Welcome to the Washington, D.C. Area!
Planning to visit the Washington, D.C. area? Make it easy on yourself and plan on driving as little as possible. All of the great transportation resources that help area commuters find smarter ways to work can also make your visit more enjoyable.
You might not need to bring a car at all – you can use public transportation to get from any of Washington's three commercial airports, Amtrak passenger rail, MARC and VRE commuter rail systems, or Greyhound Bus to the Metrorail system (see below). See the Metro Connections page for details about connecting between these transportation systems.
The Metro System
Once you're here, you can get just about anywhere using Metro, the regional bus and rail system operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority. Metrorail, the clean, safe, easy-to-understand subway system, will take you to the monuments, museums, shopping, dining, and entertainment. (See Metrorail interactive system map.) And where Metrorail doesn't go, Metrobus or local bus systems (see below) do. With Metro's Online Trip Planner you can get point-to-point directions for getting where you want to go using the Metro system. To learn more, see the Metro system section of CommuterPage.com.
Local Buses
In addition to Metrobus, a number of smaller, public and privately-owned bus systems provide specialized service to local jurisdictions or individual neighborhoods. For more information, about these systems, see the ART and Other Local Transit Systems section of CommuterPage.com.
Hotel/Office Shuttles
Many hotels in the area are within walking distance of a Metrorail station. Many others are served by Metrobus or provide shuttle buses or vans to Metrorail and other destinations. When choosing a place to stay during your visit, be sure to ask about the availability of public transportation. Likewise, many businesses in the area are concentrated around Metrorail stations, and many of those that are not are served by Metrobus or provide a shuttle. If you're planning a business trip, check into it.
Taxicabs
Taxicabs are plentiful, especially in downtown Washington, and it's often less expensive to take a cab than to pay for parking, not to mention the savings in time and stress. For informaton about taxicab companies in Arlington, Virginia, see the Taxicabs section of CommuterPage.com. For information about Washington, D.C. cab companies, go to the Washington Convention and Visitors Association site, click on "Getting Around" and choose "Taxis" from the pull-down menu.
Bicycling in the DC Area
Forget the image of death-defying urban bike messengers weaving through hostile traffic. The Washington, D.C. area is surprisingly bicycle-friendly, with hundreds of miles of interconnecting off-street trails and on-street bike routes. Consider taking a bike ride during your vist to the area. For general information, see the Bicyling and Walking section of CommuterPage.com. A good place to start learning about the trails is Washington DC's Urban All-Terrain Bicycle Page. Also see the Bicycling Links and Resources page for links to trail organizations and other resources.
Resources for Visitors
Airports
Amtrak passenger rail service
Bike-the-Sites offers 4 different professionally guided interactive bicycle tours.
Bureau of Transportation Statistics. U.S. Department of Transportation site provides statistical information about on-time performance, times between gate departure and takeoff, flight delays, and cancellations, broken down by airport and airline.
Arlington Convention and Visitors Service
CommuterDirect.com. Online sales of tickets, tokens, and passes for D.C. area transit systems.
Destination DC. Private, non-profit corporation with a membership of more than 1,000 businesses and organizations that support the DC travel and tourism sector.
Greyhound passenger bus service
MARC Commuter Rail. Commuter rail service in Maryland, serving both Washington and Baltimore.
Virginia Railway Express (VRE). Commuter Rail serving northern Virginia and Washington D.C. The section for new riders may be especially helpful for visitors.
Washington Flyer. Bus service between Washington Dulles International Airport and West Falls Church Metrorail Station.
Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), Operators of Metrobus and Metrorail.
Also see the Commuting Links and Resources page.
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