Planes…
If you fly to Washington, D.C. on Southwest or AirTran, you’ll probably land at Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI). It takes 45 minutes to an hour to drive from the airport to Washington, D.C., so if you’re not renting a car the cheapest option for getting into town is probably the MARC commuter train (forty minutes to an hour to Union Station, trains every half hour). The fastest option will probably be Amtrak (half an hour to Union Station, trains every hour). If you are thinking about renting a car, check out our discounted rates. The SuperShuttle can also get you downtown.
If you fly United, Jet Blue, or American, your flight is probably bound for Washington Dulles International Airport. There is no rail service to Dulles, so your options for getting to downtown Washington, D.C. are pretty much limited to the SuperShuttle, a taxi (35 to 50 minutes, depending on traffic, for between $50 and $60) or the Washington Flyer Coach Service bus, which will drive you as far as the West Falls Church Metro Station, in about 20 to 30 minutes. Or you can rent a car.
The closest in of Washington, D.C.’s airports is Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. That’s your likely destination if you fly U.S. Airways. The U.S. Airways Shuttle and the Delta Shuttle also land there. You can get directly on the Metro from National, or you can take the SuperShuttle or rent a car.
Ready to book a flight? Find discounted airfare for your trip.
Trains…
As air travel becomes more of a hassle, more visitors arrive in Washington, D.C. by Amtrak train, especially those coming from Philadelphia, New York, Boston, or one of the smaller cities in between. From Union Station you can get straight on the Metro or take a relatively quick cab ride to your hotel. Or you can hop on one of the tour buses run by Old Town Trolley, Gray Line, or Open Top Sightseeing.
And Automobiles.
Washington, DC has a great mode of public transportation in the Metro system, but sometimes you just want a car to get out and explore. If you are thinking about renting a car, check out our discounted rates.
Other Useful information
Need a place to stay? Take a look at our great hotel deals. If you have a question about your hotel or would like to hear about our special tour packages, you can call us toll-free at 1-877-300-6139.
Are you planning a business meeting in D.C.? We offer a variety of meeting planning services for groups.
Hi. We are going to be visiting DC in March. I have concerns about running out of battery with my mobility scooter. Is there any public places I can plug in if I need to? Thanks
we are planning a day trip on a weekend to bring our two youngest kids to dc and i cannot find information on where i can park . can you please give me information on public daily parking
There is limited parking around the National Mall, but most of it is metered and very hard to find an open space. You can always try, but be prepared with a LOT of quarters for the meters. If you expand out a block or two from the Mall, you are more likely to find pay parking garages. If you have the ability to take the Metro, that is recommended because of the limited available parking. You can also use a tour service like the Old Town Trolley, and let them take you to all of the sites.
We plan on a vacation to Washington DC for the Cherry Blossum Festival and would like information about Washington and the sites to see while we are there.
are there any brochures you could send us.
thank you
Sorry Helen, but we do not offer any printed brochures or maps. There are plenty of great tour books available at the book store. We listed our favorites here. Hope you have a great trip to DC!