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Did you know...?
Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston is the nation's 7th largest international passenger gateway.
Office of International Students & Scholars |
Getting to Rice
If you arrive at either Houston airport (Bush Intercontinental Airport or Hobby) you can use the Super Shuttle, Phone: (800) 258-3826, for the trip from the airport to the city of Houston. This will cost about $25.00. Ticket desks are located at the south side baggage claim of each terminal. You should logon and make your arrangements prior to your arrival, so a shuttle bus will be waiting for you upon your arrivale. Should you arrive late, you may wish to take a taxi to your destination if you have a room reserved, or you may stay overnight at a hotel in the airport area. It is not advisable to arrive in Houston late at night without an arranged place to stay. Some hotels in the airport vicinity provide free transportation from the airport to the hotel--visit the Hotels, Hostels & Dormitories section of this webpage for contact information. You may take a taxi to your hotel in Houston for $40-$50 The drive into downtown Houston from Intercontinental Airport takes about 45 minutes. These are some Houston taxi companies you might wish to call:
A taxi from Hobby Airport to the Rice area cost $25 (flat rate). Should you desire to spend the night in the Hobby Airport vicinity, two hotels nearby are Red Roof Inn and Howard Johnson Hotel (see the Hotels section of this webpage). Call the hotel from the airport and ask for the hotel shuttle bus. Taxi fare (cost) is registered on a meter, and fares are fixed according to distance traveled. An additional charge may apply for heavy luggage such as trunks. There is no charge for a regular suitcase. Taxi drivers are customarily tipped about 15% of the fare. The cost of a taxi from Holiday Inn & Suites Terminal at Main and Holcombe to Rice University is approximately $4. A taxi from the Greenway Terminal to Rice will cost about $15. You can also reach the campus by taking Houston city bus No.8 (north) on Main Street, though for such a short distance it may not be worthwhile to do so. From the Greenway Terminal, you can take bus No.73 to get from Hobby Airport to the Medical Center by Rice. The attendant at the terminals can give you directions. Ask the bus driver to tell you when he stops at Rice University. The bus ride will cost $1. You must have the exact fare. You are allowed to take any luggage that you can handle alone and that will not block the aisle on the city bus. Driving Directions Rice University is located at 6100 S Main Street, across from Herman Park and the Medical Center. Take Highway 59, exit S Shepherd Dr & Greenbriar St, take Greenbriar St going south, and take a left on Rice Boulevard.
Most hotels have free swimming pools and 24-hour coffee shop or restaurant. Some have free shuttle bus services. Some allow children to stay at no extra charge. The term “double” usually means two double beds. A “single” usually costs less for a couple. The cost of a “single” and a charge for an extra person may be less than that for the “double.” Near Houston Bush Intercontinental Airport: Holiday Inn - Airport - 1522 JFK Boulevard, Houston, TX 77032. Tel.: 281-449-2311 or Toll Free number 1-800-465-4329. Single or double rooms weekday $149 - 164/night; weekend $75 - 89/night, plus tax. Complimentary shuttle to airport (4:30AM-Midnight) and Deer Park Mall. Doubletree Hotel Intercontinental - 15747 JFK Blvd., Houston, TX 77032. Tel: 281-848-4000. Room prices range from $169 to $199/night, plus tax. Near Hobby Airport: Econo Lodge Hobby Airport - 8381 Broadway Street, Houston, TX 77061. Tel: 713-645-1333. The average price of a room is $69/night, plus tax. Free continental breakfast. Days Inn Hobby Airport - 1505 College Ave., Houston, TX 77587. Tel: 713-946-5900. Room prices range from $45.90 to $64/night, plus tax. Hilton Hobby Airport - 8181 Airport Blvd., Houston, TX 77061. Tel: 713-645-3000. Rooms cost between $119 and $139/night, plus tax.. Youth Hostel/Dormitory available at these locations: Houston International Hostel - 5302 Crawford at Oakdale, Houston, TX. Tel.: 713-523-1009. Registration is between 8:00 – 10:00 a.m. or 5:00 – 11:00 p.m., or by arrangement. Call only during office hours. Reservations are available, but not required. It is located at a reasonable walking distance to Rice. International House Dormitory - 2719 Capitol Ave, Houston, TX 77003. Tel.: 713-237-8443. Space is limited. Call in advance. However, safety is a concern in downtown Houston, especially in the evening. Rice has an on-line resource for off-campus housing. Please visit: http://offcampus.rice.edu/ Apartments and rooms for rent far from Rice University may be less expensive than those nearby. Public transportation may be a problem with the more distant locations, however. If you do not own a car, you should find out about bus routes before selecting a place to live. Rates vary according to location, neighborhood, amenities provided, age, and condition of the complex. The average one bedroom unfurnished (without furniture, but with appliances) apartment near campus costs approximately $500-$750 a month. Renting with furniture adds approximately $300 more per month. An unfurnished two-bedroom apartment has an average cost of approximately $600-$950. Utilities (gas, electricity and telephone) are usually charged separately and add approximately $150 to your monthly costs. Utilities are discussed further on pages 15. Students often prefer to share an apartment in order to save money. Occasionally, rooms in homes are available at a lower cost. Visit Rice’s online resource website for listings of garage apartments, rooms, and students desiring roommates. The standard apartment lease is for a period of six or twelve months. A small number of apartments also provide short-term leases, either furnished or unfurnished. You will be expected to pay a deposit of approximately $300 when you sign a lease on an apartment in addition to paying the first and last month’s rent in advance. If you break your lease or damage the apartment, you will lose your deposit. Be very careful before signing anything. Get advice from “old” students and from your academic department. Be sure to get as much information as you can before you sign in a contract. Read your lease carefully! In the U.S., furnished apartments do not include bed linens, towels, silverware, china, or kitchen utensils (pots and pans). Basic items will cost you $350 or more to purchase. Be sure to include “garage sales” and discount stores in your search in order to save money on many household items. Graduate international students benefit from the use of the Graduate Student Loan Closet, which allows them to borrow used household items collected by the Faculty Women’s Club. This service is available at the beginning of the academic semesters and thereafter by arrangement with the project’s coordinator. For students: Graduate students should have already received information on the Rice Graduate Apartments (713-348-4723 or http://gradapts.rice.edu/). If you wish to stay there, you need to return the application and pay a deposit as soon as possible. It is located on 1515 Bissonnet St. near S. Main. There are 112 units, including one-bedroom, two-bedroom, three-bedroom, and efficiency apartments. The design includes a centrally located space for social activities, a laundry room equipped with washing machines and dryers on each floor, a study room equipped with computers, and enclosed areas with locks for bike racks. A free shuttle bus operates between the Graduate apartments and all parts of the campus. A shuttle provides transportation to area stores for groceries and household items on Saturdays. You may ask about housing issues during the International Student Orientation. For additional housing resources, read the Apartment Locators section. FOR ELECTRICITY: RELIANT ENERGY H L&P – Tel.: 713-207-7777. Deposits range from $80-$400 and up, depending on size of apartment. Deposits can be waived if co-signer can be found who will be responsible for amount of deposit if you do not pay the final bill. You may also get the deposit waived if you can show a ‘letter of credit’ from your previous U.S. utility service with which you did business for at least one year. The letter of credit must show no more than 2 late payments. Finally, there is an $8.00 service fee, which will be charged on your first bill. HL&P requires at least 24 hours notice before it can turn on your electricity. FOR GAS: ENTEX – Tel.: 1-800-752-8036. A deposit of between $45 - $120 (could be more expensive) is paid to the service man, who turns on the gas. (The charge is based on average bill for the residence.) There is a $7.81 activation charge on the first bill. Visit: http://www.centerpointenergy.com TELEPHONES : AT&T– visit www.att.com. If telephone outlets are available in the house or apartment, the basic installment fee is $55.00. There are additional charges for special services such as call waiting. Applicants for phone service must fill out a credit application, listing the name of a sponsoring individual and 2 personal references with their phone numbers. On the application you may be asked to give a U.S. Social Security number and a Texas ID or Driver’s License number. If you don't have a Social Security number, you may be able to provide your passport ID number.The Office of International Students & Scholars at Rice University can refer you to helpful apartment locators. Below are a few online resources:
http://www.apartmentlocators.com/ Provides a FREE service for finding apartments in the major metropolitan areas in Texas Houston Chronicle Classifieds http://www.chron.com/class/index.html The Sunday edition has the most listings. Apartment Guide http://www.apartmentguide.com/ Also available as a free book at the entrance of convenience and grocery stores Homestore.com http://www.homestore.com Apartments.com http://www.apartments.com/ ApartmentWorld.com http://www.apartmentworld.com/ FindIt Apartment Locators Houston Apartment locators Big Time Apartment Locators Houston 1 Apartments All Houston Apartment Locators Access Houston webmaster@atal.com Access Relocation Resources of Houston
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