| Getting
Around Washington
DC |
Washington DC lies on the Boston, New York, Washington corridor
along the Atlantic Coast, so access by car and train is very good.
I-95, the major East Coast interstate highway that goes from New
England to Florida passes near Washington DC. It is an easy 3-hour
drive north to Philadelphia or 5 hours to New York City and less
than one hour to Baltimore. Richmond Virginia is a two-hour drive
to the south. Amtrak has good passenger train service along this
corridor. The high-speed Metroliner can whisk you to New York
City in about three hours.
The city has three major airports: Ronald
Reagan Washington International Airport is located just
across the Potomac River near Arlington, Virginia. It is readily
accessible by taxi, bus and the Metro subway train in 30-minutes
or less.
Dulles
International Airport is about 30 miles west of Washington
DC in suburban Virginia. It is accessible via taxi, bus, or train
and usually requires about an hour commute from downtown.
Washington
International (BWI) is located near the suburbs of Baltimore
about 35 miles north of the city. It is accessible via taxi, bus
or rail from Union station and requires a one-hour commute from
downtown.
Getting Around the City
Washington, DC is divided into quadrants: Northwest (NW), Northeast
(NE), Southwest (SW), and Southeast (SE), with the U.S. Capitol
and the Mall at the center. The streets running east to west are
lettered. (A, B, C etc. with no J street or X, Y or Z) After W,
the east-west alphabetic series continues with two-syllable names
(Adams, Belmont), then three-syllable names (Allison, Buchanan).
The streets running north to south are numbered. Major Avenues
named for U.S. states run diagonally across the grid. Be sure
to note the correct quadrant or your destination as the same intersections
may occur in more than one. Several large circles and squares
produce confusing traffic situations due to the number of streets
and avenues intersecting at various angles.
The Northwest quadrant includes most of the tourist attractions
and some of Washington DC's most colorful neighborhoods. The Georgetown
District, along Wisconsin Avenue is home to the famous Georgetown
University and a popular upscale shopping and dining area. Many
of the city's art galleries, plus fashionable restaurants and
coffee shops are located around Dupont Circle on Connecticut Avenue.
Just north of that, the Adams-Morgan District boasts an international
array of restaurants, boutiques, specialty shops and late-night
entertainment. The downtown area, bounded by Constitution Avenue
and M Street between 4th and 21st Streets, contains most of the
city's business district and several shopping malls.
The largest selection of shopping malls and specialty stores are
located outside of the city in suburban Maryland and Virginia
close to the major commuter residential areas.
Parking is always a problem in downtown DC during workdays. After
hours and on weekends, you can find plenty of free parking around
the Mall or in nearby side streets. Always read the parking signs!
Some streets allow parking only during certain hours, and the
rules are strictly enforced. You can often find free parking along
the roadside in Potomac Park south of the Lincoln Memorial if
you do not mind walking a bit.
The National Park Service provides a Tourmobile service with special
sightseeing busses running in a continuous loop around the Mall
area and across the river to Arlington cemetery. These special
Tourmobiles stop near all of the major downtown tourist attractions.
You can buy a ticket that allows you to get on and off the busses
an unlimited number of times anywhere along the route for one
or two days. This is an excellent way to see the Washington DC
attractions without the parking problems while saving many miles
of walking.
Public Transportation
Washington DC has an excellent subway train system. It is clean,
efficient and inexpensive. Six color-coded train lines intersect
in downtown DC near the Mall. You can leave your car at many "park
and ride" parking lots in suburban Virginia or Maryland and
ride the Metro into the city. This is a very good way to avoid
the parking problems in downtown DC.
Taxis do not use meters in Washington DC but use a zone system
to calculate fares. The maximum basic fare within the district
is $10, but surcharges are added for extra passengers, late hours
or special services. When you leave the district, metered mileage
may be added. You should always ask the driver how much the fare
would cost before departure. |
 Parking
in Washington
The best advice anyone can give you about parking in Washington:
Don't try it. With myriad residential and rush-hour restrictions,
brutal downtown traffic and ever-vigilant parking enforcement,
the city is a minefield for the would-be parker.
The good news is that Metrorail serves most of the major tourist
attractions well, so you could leave your vehicle stationary during
your visit and still see the sights. But if you absolutely insist
on using your car, here are some things you should know before
you take to the city's streets.
Rush-Hour Restrictions
On most of the city's major thoroughfares, parking is restricted
(and towing enforced) between the hours of 7 and 9:30 a.m. and/or
4 and 6:30 p.m. on weekdays. Be sure to check the entire block
for signs before leaving your car in the afternoon or overnight.
Residential Parking
The city's neighborhoods are governed by restrictions that allow
residents to park all day, but limit all others to two hours maximum
from 7 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. This means that you can't ditch your
car on a residential street for a full day without getting a ticket
(you can park overnight if you move by 9 a.m.). Restrictions do
not apply on weekends, however, so if your hotel is in a residential
neighborhood like Woodley Park or Foggy Bottom, you can leave
your car from Friday night to Monday morning and save on the garage
fee.
Parking Meters
With 15 minutes for a quarter, two-hours maximum and ticket-writers
lurking, meter parking in Washington is no picnic. Pay attention
as well that the block you park on is not governed by rush-hour
restrictions. Most but not all meter parking is free on weekends;
check the green signs before you walk away. And another warning:
Meters near the MCI Center are enforced until 10 p.m.
Garage Parking
Unlike many U.S. cities, there are no central municipal parking
garages in Washington. In the downtown core, several office buildings
and hotels have private garages; rates range from $5 for an hour
to up to $20 for a full day, and more for an overnight stay.
Parking on the Mall
This is a crapshoot at best. Almost none of the major monuments
or museums has a garage, and while three-hour free parking is
available on Madison, Jefferson and Ohio drives, expect serious
competition for those spaces. Our advice: Bring a roll of quarters
because it's often easier to get a metered space on one of the
numbered streets that crisscross the mall.
Parking Enforcement
Washington residents joke that this is the city's most efficient
public service. Put simply, don't park illegally in Washington
or you will probably get a ticket. Not only are ticket-writers
lurking like hawks for expired meters, they also exercise zero
tolerance on other infractions, such as a vehicle straddling a
no parking zone or parked too close to a corner or fire hydrant.
Suburban jurisdictions tend to be less vigilant.
Alexandria
and Bethesda
These popular suburban restaurant destinations can be as difficult
to park in as the heart of downtown. Consider using a municipal
or private parking garage if you drive there. |
Union Station
50 Massachusetts Ave. NE • Washington, DC • 202/289-1908
(http://www.wmata.com/metrorail/Stations/union_st.htm)
Transportation
Union Station is the biggest rail hub in the Washington area,
with Metro, MARC, VRE and Amtrak converging in the Capitol's shadow.
Built in 1908 by Daniel Burnham, Union Station is one of the busiest
Amtrak stations in the country. The last Metrorail train departs
for Shady Grove at 11:59 p.m. and for Glenmont at 12:11 a.m. Trains
leave exactly 2 hours later on Friday and Saturday nights.
Shopping and Dining
The grandly restored 1908 Beaux Art Union Station houses
an eclectic array of more than 100 clothing and specialty stores
and restaurants. Visit the East Hall on the street level for
unusual shops and kiosks. You'll find Washington souvenirs and
patriotic memorabilia at specialty stores like Political Americana.
With its marble floors, stone statues and high, arched ceilings,
Union Station always dazzles, but its holiday exhibitions and
programs make it even more interesting.
The U.S.A. theme continues at popular restaurant America, which
features great views of the city along with menu items representing
every state. And for special occasions, try B. Smith's: a classy
setting for a holiday meal. The food court downstairs -- frequently
crowded with busloads of tourists -- offers a mind-boggling
32 eateries, with everything from Acropolis Greek food to Wingmaster's
Grill sandwiches.
Catch a new release at the nine-screen AMC Theater next to the
food court.
Two-hour parking is $1 with validation. The AMC Theater offers
validation for three hours. Otherwise, expect to pay from $5
to $12.
For Kids
Beautifully renovated to its 1908 Beaux-Arts splendor, Union
Station is a great place for kids fascinated by trains or simply
by big, old beautiful places. You can tour the platforms where
Amtrak's passenger trains depart, watch the action in the enormous
train yard from the parking garage or walkway behind the station,
or simply absorb the cosmopolitan rush of people departing,
arriving or just waiting for trains. The Main Hall is a gorgeous
public entrance, the East Hall has a collection of small vendors,
and the shopping mall pulls up the rear. On the basement level
is a multi-screen movie theater.
Food
The basement level holds a shopping mall-style, multi-vendor
eatery. On the main floor are several quick-service restaurants
and carryouts plus sit-down establishments.
Parking
The huge garage, accessible via North Capitol Street, is rarely
full.
Nearby
Capital Children's Museum, National Postal Museum and the U.S.
Capitol. |
Ronald Reagan Washington
National Airport
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport • Washington, DC
• 703/417-8000
Distance from . . .
•
Union Station: 5.8 miles
• 16th and K streets NW: 4.4
miles
• Chevy Chase Circle: 9.3 miles
Additional Phone Numbers
• Airport police: 703-417-8560.
• Travelers Aid (including paging): Terminal A, 703-417-3972;
Terminals B and C, 703-417-3974.
Parking
• Hourly garage parking for Terminal A and daily garage parking
for Terminal B/C: $5 per hour, up to $14 per 24 hours.
•
Hourly garage parking for Terminal B/C: $2 per half-hour for the
first two hours daily, then $4 per hour, up to $28 per 24 hours.
Garage B/C is connected to terminals B and C by a pedestrian bridge.
• Remote parking: $1 per hour, up to $7 per 24 hours.
There is a 20-minute complimentary parking period in all parking
areas. Free shuttles run every six to 10 minutes from all parking
areas to all terminals.
For information on parking locations and rates: 703-417-4311 (a
recording) or 703-417-4300 (live), or check radio station 530
AM. All lots accept local checks and major credit cards.
Getting There
Metrorail runs to Reagan National Airport -- a stop on the
Blue or Yellow lines, at the concourse (Level 2) of terminal B/C.
Monday - Thursday, 5:30 a.m. to midnight; Friday, 5:30 a.m.-2
a.m.; Saturday, 8 a.m. to 2 a.m.; Sunday, 8 a.m.-midnight. Free
shuttles run between the Metro station and the main Terminal A
(Midway Air Lines, Northwest and TWA).
Metrobus stops
at the base of the Metrorail station (for rail and bus information,
call 202-637-7000).
Taxis cost about $15 from downtown
Washington, Capitol Hill and Georgetown, and about $18 from Bethesda
and West Falls Church Metro stop.
Washington Flyer
express bus service (703-417-8471), operated by the Metropolitan
Washington Airports Authority, travels from Dulles to National.
Monday-Friday, every hour on the hour, from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m.;
Saturday-Sunday, every two hours on the hour from 5 a.m.-noon;
every hour on the hour from 1 p.m. to 11 p.m. The bus departs
from the ground level, curb 1E, and goes directly to National.
Tickets for the 45-minute ride can be purchased at the curb. Cost:
$16 one way, $26 round trip; $13 each for families of three or
more; free for kids 6 and under.
Services
• 30 food/drink/snack spots
•
49 retail shops
Unusual Business Services
Internet access is available at Thomas Cooke currency exchange
in Terminals B/C and at pay phones equipped with data ports throughout
Terminals B/C.
Extras
Look for the manicure kiosks in Terminal A and C. Prices begin
at $12; open 8:30 a.m.-8:30 p.m.
Although still in the planning phase, Terminal A is slated for
a major overhaul to restore the original 1941 design, connect
the terminal to Garage A and expand the concessions. Construction
is scheduled to begin next fall with completion in 2003. |
Washington Dulles
International Airport
Washington Dulles International Airport • Dulles, VA •
703/572-2700
Distance from . . .
•
Union Station: 28.3 miles
• 16th and K streets NW: 28
miles
• Chevy Chase Circle: 25.5 miles
Additional Phone Numbers
• International Visitors
Information Services: 703-572-2536 or 703-572-2537 (translators
available)
• Airport Police: 703-572-2950
•
Paging (available for main terminal only): 703-572-8296, or call
the airline.
• Travelers Aid: 703-572-8296
Parking
• Hourly parking (in front of the main terminal):
$3 for the first hour, then $4 per hour, up to $27 per 24 hours.
No charge if
exiting within the first 20 minutes.
• Daily lot: $5
per hour, up to $10 per 24 hours. No charge if exiting within
the first 20 minutes.
• Long-term/economy parking: $1
per hour, up to $6 per 24 hours. No charge if exiting within the
first 20 minutes. Free shuttle to terminal every 15 minutes (about
a five-minute ride).
• Really in a hurry? Valet parking
is available daily through hourly parking (follow signs), in front
of the main terminal, 24 hours a day: $25 for the first 24 hours,
$12 each additional day (703-572-4542).
For information on parking locations and rates: 703-572-4500 (a
recording) or 703-572-4580 (live), or check radio station 530
AM. All lots accept major credit cards.
Getting There
Washington Flyer coach bus service (703-417-8471), operated by
the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, travels between
Dulles and West Falls Metro station every 30 minutes Monday-Friday
and Saturday-Sunday afternoons, and every hour on weekend mornings.
The first bus leaves Dulles at 5:45 a.m., the last at 10:15 p.m.
One-way tickets are $8; a roundtrip is $14. For rail info, call
202-637- 7000. For bus info, call 888-927-4359.In 2001, the trek
to Dulles Airport got a whole lot cheaper, thanks to Metrobus.
In fact, it is so cheap we almost didn't believe our ears. Ride
the 5A bus to Dulles and drop a whopping $1.10.The route, which
originates at L'Enfant Plaza Metrorail station, makes two stops
Rosslyn Station and the Park & Ride lot in Herndon and drops
off all passengers at Door 4 on the upper level, near the entrance
for Air Tran and United. The 5A runs hourly during the week and
on a more limited schedule on the weekends. Taxi fares are about
$45 one way from downtown D.C. and National Airport, $40 from
Bethesda, $35 from West Falls Church Metro Station and $90 from
BWI.
Services
• food/drink/snack spots
• 35 retail shops,
including newsstands
• 7 currency exchange stations
Unusual Business Services
A notary public is available at Thomas Cooke in terminals B and
C (703-417- 3200) from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. Internet kiosks
are located near business service centers; look for the sign indicating
"Internet and e-mail" throughout the main concourse
near B and C terminals.
Children
There is a small play area (between concourses C and D) offering
a slide and miniature house.
Extras
•
A chapel/meditation room, located on the B concourse, is open
around the clock.
• The Airport Exxon station (open 24
hours), food mart and Subway sandwich shop are located adjacent
to the Blue/Green economy parking lot.
• The Super Snack
(main terminal, near security) is open 24 hours.
• The
Club Flyer Cafe (main terminal lobby bar) offers three data ports;
the cafe closes at 9 p.m., but Internet access is available round
the clock. |
Baltimore-Washington
International Airport
P.O. Box 8766 • Linthicum, MD • 301/261-1000
(http://www.bwiairport.com/)
Distance from . . .
• Union Station: 32 miles
• 16th and K streets
NW: 33.5 miles
• Chevy Chase Circle: 36 miles
Additional Phone Numbers
• Flight info: Call individual
airlines or link through BWI Web site.
• Paging: 800-435-9294
• Airport police: 410-859-7040
Parking
• Hourly garage parking (in front of the main terminal):
$2 per 30 minutes, up to $30 per 24 hours (first 30 minutes free).
• Express Service Parking (ESP): $3 per hour, up to $13 per
24 hours (five- to 10-minute walk to terminal, with free buses
as well).
• Daily Lot B: $2 per hour, up to $11 per 24
hours. Free shuttle to terminal every 15 minutes.
• Satellite
Blue and Green lots (economy): $1 per hour, up to $7 per 24 hours,
with each seventh day free. Free shuttle to terminal every 15
minutes (about a 10-minute ride).
For info on parking locations and rates: 410-859-9230 or check
radio station 1040 AM. Lots accept major credit cards.
Getting There
Amtrak and Maryland Rail Commuter (MARC) trains run between
Washington's Union Station and the BWI Rail Station; from there,
it's a free shuttle trip (about 10 minutes) to the terminal. Amtrak
trains (202-484-7540 or 800-872-7245) run 5 a.m. to 10:45
p.m., with more than 30 trains making the 25- to 29-minute trip
daily. One-way adult fares range from $19 to $30 (depending on
time and train type); children 2-15 pay half fare. Seniors 62
and older get a 15 percent discount on some trains during the
weekends. MARC trains (800-325-7245) -- 35 minutes from Union
Station to BWI -- depart Monday through Friday every 30 minutes
during peak hours and hourly at other times; no weekend service.
Service from BWI is 5 a.m. to 9 p.m.; from Union Station, 6 a.m.
to 10 p.m. One-way adult fare is $5; seniors 65 and older pay
$2.50; and children under 6 ride free.
Taxi fares are about $55 one way from downtown Washington, $62
from National, $90 to Dulles and $65 from Bethesda.
MetroBus express route B30 travels between Greenbelt station and
BWI Airport. A one-way trip is $2 -- or $1.15 with a rail-to-bus
transfer, 90 with a bus-to-bus transfer. The bus runs daily with
approximately 40-minute intervals in both directions.
BWI Express/Metro buses will serve two stops, one at the lower
level International Pier and the other at the BWI Business District
light rail station. Southbound buses depart the BWI Business District
stop, loop through the airport to the International Pier (lower
level) and out to Interstate-195 to the BWI Parkway to the Greenbelt
Metro Station.
A route map and schedule is available on Metro's website, www.wmata.com;
202/637-7000.
SuperShuttle van service (800/258-3826) from BWI departs within
60 minutes of your request. To arrange service to BWI, reservations
must be made at least 24 hours in advance.
Rates range start at $26 one way; additional passengers $8 each
way. Express Service fare is $24 one way; $40 round trip. Children
under age 6 years old will ride free.
Services
• 36 food/drink/snack spots
• 14 newsstands
• 29 retail shops
• 2 currency exchange stations
Unusual Business Services: 108 data ports at pay phones throughout
the airport.
Children
The lower level of the Observation Gallery (between piers
B and C) features giant toy airplanes and other transportation-themed
play equipment. |
The above material
are taken from All Travel Washington DC, USA
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