In and Out of the Airport
Travel to and from any of the D.C. airports is easy. Your best options are to take the Metro or a taxi.
Reagan National AirportIf you arrive at the Ronald Reagan National Airport and you don't have a lot of luggage, the fastest and cheapest way to get to your hotel is the Metro system. Reagan National Airport connects directly with the Blue and Yellow Metro Lines. The cost of a ride is $1.35 during nonrush hours and rises during rush hours (if you arrive during rush hours, you might want to take an alternate method of transportation because the trains get very crowded at this time). You can also take a Metrobus from the airport.
A taxi from Reagan National Airport to downtown should cost you between $15 and $20. D.C. cabs are run on a zone and passenger number system, so it should be straightforward and affordable, but some cab drivers try to gouge tourists (especially if they think you don't know the city), so ask about the price before you get going.
Dulles International AirportA Metrobus takes passengers to an Orange Line Metro station (with a bus transfer, the two rides cost only an additional twentyfive cents).
There are a number of easy ways to get from BWI to the District. The SuperShuttle runs a regular service; see its listing on the next page. Amtrak and the Maryland Rural Commuter System (MARC) have train service to Union Station from BWI; information is given in the following Travel Tip. If you prefer to take a cab, the fare would be about $55 to $70 to downtown D.C. You can take the B30 Metrobus express from the BWI to the Metro: Greenbelt Station, which will run into D.C.'s Green Metro Line, for $3.00 per trip. Buses come every forty minutes, seven days a week. There are twenty-five buses a day on weekdays, twenty-one a day on weekends. Call 202-637-7000, or go to
If you'd like to take Amtrak between BWI and Union Station, fares run from $11 to $21 per person. You can pay on the train, and the trip takes about half an hour. Another option is the Maryland Rural Commuter System (MARC). During the week, commuter trains will take you from the BWI train station to Union Station for $6 per person.
There are many private transportation services that will pick you up and drive you to your hotel (and vice versa on the way back). Sightseeing brochures, the Internet, and the Yellow Pages will give you a wide choice of services, from buses to limousines. Here are a few.
Super Shuttle
This is a seven-passenger, shared-ride van service that is easily recognizable by its blue color. It provides service twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, and serves all three airports. Fares are based on zip code. A ride from Reagan National runs about $12, from Dulles about $26, and from BWI about $31. There are reduced rates for additional persons traveling to the same destination.
Washington Flyer
This bus service runs between Dulles and Reagan National Airports, as well as to Union Station downtown and to the Metro station at West Church Falls. The ride to the Metro station is $9 one way or $16 round-trip to Reagan National, and there is a family fare for up to three members. Children under six ride free.
Go Airports Transportation
This is a twenty-four-hour-service that goes from all three airports to the District. The rate from BWI is $65, but call for fares from DCA or IAD. There is a surcharge for pickups before 7
