The Gothic Revival Cathedral of Learning tower at the University of Pittsburgh against a clear blue sky

Visit Pittsburgh · College visits

Pitt and CMU campus visits, from the airport.

The University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon sit side by side in Oakland, about 20 road miles from PIT, and a $2.75 bus runs right to them. Time both visits around your flights with the planner.

Plan the visit How each visit works

Photo: Notyourbroom, CC BY 3.0 / Wikimedia Commons

Short answer

Both campuses are in Oakland, 20 miles, about 35 min with no traffic from Pittsburgh International. The 28X Airport Flyer ($2.75, every 30 to 40 minutes) stops on Fifth and Forbes Avenues by both schools. Pitt visits start at Alumni Hall, 4227 Fifth Ave. CMU visits start at the Coulter Welcome Center, 4765 Forbes Ave, and take about two and a half hours. Register online with each school.

Two campuses, one neighborhood

Oakland, by the numbers

20Road miles from PIT to Pitt. About 35 minutes with no traffic.

$2.75The 28X bus from the terminal to Oakland. Seniors 65+ ride free.

0.7 miBetween the two welcome centers, by road.

48 hrsCMU closes tour registration this long before each tour.

Interactive planner

One trip, two campuses.

Enter your flight and the session times from your confirmations. It warns you if a flight lands too late, if the sessions overlap, or if a welcome center is closed that day.

Campus visit planner

From the airport by:

Your flight landsLeave blank to skip the airport leg. Landing time Visit date Pitt session startsFrom your Pitt confirmation. Clear it if you're not visiting Pitt. CMU session startsFrom your CMU confirmation. Clear it if you're not visiting CMU.

Pitt visit length (your estimate): Pitt doesn't publish a length. Check your confirmation. CMU visit length: CMU says roughly two and a half hours. Walk between campuses (your estimate): The welcome centers are about 0.7 miles apart by road. Arrive before each session: From landing to leaving the airport: At PIT before your flight home:

Session times and the Pitt visit length are your own inputs. Welcome-center days and CMU's 48-hour registration cutoff come from each school's visit pages, checked October 19, 2026.

The schools

How each visit works

University of Pittsburgh

Register through Pitt's visit portal. Options include an Admissions Presentation and Campus Tour, a Campus Tour alone, and information sessions run by individual schools. Visits are aimed at high school juniors and seniors.

Visits start at the Visitor Welcome Center, Alumni Hall, 4227 Fifth Avenue (412-624-7488). It is open 8:30 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. Monday to Friday on visit days, and closed when classes are out. Residence hall visits run Monday to Friday only. On other days, use Pitt's self-guided tour.

admissions.pitt.edu and explore.pitt.edu, checked October 19, 2026

Carnegie Mellon

Book on CMU's campus-tours calendar. Registration closes 48 hours before each tour, and you can bring up to five guests. Walk-ins are taken when possible.

Visits start at the David and Susan Coulter Welcome Center, 4765 Forbes Avenue, ground level of the Tepper Quad. It is open 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily except Wednesday. Weekend visits include the tour and information session but no counseling. Fall 2026 visits run September 10 to December 6.

cmu.edu/visit, checked October 19, 2026

Can't make it in person?

CMU runs online information sessions (about an hour), live-streamed campus and residence hall tours, and 360-degree tours. Pitt offers a self-guided tour for days without official visits.

Each school's visit pages

From the airport

Getting to Oakland from PIT

Option	Cost	Time	Notes
28X Airport Flyer	$2.75 one way	About 40 min (CMU's estimate)	Every 30 to 40 minutes, about 5 a.m. to midnight. Pay with exact cash, ConnectCard or a mobile ticket. Toward the airport, Oakland stops are pick-up only.
Car or rideshare	Set by the provider	About 35 min with no traffic	20 miles to Pitt, 20.3 to CMU. Campus parking is limited; CMU doesn't validate, but its Morewood Lot is free on weekends.

The 28X Airport Flyer runs between the airport terminal and Downtown and Oakland, every 30 to 40 minutes from about 5 a.m. to midnight, seven days a week. The fare is $2.75 (exact cash, ConnectCard or mobile ticket). The 28X timetable (effective June 28, 2026) lists Oakland stops including Forbes Avenue past Morewood Avenue and Fifth Avenue at University Place.

While you're on campus

The Nationality Rooms.

Inside Pitt's Cathedral of Learning, the Nationality Rooms are classrooms designed around the heritage of Pittsburgh's communities. Guided 90-minute tours cost $10 for adults and $6 for youth (free under 5). The visitor center is on the first floor, closed Tuesdays, and doesn't take cash.

Book a tour

Photo: Notyourbroom, CC BY 3.0 / Wikimedia Commons

Make it a weekend

More than a campus tour.

A red Duquesne Incline car climbing Mount Washington above the Point, with downtown Pittsburgh and the yellow Fort Duquesne Bridge in morning light

Mount WashingtonThe incline viewThe classic first-night ride.

Smallman Street in Pittsburgh's Strip District, lined by the old produce terminal and warehouses, with St. Stanislaus Kostka Church's twin towers at the end

NeighborhoodsWhere students liveShadyside, Squirrel Hill, Lawrenceville and more.

PNC Park's ballfield and stands, with the yellow Roberto Clemente Bridge and downtown Pittsburgh beyond the outfield

Game dayCatch a gamePirates, Steelers or Penguins.

Downtown Pittsburgh's skyline across the river on a clear day, with the UPMC sign atop the U.S. Steel Tower at center

48 hoursSee the cityAn itinerary built around your interests.

Questions

How do I get from Pittsburgh airport to Pitt or CMU?

The 28X Airport Flyer bus runs from the airport terminal to Oakland, with stops on Fifth and Forbes Avenues near both campuses. It costs $2.75 and runs every 30 to 40 minutes; CMU estimates about 40 minutes to campus. By car or rideshare it's 20 miles, about 35 min with no traffic.

Where do Pitt campus visits start?

At the Visitor Welcome Center in Alumni Hall, 4227 Fifth Avenue. It keeps weekday hours (8:30 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.) on days visits are offered. Register through Pitt's visit portal.

Where do Carnegie Mellon campus visits start?

At the David and Susan Coulter Welcome Center, 4765 Forbes Avenue, on the ground level of the Tepper Quad. It is open 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. every day except Wednesday.

How long is a CMU campus visit?

CMU says most visit days take roughly two and a half hours: a student-led tour, an information session and, when available, a one-on-one counseling session. Registration closes 48 hours before each tour.

Can I visit Pitt and CMU on the same day?

Yes, with planning. The two welcome centers are about 0.7 miles apart by road. Use the planner on this page to check your two session times leave room to walk over and check in.

Are the Nationality Rooms free?

No. Guided tours are $10 for adults and $6 for youth (free under 5), and the Cathedral of Learning visitor center is closed Tuesdays. Cash is not accepted.

Keep planning

Sources