Washington DC Official Visitors Guide - Washington DC Official Visitors Guide Spring/Summer 2026
Travel Tips & Info to Know
2026-01-28 10:44:56
FLYING
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA)
10-minute drive to DC
• Accessible on Metrorail's Blue and Yellow Lines
• Terminal 1 serves the A gates, and Terminal 2 serves the B, C, D and E gates
Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD)
45-minute drive to DC
• Accessible on Metrorail's Silver Line
• Fun Nearby: See the Space
Shuttle Discovery at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum's Udvar-Hazy Center
Baltimore/Washington International Airport (BWI)
45-minute drive to DC
• Shuttles take you to Amtrak and MARC trains bound for DC's Union Station
DRIVING
• Use rideshare apps like Uber to order an on-demand or prescheduled ride
• Hail a taxi easily on busy streets or near well-trafficked landmarks (DC taxis are red with a gray stripe); pay with cash or credit card
BIKING
• DC boasts more than 140 miles of bike lanes and paths
• Capital Bikeshare offers single trip or day passes and has 800+ stations and 8,000 bikes across the metro area
• Rent a sized bike and a helmet from Unlimited Biking, and go on a guided (or self-guided) ride
• Mount Vernon Trail is paved and spans 18 miles; Georgetown's C&O Towpath is unpaved and leads to Cumberland, Md.; Rock Creek Trail is centrally located and connects to nearby trails
• Hail a pedicab, weather permitting
METRORAIL Travel Tips
• "Metro" not "Subway"
• Don't be an escaleftor: Walk on the left, stand on the right side of the escalators
• Let riders off the train before entering
• If the bell chimes, don't try to board; the doors close firmly and can separate you from your party
• To travel on Metro, you will need a contactless credit/debit card or a SmarTrip card
• Use the same SmarTrip card or contactless card/device to enter and exit
• Visit wmata.com for more info
For more information about traveling via Metro, visit washington.org/metro.
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