up, and coming back is generally down...so I agree that, if you're going to walk one way, it's better to do in the morning heading back. I would hop a cab there, walk back in the morning.

(If a shuttle isn't available. Or even if it is, and the weather is nice in the morning, I would likely walk it without much luggage)

Actually, Union Station is at the bottom of a hill in both directions (I used to work across the tracks, in the building next to Jack Stack's)...you go downhill both from Union Hill and from downtown to get to KCUS...