How to Get to Washington, D.C., From the Airport

There are three major airports that service the Washington area: Baltimore-Washington International (BWI), Dulles and Reagan National. Finding your way into Washington and its suburbs can either be a snap or a haul, depending on whether your arrival airport is close to your destination and well-connected to the Washington transit system.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Ride in a taxi. This is a good choice if you have lots of luggage and lots of cash. As of the end of 2008, a taxi ride into Washington from BWI cost about $90. Dulles has an exclusive contract with the Washington Flyer taxi line; a ride from Dulles into the city will cost around $55. Reagan National is closest to Washington, so depending on where you want to go inside the city your ride will cost from $10 to $20.

2. Use the SuperShuttle. The SuperShuttle van system takes you door-to-door from BWI, Dulles and Reagan National airports to your destination. You can share the van with other passengers for a lower cost, or take a private van directly to your destination for more money.

3. If you're arriving at BWI, you can take the MARC commuter train from the airport to Washington's Union Station, where you can switch to other commuter lines or change to the Metro system.

4. Take the Metro. Depending on where you arrive, this may be an easy mode of transport. Reagan National has its own dedicated Metro station on the Yellow and Blue lines. From Dulles, you will have to take a Washington Flyer coach to the West Falls Church Metro station on the Orange Line. The coaches run about every half hour and cost $10 ($18 for a round trip ticket). The trip to West Falls Church station takes 20 to 30 minutes. From BWI, you can take the BWI Metro Express coach service to the Greenbelt Metro station on the Green Line. The service runs every 40 minutes and costs $3.10. It takes approximately 40 minutes to get from BWI to the Greenbelt station.

5. Rent a car. This is pricey, but a good option if you're planning to travel outside Washington proper, as the suburbs are not well-served by public transport. All Washington airports offer a variety of rental company options. To get into Washington from National Airport, take the George Washington Parkway north to I-395 north. Dulles is off Exit 67 on I-66, which runs east into Washington via the Theodore Roosevelt Bridge. There are a variety of ways to drive into Washington from BWI; the airport is off I-195, and you can drive south on I-295 or I-95 (which runs into the Washington Beltway). WTOP (at 103.5 FM) offers frequent traffic updates.

Resources

• WashingtonFlyer SuperShuttle
• Metropolitan Washington Transport Authority
• BWI Airport

[boscorelli]

on 7/14/2009 Cab is most likely the easiest in my opinion, especially if you are in Dulles. The price is somewhat reasonable as long as you miss the traffic. Try a site like TaxiFareFinder.com to figure out the fare beforehand. It works great in DC