What Do You Do If You Land Late at Night in Nashville?

February 19, 2026

Landing late at BNA is not a logistical problem. It may actually be one of the better airports for a late-night arrival because the city is genuinely active past midnight and the ground transportation options work around the clock.

Getting Out of the Airport

The WeGo Bus Route 18, which costs $2 and connects BNA to downtown, runs until approximately midnight on weekdays and with reduced hours on weekends. If your flight lands after 11pm, don’t count on the bus being operational when you exit baggage claim. Check the WeGo schedule before your trip at wegotransit.com.

Uber and Lyft operate 24/7 at BNA. Pickup is at the Ground Transportation Center on Level 1 of Terminal Garage 2, about a 5-minute walk from baggage claim. Late-night fares from BNA to downtown typically run $20-40, but surge pricing activates when Broadway bars close around 2am. If you land between 2am and 3am on a weekend, expect to pay more and wait longer for a car.

Taxis are the most predictable option late at night. The flat rate from BNA to downtown Nashville is $30, plus $2 per additional passenger beyond the first. The taxi rank is in the South Wing Pick Up Area of the Ground Transportation Center, available 24/7. No surge pricing ever applies to taxis. If you land after midnight on a Friday or Saturday and don’t want to watch your Uber price spike in real-time, a taxi is the right call.

Private car services such as Metro SmartConnect and Nashrovers offer 24-hour prebooked service. If you already know your flight is arriving late, booking a private car in advance guarantees a driver and a locked price. These services run $20-50 depending on vehicle type and booking platform.

What’s Actually Open

Nashville has a different late-night situation than most American cities. Lower Broadway bars are legally open until 3am, and many serve food throughout. On weekend nights, Broadway operates at full capacity past midnight. The 10pm-2am band sets are often the loudest and most energetic of the day.

If you land at 11pm on a Friday and reach downtown by 11:30pm, you have about two hours of full Nashville nightlife available. Bars including Jason Aldean’s, Friends in Low Places, and several others on Broadway operate until 3am on weekends. Tootsie’s, Robert’s Western World, and the other classic honky-tonks all run late as well.

Even on weeknights, Broadway runs until 2am. The atmosphere quiets some after midnight on Tuesday or Wednesday but live music continues regardless.

Hotels and Check-In

Most downtown hotels have 24-hour front desks. The on-airport Hilton at BNA (connected via skybridge) is an option if you land exhausted and don’t want to travel to downtown at all. It has 298 rooms and operates a full overnight staff. For guests checking into downtown or midtown hotels, standard late-night check-in is universally available.

If you prepaid for a hotel and haven’t called ahead, do so before landing. Some smaller boutique hotels lock their lobbies late and require a code or call to reach a staff member.

Late-Night Food

Several late-night food options remain open after midnight. Jack’s Bar-B-Que on Broadway operates until 2am on weekends. Burger Republic has late hours. The honky-tonks themselves generally serve food throughout their operating hours. Nashville’s late-night food scene isn’t exceptional outside of Broadway, but the few blocks of lower Broadway give you multiple options for a meal after midnight.

If you need food between 2am and 6am, options shrink to 24-hour fast food near major corridors. Waffle House on Murfreesboro Pike near the airport is a practical option if you’re hungry and not yet headed to your hotel.

Practical Advice

The simplest late-night arrival strategy at BNA: book a car in advance, go directly to your hotel, drop your bags, then walk or Uber to Broadway if you feel like being out. The 8-mile distance means even a 10:30pm landing gets you downtown by 11:15pm with time to spare. Don’t overthink it. Nashville at midnight is more welcoming than most cities at 9pm.

Sources

  • Vanderbilt University ISSS: Transportation Options from Nashville International Airport (BNA)
  • Welcome Pickups: Nashville Airport Taxi (June 2025) – welcomepickups.com
  • NashRovers: BNA Airport Transportation Options (May 2025) – nashrovers.com
  • NashvilleGo: Guide to bars on Broadway – nashvillego.com
  • NashvilleGuru: All Ages Guide for Broadway bars (October 2025)
  • Uber: Nashville Airport pickup information – uber.com
  • WeGo Public Transit: wegotransit.com

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