Phoenix to Sedona is about 116 miles (186 km) from downtown, roughly two hours and a quarter on a clear road, almost all of it on I-17 north. You can drive it yourself in a rental car, take one of the shared intercity shuttles that serve Sedona from Sky Harbor, or book a private car with a chauffeur who drives, waits at each stop and brings you back. Each works; they suit different travellers.
With Elly8.net, the Sedona red rocks day trip from Phoenix is a fixed 10-hour package: US$875 in a Business Sedan, US$1,105 in a Business SUV, US$1,335 in a First Class SUV, US$1,430 in a First Class Sedan and US$1,750 in an Executive Sprinter for up to twelve. The price is per vehicle and all-in. One-way transfers to a Sedona hotel are quoted in the web booker.
How do you get from Phoenix to Sedona without a car?
Several shared intercity shuttle companies run between Phoenix Sky Harbor and Sedona, and Sky Harbor lists them with their phone numbers. For a door-to-door ride on your own schedule, book a private car: Elly8.net's 10-hour chauffeured Sedona day trip from Phoenix starts at US$875 in a Business Sedan. Rideshare one way is possible, at a price set by the app.
Once you are in Sedona, the town's own shuttle network helps with trailheads and getting around, which is covered below. The real choice is about how you want to spend the day: on someone else's timetable, at the wheel, or as a passenger with your own plan.
The route: I-17 north and the Red Rock Scenic Byway
The official visitor bureau's getting to Sedona page gives the route from Phoenix as I-17 north toward Flagstaff, leaving at exit 298 for SR-179 into Sedona, about 113 miles and about two hours. SR-179 is designated an All-American Road by the Federal Highway Administration, and it is the beautiful way in: the red rock formations start to appear around Bell Rock before you reach town. An alternative is exit 287 and AZ-260 through Cottonwood, which can be less busy.
From Sky Harbor the drive is a little longer, about 121 miles (195 km). On a clear road, our routing puts it at about two hours and twenty minutes. Friday afternoons northbound and Sunday afternoons southbound are the slow times on I-17, and weekend traffic into Sedona itself on SR-179 and SR-89A can be heavy in spring and autumn.
See Phoenix prices and reserve
Option 1: driving yourself
A rental car is the cheapest way for a couple or a family who like driving, and it gives total freedom. If you are staying several days in Sedona, it is often the right answer.
The costs that do not show up in the rental price:
- Four-plus hours of driving on a day trip, the return leg in the evening after a long day outdoors.
- Parking. Popular trailheads fill early, especially at weekends and in the cooler months.
- The Red Rock Pass. According to the Visit Sedona Red Rock Pass guide, a pass is required to park at 19 specific day-use sites in the Red Rock Ranger District, including Bell Rock Pathway, Cathedral Rock, Boynton, Fay Canyon, Courthouse Butte and Midgley Bridge. It costs US$5 a day, US$15 a week or US$20 a year, and is sold at kiosks at the sites, at the Sedona Chamber of Commerce visitor centre and online through Recreation.gov. A pass is not needed for incidental stops of about 15 minutes or less for a photo or a view.
- Nobody gets to relax. Someone in the group drives the whole way.
Option 2: the shuttle
Sky Harbor's intercity shuttle list shows several companies serving Sedona, and the airport says to contact each one for fares and schedules. These are shared vans or coaches between the airport and Sedona, and they are usually the lowest-cost way to get there without driving.
The trade-offs are the timetable, a fixed pickup and drop-off point that may not be your hotel, other passengers' stops, and luggage limits. If your flight is late, you may miss the departure. For a solo traveller or a couple staying several nights in Sedona with a flexible schedule, a shared shuttle is good value. For a day trip from Phoenix, timetables rarely suit, because you want to arrive early and leave late.
Once in Sedona, the town's shuttle helps. Visit Sedona's ground transportation page describes free Sedona Shuttle trailhead routes from three park and ride lots to the Cathedral Rock, Soldiers Pass and Dry Creek Road trailheads, running Thursday to Sunday between 7 a.m. and 5:30 p.m., and an on-demand Shuttle Connect service within its area for US$2 a ride, Thursday to Sunday from 6:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Check the schedule before you go.
Option 3: a private car with a chauffeur
A chauffeured day turns the drive into part of the trip. You choose the departure time, the stops and how long you stay at each; the chauffeur drives, waits, and takes you back to your Phoenix or Scottsdale hotel. Nobody in the group needs to drive or watch the clock for the last shuttle.
It costs more than a shuttle seat for one or two people. For a family or a group it can be competitive: the Business SUV at US$1,105 carries up to six, about US$184 each, and the Executive Sprinter at US$1,750 carries up to twelve, about US$146 each. Our guide to Phoenix Sprinter van rental covers group bookings.
Side by side
| Driving yourself | Shared intercity shuttle | Elly8.net private car | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | rental, fuel, parking, Red Rock Pass | per seat, set by each company | fixed per vehicle: US$875 Business Sedan to US$1,750 Sprinter, 10 hours |
| Timetable | yours | the company's | yours, within the 10 hours |
| Door to door | yes | usually not | yes |
| Stops on the way | any | rarely | any, the chauffeur waits |
| Who drives | someone in your group | the shuttle driver | a licensed, commercially insured chauffeur |
| Best for | multi-day stays, keen drivers | solo travellers, long stays, flexible plans | day trips, families, groups, special occasions |
A sample chauffeured Sedona day
- 7:30 a.m. Pickup at your Phoenix hotel. Leave early: the light on the rocks is best in the morning and trailheads are quieter.
- 9:00 a.m. Optional stop on the way north. The chauffeur waits while you stretch your legs.
- 10:00 a.m. Arrive via SR-179, with a photo stop near Bell Rock.
- 10:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. A walk, a viewpoint or a jeep tour booked separately. Ask the desk where the car should meet you, and how parking at Red Rock Pass sites is handled for your vehicle.
- 1:00 p.m. Lunch in Uptown Sedona, where the Chamber of Commerce visitor centre on Forest Road sells Red Rock Passes and has maps.
- 2:30 p.m. Afternoon: galleries, a second viewpoint, or Oak Creek Canyon on SR-89A.
- 4:00 p.m. Head south on I-17.
- 5:30 p.m. Back in Phoenix, with the Sunday or Friday traffic factored in.
That fits the 10-hour package, which covers door to door from your hotel at your own pace. If the day runs over, extra time is charged at the hourly rate, from US$95 an hour in a Business Sedan.
Rideshare to Sedona
People do search for an Uber from Phoenix to Sedona, and a one-way rideshare can work: the app sets the price when you request, and it changes with demand. The harder part is the return. Sedona is a small town about two hours from the Valley, so finding a car back to Phoenix at the end of the day is less predictable than in the city. If you go this way, have a plan for the trip home before you leave. For the airport end of the comparison, see our guide to Uber vs taxi vs a private car at PHX.
One way, overnight or onward
Many visitors stay a night or two in Sedona. For that, book a one-way transfer from Sky Harbor or your Phoenix hotel to the Sedona hotel, quoted in the web booker, and a return transfer on the last day. A flight into Phoenix, two nights in Sedona and a transfer back is a common pattern.
Sedona also sits on the way to the Grand Canyon's South Rim, about 114 miles (183 km) further north via Flagstaff, and the classic Arizona loop links Phoenix, Sedona, the canyon and Las Vegas. Our guide to Las Vegas to the Grand Canyon by private car covers the canyon end. Long one-way routes are priced through city to city car service.
Staying in Scottsdale?
The Sedona day trip is also listed from Scottsdale, on our Scottsdale car service page, from US$920 in a Business Sedan to US$1,840 in an Executive Sprinter for the same 10 hours. For resort guests, the pickup is at the porte cochere, and the chauffeur confirms the time the day before.
When the shuttle or a rental is the smarter call
We would book a shuttle seat for a solo traveller staying a week in Sedona, and a rental car for a family planning to explore the Verde Valley over several days. A chauffeured day is the better choice for a single-day visit from Phoenix, for groups and families who want to stay together without anyone driving, for celebrations, and for visitors who do not want to drive I-17 after a long day in the sun. Our chauffeur vs car rental and chauffeur vs airport shuttle comparisons cover the general case, and our shuttle vs private car at Sky Harbor guide looks at the airport options.
Who drives
Rides in Phoenix are operated by licensed, commercially insured local chauffeur partners vetted through the Limousine Worldwide network; Elly8.net takes the booking, fixes the price and runs the 24/7 desk. Partner vehicles are four model years old or newer. Elly8.net is a member of LimousineWorldwide.Directory, LimousineAssociation.International and VacationsWorldwide.Directory. The full Phoenix price list is on the Phoenix car service page, and private city tours explains chauffeured sightseeing in every Elly8.net city.
How to book
- Choose the Sedona red rocks day trip on the Phoenix fares panel, or enter your hotel and Sedona address in the web booker for a one-way transfer.
- Pick the vehicle by passengers: up to three in a sedan, six in an SUV, twelve in the Sprinter.
- Press Reserve now, or reserve through the web booker. Confirmation arrives by email, with the chauffeur's details before pickup.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Phoenix to Sedona?
About 116 miles (186 km) from downtown Phoenix, roughly two hours and a quarter on a clear road via I-17 north and SR-179. From Sky Harbor it is about 121 miles (195 km). Weekend traffic on I-17 and inside Sedona can add a good deal of time.
How much is a private car from Phoenix to Sedona?
The 10-hour Sedona red rocks day trip from Phoenix is US$875 in a Business Sedan, US$1,105 in a Business SUV, US$1,335 in a First Class SUV, US$1,430 in a First Class Sedan and US$1,750 in an Executive Sprinter, per vehicle, all-in. One-way transfers are quoted in the web booker.
Is there a shuttle from Phoenix airport to Sedona?
Yes. Sky Harbor lists several intercity shuttle companies that serve Sedona, with their phone numbers, and says to contact each one for fares and schedules. They are shared services with set departure times, so check that the timetable works with your flight.
When is a Red Rock Pass needed in Sedona?
Only to park at the 19 day-use sites that require it, such as Bell Rock Pathway, Cathedral Rock and Boynton. Passes cost US$5 a day, US$15 a week or US$20 a year. A pass is not needed for a stop of about 15 minutes or less to take a photo or enjoy a view.
Is the Sedona trailhead shuttle free?
Visit Sedona describes the Sedona Shuttle trailhead routes as free, running Thursday to Sunday from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. between three park and ride lots and the Cathedral Rock, Soldiers Pass and Dry Creek Road trailheads. The on-demand Shuttle Connect costs US$2 a ride within its service area.
What is the cancellation policy?
Free more than 72 hours before pickup. At 72 hours or less the charge is 10%, at 48 hours or less it is 50%, and at 24 hours or less, or for a no-show, it is 100%. Refunds go to the original card.
