Getting There

By Plane

Three airports serve the Washington, D.C., area. General information follows that should help you determine which airport is your best bet.

A note for international visitors: Some large airlines offer transatlantic or transpacific passengers special discount tickets under the name Visit USA, which allows mostly one-way travel from one U.S. destination to another at very low prices. Unavailable in the U.S., these discount tickets must be purchased abroad in conjunction with your international fare. If Washington, D.C., is just one of the places you're visiting in the United States, you might want to check out the Visit USA program, which might prove the easiest, fastest, and cheapest way for you to see the country.

Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) lies 4 miles south of D.C., across the Potomac River in Virginia, about a 10-minute trip by car in non-rush-hour traffic, and 15 to 20 minutes by Metro anytime. Its proximity to the District and its direct access to the Metro rail system are reasons why you might want to fly into National.

Approximately 12 airlines serve this airport, which has nonstop flights to 77 U.S. cities, plus Nassau, Bermuda, Montreal, Ottawa, and Toronto. Nearly all nonstop flights are to and from cities located within 1,250 miles from Washington. The exceptions are flights between National and Phoenix, Denver, Las Vegas, Seattle, Los Angeles, and Salt Lake City. Among the airlines serving National Airport are Air Canada, American, Continental, Delta, and US Airways, and discount airlines JetBlue, Frontier, and AirTran. Delta and US Airways operate shuttles that together offer hourly or nearly hourly flights between National and Boston's Logan Airport, and National and New York's LaGuardia Airport.

National Airport's traveler-friendly services include ticket counters that provide access to passengers with disabilities, more than 30 eateries (notably T.G.I. Friday's and hometown favorite Five Guys for burgers and fries), 30 shops (look for America! and the Smithsonian Museum Store for last-minute gifts), Wi-Fi service (rates vary depending on your choice of Internet provider) throughout the airport, currency-exchange stations, commissioned artwork displayed throughout the terminals (go on a tour if your flight's been delayed), and climate-controlled pedestrian bridges that connect the terminal directly to the Metro station, whose Blue and Yellow Lines stop here. The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority oversees both National and Dulles airports, so the website is the same for the two facilities: www.mwaa.com. Check there for airport information, or call tel. 703/417-8000. For Metro information, go online at www.wmata.com or call tel. 202/637-7000.

Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) is 26 miles outside the capital, in Chantilly, Virginia, a 35- to 45-minute ride to downtown in non-rush-hour traffic. Of the three airports, Dulles handles more daily flights, with more than 32 airlines flying nonstop to 122 destinations, including 43 foreign cities. The airport serves as a hub for United Airlines. The airport is not as convenient to the heart of Washington as National, but it's more convenient than BWI, thanks to an uncongested airport access road that travels half the distance toward Washington.

Dulles is closing in on the completion of a decades-long expansion. In September 2009, Dulles opened new security screening areas on the mezzanine level of the airport, alleviating the noise, confusion, and long security lines that used to greet you on the airport's main level, where ticketing and check-in take place. Once you've cleared security, you're not far from boarding the AeroTrain, the airport's underground train system and station that debuted January 2010. AeroTrain replaces most, but not all, of the cumbersome mobile lounges that until now have transported most travelers to and from the main and midfield terminals. The project's other improvements include a moving walkway for pedestrians between the main terminal and concourse B and the addition of a fourth runway. Eventually the airport will add a fifth runway, which is expected to more than triple its annual passenger traffic to 55 million.

Among Dulles's major domestic airlines are American, Delta, United, and US Airways, and discount airlines AirTran, JetBlue, Southwest, and Virgin America. The airport's major international airlines include Aeroflot, British Airways, Air France, Lufthansa, Virgin Atlantic, ANA Airways, and Saudi Arabian Airlines.

Dulles's many eateries and shops include Gordon Biersch Brewery and Restaurant, Five Guys for burgers and fries, Brooks Brothers clothiers, and the Smithsonian Museum Store. Like National, Dulles provides Wi-Fi service throughout the airport (rates vary depending on your choice of Internet provider) and has several currency-exchange stations and ATMs.

The airport's website is www.mwaa.com and its information line is tel. 703/572-2700.

Last but not least is Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI), which is located about 45 minutes from downtown, a few miles outside of Baltimore. A vast expansion has added 11 gates to a newly improved concourse, and skywalks from parking garages to terminals; and the number of parking spaces has tripled. One factor especially accounts for this tremendous growth, the same that recommends BWI to travelers: the major presence of Southwest Airlines, whose bargain fares and flights to about 43 cities seem to offer something for everyone. (Southwest also serves Dulles Airport, but in a much smaller capacity.)

In all, about 11 airlines serve BWI, flying nonstop to nearly 70 destinations, including five foreign cities. Major domestic airlines include American, Continental, Delta, United, and US Airways and discount airlines AirTran, Southwest, and JetBlue. Major international airlines include British Airways and Air Canada.

Among BWI's on-site attractions are plenty of eateries, like Baltimore favorite, Obrycki's Restaurant; some shops, like America! and Godiva Chocolatier; currency-exchange stations; ATMs; and Wi-Fi service, which is available throughout the airport if you access Boingo Wireless (www.boingowireless.com) and pay for a daily or monthly plan.

Call tel. 800/435-9294 for airport information, or point your browser to www.bwiairport.com.

By Car

About one-fifth of leisure visitors to Washington arrive by plane, and if that's you, don't worry about renting a car. In fact, it's better if you don't, since the traffic in the city and throughout the region is absolutely abysmal, parking spaces are hard to find, garage and lot charges are exorbitant, and hotel overnight rates are even worse. Furthermore, Washington is amazingly easy to traverse on foot -- so easy, in fact, that the Brookings Institution recently named it the most walkable city in the country. Our public transportation and taxi systems are accessible and comprehensive, as well.

But if you are like most visitors, you're planning on driving here, traveling on one of the following major highways: I-70 and I-270, I-95, and I-295 from the north; I-95 and I-395, Route 1, and Route 4 from the south; Route 50/301 and Route 450 from the east; and Route 7, Route 50, I-66, and Route 29/211 from the west.

No matter which road you take, there's a good chance you will have to navigate some portion of the Capital Beltway (I-495 and I-95) to gain entry to D.C. The Beltway girds the city, its approximate 66-mile route passing through Maryland and Virginia, with some 56 interchanges or exits leading off from it. The Beltway is nearly always congested, but especially during weekday morning and evening rush hours (roughly 5:30-9:30am and 3-7pm). Drivers can get a little crazy, weaving in and out of traffic.

Get yourself a good map before you do anything else. Destination D.C.'s website, www.destinationdc.org, posts downloadable maps that are quite helpful. Another great source is the American Automobile Association (AAA; tel. 800/763-9900 for emergency road service and for connection to the mid-Atlantic office; www.aaa.com), which provides its members with maps and detailed Trip-Tiks that give precise directions to a destination, including up-to-date information about areas of construction.

If you are driving to a hotel in D.C. or its suburbs, contact the establishment to find out the best route to the hotel's address and other crucial details concerning parking availability and rates.

The District is 240 miles from New York City, 40 miles from Baltimore, 700 miles from Chicago, 500 miles from Boston, and about 630 miles from Atlanta.

By Train

Amtrak (www.amtrak.com, tel. 800/USA-RAIL [872-7245]) offers daily service to Washington from New York, Boston, and Chicago. Amtrak also travels daily between Washington and points south, including Raleigh, Charlotte, Atlanta, cities in Florida, and New Orleans. Amtrak's Acela Express trains offer the quickest service along the "Northeast Corridor," linking Boston, New York, Philadelphia, and Washington. The trains travel as fast as 150 mph, making the trip between New York and Washington in times that range from less than 3 hours to 3 hours and 45 minutes, depending on the number of stops in the schedule. Likewise, Acela Express's Boston- Washington trip takes anywhere from 6 1/2 hours to more than 8 hours, depending on station stops.

Amtrak runs fewer Acela trains on weekends, and honors passenger discounts, such as those for seniors and AAA members, only on weekend Acela travel, not on weekdays.

Amtrak offers a smorgasbord of good-deal rail passes and discounted fares; although not all are based on advance purchase, you may have more discount options by reserving early. The bargain fares can be used only on certain days and hours of the day; be sure to find out exactly what restrictions apply. Tickets for children ages 2 to 15 cost half the price of a regular coach fare when the children are accompanied by a fare-paying adult. For more information, go to www.amtrak.com and click on the website's "Deals" section, where you'll find assorted discount possibilities. Note: Most Amtrak travel requires a reservation, which means that every traveler is guaranteed, but not assigned, a seat.

Both American and international visitors who plan to travel to other places in the country can buy a USA Rail Pass, good for 15, 30, or 45 days of unlimited travel on Amtrak (tel. 800/USA-RAIL [872-7245]; www.amtrak.com). The pass is available online or through many overseas travel agents. See Amtrak's website for the cost of travel throughout the United States. The passes are not the same as tickets, which you buy separately using your pass. Reservations are generally required and should be made as early as possible. Other rail passes are also available.

Amtrak trains arrive at historic Union Station, 50 Massachusetts Ave. NE (tel. 202/371-9441; www.unionstationdc.com), a short walk from the Capitol, across the circle from several hotels, and a short cab or Metro ride from downtown. Union Station is a turn-of-the-20th-century Beaux Arts masterpiece that was magnificently restored in the late 1980s. Offering a three-level marketplace of shops and restaurants, this stunning depot is conveniently located and connects with Metro service. Taxis are almost always available.

By Bus

Bus travel is now in vogue, thanks as much to the economy as to the rise of fabulously priced, comfortable, clean, and fast bus services. Quite a number of buses travel between Washington, D.C., and New York City, and a growing number travel between D.C. and cities scattered up and down the East Coast.

Check out one of these fleets: Bolt Bus (tel. 877/265-8287; www.boltbus.com) travels daily between D.C.'s Union Station and downtown at 10th and H streets northwest and NYC's Penn Station or Chinatown, for $1 to $25 each way. Megabus (tel. 877/462-6342; www.megabus.com) travels between Washington, D.C., and NYC's Penn Station and 14 other locations, including Boston, Toronto, and Knoxville, Tennessee, for peanuts, usually $3 to $5 one-way. Megabus's bus stop in D.C. is downtown at 10th and H streets northwest.

Vamoose Bus (tel. 877/393-2828; www.vamoosebus.com) travels between Rosslyn, Virginia's stop near the Rosslyn Metro station and Bethesda, Maryland's stop near the Bethesda Metro station, and NYC's Penn Station, for $30 each way, with a coupon given at the end of each trip: Collect four and ride one-way for free.

Greyhound (tel. 800/231-2222; www.greyhound.com) recently has picked up its game and now offers a new fleet of buses and improved service in an attempt to rival the flashy newcomers. Ironically, the company that traditionally has offered the cheapest mode of travel is more expensive than its bus company competitors. Plus, the D.C. Greyhound bus depot, at 1005 1st St. NE, is a pretty unsavory place to begin or end a journey. Of course, Greyhound does travel to many cities nationwide, as well as to Mexico and Canada. For that reason, both American and international visitors might be interested in the Greyhound North American Discovery Pass. The pass, which offers unlimited travel and stopovers in the U.S. and Canada, can be obtained from foreign travel agents or through www.discoverypass.com.