The department and university both maintain Directions Web pages. Take your pick. The LTI page shows where our building is.
A taxi from the airport costs $45-50 (including tip) and takes about 30 minutes. Most drivers will know CMU, but in case your driver doesn't, ask to go to Oakland (our neighborhood in Pittsburgh), and ask to be dropped off at Hamburg Hall, 4800 Forbes Avenue (see LTI map). Our building, Newell Simon Hall, is behind Hamburg Hall.
The 28X bus runs from the airport to the university. It costs $2, it leaves every 15-20 minutes from the bus/taxi curb outside of baggage claim, and it takes about an hour (28X schedule, 28X route map). CMU is the last stop. The bus stop is across the street from Hamburg Hall (see LTI map). Our building, Newell Simon Hall, is behind Hamburg Hall.
When going to the airport to CMU, your options are the 28X bus or a taxi. The 28X bus leaves every 15-20 minutes. Taxis are slightly more complicated because you or we must call in advance to arrange pickup, and because drivers occasionally get confused about where to pick you up; the driveway in front of Hamburg Hall (4800 Forbes Avenue) is the most reliable spot.
The exits on I-376 were renumbered recently. The old exit 7 mentioned in the CMU official directions is now numbered exit 3.
The East Campus Garage is your best bet. If you are coming from downtown or the Holiday Inn, it is on Forbes Avenue, on the right, just past the main part of campus. The East Campus Garage is P5 on this map of CMU. It cost $8.00 a day the last time I checked.
There is an official Visitor Parking Web page.
The parking meters near Newell-Simon Hall (P15 on the map) are gone; a new building is being built in that spot.
So, you've gotten yourself to the CMU campus, and found Newell-Simon Hall. Now what?
Pittsburgh is a city of hills, so when you arrive on the Forbes Avenue side of the building, you enter on the third floor. Proceed straight to the main staircase. Go up one flight, to the fourth floor. Turn left, walk about 15 feet, and enter the LTI Reception area.
The university's official Accomodations Web page lists many hotels.
The most common choice is the Holiday Inn - University Center. It is one of the nicer Holiday Inns, and it is walking distance (10 minutes, 0.6 miles). Here is a map showing the route between CMU & the Holiday Inn.
The Shadyside Inn, the Courtyard by Marriott, and the Residence Inn are also good choices.
I have discovered two guides to restaurants near CMU. This guide is more user-friendly. This guide is more comprehensive, but slightly outdated, and less user-friendly.
The CMU visitors page has everything else you would ever want to know, from CMU history, to local weather conditions. If it's not there, I probably don't know it either, but you're welcome to ask. (The LTI visitors page is mostly a copy of this one, albeit with nicer formatting.)
