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Getting There By Air:

Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD)
Tel: (703) 572 7635.
Website: www.mwaa.com/dulles

The airport is located 42km (26 miles) west of the city and operates both domestic and international flights. Over 23 million passengers used the airport in 2006. There are public parking facilities for 25,000 vehicles.

Airport facilities: These include a USO Lounge to serve military personnel, plus a bureau de change, ATMs, visitor information, several car hire companies including Avis, Dollar and Hertz, duty-free, shops, restaurants and bars. Business service centers are located at the east end (tel: (703) 572 2963) and west end of the upper level of the main terminal. They provide bureau de change facilities, insurance, fax, stamps, photocopying and notary services, and are open daily 0700-2100.

Transport to the city: The Washington Flyer Coach Service (tel: (703) 661 6655 or 1 888 927 4359/WASHFLY; website: www.washfly.com) operates a service linking Dulles with West Falls Church Metro station every 30 minutes 0545-2215 during the week and 0745-2215 at weekends (journey time - 25 to 30 minutes). Washington Flyer Taxi Cabs (tel: (703) 661 6655) depart from the lower level of the main terminal (journey time - 30 to 45 minutes, depending on the traffic). SuperShuttle buses (tel: (202) 296 6662 or (703) 416 6661 or 1 800 258 3826; website: www.supershuttle.com) operate a 24-hour service to downtown (journey time - 50 minutes).


Baltimore/Washington International Airport (BWI)
Tel: (410) 859 0124 or 1 800 435 9294.
Website: www.bwiairport.com

The airport is located 55km (34 miles) northeast of downtown Washington and serves both domestic and international airlines. Just over 20.7 million people passed through BWI in 2006.

Airport facilities: These include bureaux de change, ATMs, visitor information, several car hire companies including Alamo, Avis and Hertz, duty-free, shops, restaurants and bars. Several Travelex Business Centers, located throughout the airport, offer fax and photocopying and mailing services.

Transport to the city: SuperShuttle buses (tel: (202) 296 6662 or (703) 416 6661 or 1 800 258 3826; website: www.supershuttle.com) operate a request service to downtown (journey time - 1 hour). MTA/MARC trains (tel: (410) 539 5000 or 1 866 743 3682; website: www.mtamaryland.com) connect the airport with Union Station Monday-Friday 0500-2400 (journey time - 40 minutes). BWI Express Metro bus service (tel: (202) 962 1234 or (202) 637 7000; website: www.wmata.com) provides a direct connection between the airport and the Greenbelt Metro Station. Amtrak trains (tel: (215) 349 1160 or 1 800 872 7245; website: www.amtrak.com) run a regular service from the airport to Union Station. The taxi fare to downtown costs about US$65.


Ronald Reagan National Airport (DCA)
Tel: (703) 417 8000.
Website: www.mwaa.com/reagan

The airport is located 5km (3 miles) south of the city along the Potomac River. The airport’s three terminals serve over 60 domestic destinations and three Canadian/Caribbean ones. Nearly 19 million passengers use the airport annually.

Airport facilities: These include bureaux de change, ATMs, visitor information, car hire (Avis, Budget, Dollar, Hertz and National), shops, restaurants, bars and cafes. Fax, photocopying, notary and other services are provided by the Business Service Center in Terminal C (tel: (703) 417 3200) in Terminals B and C daily from 0700-2100.

Transport to the city: Metrorail lines (tel: (202) 962 1234 or 637 7000; website: www.wmata.com) link the airport to downtown. SuperShuttle buses (tel: (202) 296 6662 or (703) 416 6661 or 1 800 258 3826; website: www.supershuttle.com) operate a regular service to downtown (journey time - 30 minutes). Taxis to downtown normally cost between US$12-22.

Approximate flight times to Washington, DC: From London is 8 hours; from New York is 1 hour 15 minutes; from Los Angeles is 5 hours; from Toronto is 1 hour 30 minutes and from Sydney is 20 hours.

Getting There By Road:

Visitors must possess a full national driving license to drive in America. Traffic drives on the right and technically overtaking should only be done on the left lane, although, in reality, cars on a five-lane highway often pass on both sides. At traffic lights, right turns on the red light are permitted if the way ahead is clear. At crossroads without traffic lights, the four-way stop system means that it is first come first served, or if two cars arrive simultaneously, the one on the right has the right of way. Seat belts are required for the driver and all passengers. Freeway driving speeds are 88-113kph (55-70mph). The speed limit on all roads within the DC area is 40kph (25mph). The maximum legal alcohol to blood ratio for driving is 0.08%. All traffic must stop when school bus hazard lights are flashing.

The American Automobile Association (AAA) (tel: 1 800 222 1333; website: www.aaamidatlantic.com) can provide information and may offer reciprocal benefits to members of automobile clubs in other countries.

Emergency breakdown service: AAA (tel: 1 800 222 4357/AAA HELP).

Routes to the city: I-66 heads west into Virginia; I-50 to Annapolis in Maryland; I-95 to Baltimore, Richmond, Philadelphia and New York; and I-270 to Maryland and beyond.

Driving times to Washington, DC: From Baltimore - 50 minutes; Richmond - 2 hours; New York - 4 hours 45 minutes.

Coach services: Greyhound long-distance buses operate from the 24-hour Greyhound bus terminal, 1005 First Street, NE (tel: (202) 289 5160 or 1 800 231 2222; website: www.greyhound.com). Facilities in the station are limited, with food outlets and a gift shop selling snacks and newspapers. Peter Pan Bus (tel: 1 800 237 8747; website: www.peterpanbus.com) also connects Washington, DC with many cities throughout America. The service operates from the same bus terminal.

Getting There By Rail:

Amtrak services (tel: (215) 349 1160 or 1 800 872 7245; website: www.amtrak.com) cover long-distance routes from Washington, DC, while MTA/MARC trains (tel: (410) 539 5000 or 1 866 743 3682; website: www.mtamaryland.com) connect with points in Maryland. Train services operate Monday to Friday 0500-2400. The vast Union Station is on 50 Massachusetts Avenue and its extensive facilities include restaurants, shops, ATMs and left-luggage. The ticket office (tel: 1 800 872 7245) is open 0430-2300 weekdays and 0500-2300 weekends. Tickets can also be purchased from the 24-hour Quik-Trak ticketing machines.

Rail services: Amtrak operates long-distance services, including regular departures to Philadelphia (journey time - 1 hour 35 minutes), New York (2 hours 45 minutes) and Chicago (17 hours 30 minutes). The Acela Express, introduced in 2000, has cut 15 minutes or more off the current Metroliner service journey time to New York of about three hours. MTA/MARC operates local services, including to Baltimore and other towns in Maryland.

Getting Around:

Public Transport
The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (tel: (202) 962 1234; website: www.wmata.com) operates the Metro system. The Metro is an efficient and comfortable system, consisting of rail and buses, which operates throughout the city providing a fast alternative to the heavy traffic congestion experienced in the city. Information can be obtained by telephone (tel: (202) 637 7000).

Five subway lines (red, orange, blue, green and yellow), known as the Metrorail, cover the city, extending into Maryland and Virginia. 

The fare you pay depends on the zone(s) you travel in. There is a one-day Metrorail Pass, which is valid after 0930 or all day at the weekend. A Seven-day Fast Pass offers unlimited rail travel. There is a flat fee (exact money only) on the bus system. A Regional One-day Pass allows unlimited travel on the buses. A combined Metrorail/bus pass allows unlimited travel on the Metro bus and subway.

The Metrorail operates 0530-2400 Monday to Thursday, 0530-0300 on Friday, 0700-0300 on Saturday and 0700-2400 on Sunday. Metrobus operates 24 hours per day but service intervals vary.

A new and convenient way to get around town is the DC Circulator (tel: (202) 962 1423; website: www.dccirculator.com). For the US$1 fare, it is possible to go from Union Station to Georgetown or to the National Mall. The Georgetown Metro Connection bus (M Street Line) goes from Rosslyn Metro Station to Dupont Circle Metro Station via the heart of Georgetown. The service operates daily from 0700-2100.

Taxis
Taxis in Washington, DC are operated on a zone system and are not metered, although there are plans to introduce meters. By law, passengers must wear seat belts. There are extra charges for each additional passenger and a surcharge per person for travel during the weekday morning and evening rush hours (0700-0930 and 1600-1830). An additional charge applies if a taxi is radio dispatched. Tips of around 15% of the fare are expected. Cab drivers are entitled to pick up other fares en route if those people are traveling in the same direction. 

Providers include Diamond Cab Co. (tel: (202) 387 6200), Yellow Cab (tel: (202) 544 1212 or (202) 829 4222; website: www.dcyellowcab.com) and Mayflower Cab Company (tel: (202) 783 1111).

Driving in the City
When city planning began under Major Pierre L’Enfant, he could never have envisaged the demands of modern traffic. However, the streets are laid out in a basic grid pattern, divided into four quadrants, which makes navigation pretty straightforward. Streets running north-south in the center are numbered while letters designate east-west streets. Roads running diagonally to the general grid pattern are named after American states. One must also be alert to confusing traffic circles and one-way streets. Unless otherwise specified, the city speed limit is 25mph (40kph).

The Capital Beltway, made up of Interstates I-95 and I-495, encircles the city. Because this road is frequently clogged with traffic, it is often difficult to cross the lanes to get to the road exit required. During rush hours (0630-0900 and 1600-1830), carpool regulations govern the number of people in vehicles for certain lanes. Certain lanes and even streets change direction for morning/evening rush hours, in order to alleviate the congestion. Unless otherwise indicated, right turns on a red light are permitted if it is safe to proceed.

Parking restrictions apply during rush hours and some weekend hours. Illegally parked cars are towed away to a car pound that is only open for retrieval Monday-Friday. Meter parking is available for up to four hours, although it is normally free on the weekend. In residential neighborhoods, parking is often reserved for the residents with a specially displayed zone sticker. In some neighborhoods, it is possible to park for a two-hour period. Though spaces tend to go quickly, free all-day parking is available in West Potomac Park on Ohio Drive, SW, south of the Lincoln Memorial, as well as south of the Jefferson Memorial in East Potomac Park. Parking Guide Magazine provides information on parking locations and costs around Washington. Because of the chronic lack of parking spaces, most visitors use the public transport system.

Car Hire
Insurance is compulsory when hiring and it should also be confirmed that there is adequate Loss Damage Waiver and personal liability insurance. The minimum rental age is generally 25 years but, for a costly surcharge, some companies will hire cars to drivers aged between 21 and 24 years. Customers must be in possession of a valid driver’s license. 

Most car hire companies have offices in the city, including Alamo, Washington Union Station (tel: (202) 842 7454 or 1 800 327 9633; website: www.alamo.com), Avis, 1722 M Street, NW (tel: (202) 467 6585 or 1 800 331 1212; website: www.avis.com); Budget, 50 Massachusetts Avenue, NE (tel: (202) 289 5373 or 1 800 527 0700; website: www.budget.com) and Hertz, Dulles International Airport (tel: (703) 471 6020 or 1 800 654 3131; website: www.hertz.com).

Bicycle Hire
It is probably best not to attempt to cycle around the city, as the traffic is so heavy. However, there are plenty of enjoyable rides along the Potomac River and around the major sites where it is possible to avoid the traffic. 

Better Bikes (tel: (202) 293 2080; website: www.betterbikesinc.com) delivers bicycles to hotels and will provide a map, helmet, backpack, lock and roadside assistance if necessary. A refundable deposit is necessary to ensure the bicycle’s safe return. Bike the Sites, 1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW (tel: (202) 842 2453; website: www.bikethesites.com) also do bike tours.

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