Washington, D.C. - Essential Information
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Airports
Three major airports serve DC:
National Airport is accessible by Metro (Yellow/Blue Line), the Washington Flyer (www.washfly.com, 6am-11pm Mon-Fri, 8am-11pm Sat/Sun, $18 round trip ticket) operates a shuttle from West Falls Church Metro Station-Dulles, and BWI can be reached by Maryland Rail Commuter trains (only weekends) and Amtrak trains (between DC’s Union Station and a terminal near BWI). SuperShuttle (+1 800 258 3826, www.supershuttle.com, 5.30am-12.30am, National/Dulles) offers a door-to-door service in a shared shuttle bus.
A taxi to National Airport from the National Mall takes approx. 15 mins. and costs $12. Dulles and BWI are a little further from the centre at 42 km/26 miles (taxi $55) and 48 km/30 miles (taxi $60) respectively.
Ronald Reagan National Airport
Web: www.metwashairports.com
Washington Dulles International Airport
Web: www.metwashairports.com
Baltimore-Washington International Airport
Web: www.bwiairport.com
Public transport
Public transport in Washington consists of the super-efficient Metrorail and bus services. Computerized fare cards are available from self-service machines at the stations. The minimum fare is $1.65 depending on the time of day and the distance travelled. One-day pass ($8) to a weekly one at $35 are available.
The bus service in DC provides services throughout the city and to outlying suburbs. Stops are marked by red, white and blue signposts. The fixed fare is $1.35 ($3.10 on express routes) and kids travel free. Be sure to have exact change ready for the automatic fare machines.
Web: www.wmata.com
If public transport doesn’t appeal to you, cycling is one of the best ways to get around DC. Rental companies include:
Better Bikes Inc - delivers and picks up bikes anywhere in DC (from $38 per day).
Bike the Sites - daily or weekly rental ($25 for 4 hrs, $45 for the day).
Taxi
Taxis are everywhere in the city, just hail one down. DC is based around 8 geographical zones, and a cab fare is determined by how many of these you cross during your ride, as well as the time of day you travel and the number of passengers. A basic fare of $5 is charged to travel within one zone and each additional zone/passenger costs $1.50. It is expected to tip about 10 percent. Three major taxi companies are:
Diamond
Phone: +1 202 387 6200
Yellow
Phone: +1 202 544 1212
Capitol
Phone: +1 202 636 1600
Post
Blue postal drop boxes are located across DC. Stamps can be bought at many hotels, museums, grocery stores and post offices. You can find your nearest branch on the Postal Service website.
Dentist
The DC Dental Society operates a free dental telephone referral service 8am-4pm. Most hotels can also make dental referrals.
Pharmacy
DC’s major pharmacy chain is CVS. The CVS Dupont Circle is open 24 hours.
Electricity
US current is 110-115V, 60Hz AC. Outlets accept flat 2-prong or 3-prong grounded plugs.
