Ronald Reagan National Airport (DCA) is America's 30th busiest passenger airport with lots of domestic flights. DCA Airport has its own Metro Station. Taxis: Diamond and Yellow cabs at the ground transportation level are plentiful. Super Shuttle (800-258-3826) is available for the short ride downtown. Car Rentals: Alamo, Avis, Budget, Enterprise, Hertz, National, and Thrifty have 24-hour service at both airports. There is a confusing web of roads exiting the airport by rental car, so use caution and follow the signs EXIT TO WASHINGTON to get to the George Washington Parkway (I-395). If you are driving downtown, watch for the fast approaching 14th Street North exit.  If you miss that exit, there is another northbound exit shortly afterwards. 

Dulles International Airport (IAD) is America's 24th busiest passenger airport with a specialty in coast-to-coast and international flights. Shuttle: catch the Washington Flyer (703-685-1400) motorcoach from Dulles Airport to downtown for $16 or purchase a $26 round trip ticket. Car Rentals: Alamo, Avis, Budget, Enterprise, Hertz, National, and Thrifty have 24-hour service at both airports. Taxis: follow signs to taxi stands outside the greeting terminal where a dispatcher will give you a rate sheet for estimated costs downtown, northern Virginia, and suburban Maryland. If you are going from Dulles Airport to downtown, expect to pay $45-48. You can get a taxi outside of each terminal where a dispatcher is present at each taxi stand. From IAD Airport to most points downtown, expect to pay $15-17.

Union Station, an architectural marvel, teems with upscale shops, restaurants, and a cineplex making it a huge tourist destination in its own right. This premier intermodal transportation center hosts DC Metrorail, VRE commuter rail, tour buses, shuttle buses, regular buses, car rentals and a large taxi depot. Union Station also hosts these Amtrak train routes:

Acela: DC-Baltimore-Philadelphia-NYC-New Haven-Providence-Boston
Crescent: NYC-Philadelphia-Baltimore-DC-Charlotte-Atlanta-New Orleans
Palmetto/Silver: NYC-Philadelphia-Baltimore-DC-Jacksonville-Miami
Carolinian: NYC-Philadelphia-Baltimore-DC-Richmond-Raleigh-Charlotte
Cardinal: NYC-Philadelphia-Baltimore-DC-Cincinnati-Indy-Chicago
Vermonter: St. Albans-Burlington-NYC-Philadelphia-Baltimore-DC
Capitol Limited: DC-Pittsburgh-Cleveland-Toledo-Chicago

Washington, DC Union Station

Acela trains zoom between New York City, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington at speeds up to 135 mph top speed and trains that depart every 20-30 minutes. As Amrak upgrades more of the route, speeds and frequencies will increase, and NYC-DC trip time will shrink from 2 hours 47 minutes to 2 hours 15 minutes. Amtrak's service from Washington DC to Richmond and points southis also improving each year this decade.

Metrorail is a heavy rail transit system consisting of 5 lines that intersect at hub stations covering 105 miles of subway & aerial track.  Metrorail runs from 5:30a-12p Monday-Friday and 8a-12p Saturday-Sunday. Clean, modern, dependable and efficient, it takes you to the places every visitor wants to see, except Georgetown. Metrorail lines are:

Orange – New Carrolton-L’Enfant Plaza-Vienna/Fairfax
Blue – Addison Road-L’Enfant Plaza-Franconia/Springfield
Red - Glenmont-Union Station-Shady Grove
Yellow – Mt Vernon Square to L’Enfant Plaza to Huntington
Green – Greenbelt-Gallery Place-Chinatown-Branch Ave

Metrorail fares depend on where you go and there is a price premium during rush hour.  Visitors should purchase a, one-day, weekend or fixed dollar amount Farecard to avoid the cumbersome fare scheme. Two children up to age 4 travel free with a paying customer. Metrorail is ADA compliant, has good station and system maps and signage, though elevators are sometimes difficult to locate. If you are going to Georgetown, Metrobus may be you best non-driving option.  For convenience, ask the Metrorail station teller for a Flashpass to Metrobus, which also comes in handy for several tourist destinations.

Maryland Commuter Rail (MARC) features weekday trains that depart from Union Station to Baltimore every 30 minutes in evening commute and Virginia Railway Express (VRE) weekday commuter trains depart Union Station every 30-40 minutes during evening commute. These commuter rail transit systems have a cross train agreement making it easy to change systems at Union Station.  Both commuter rail systems are easily accessible from Metrorail and Amtrak at Union Station.

The Metrorail, MARC and VRE combination transport about 850,000 people daily in metro DC -- third only to New York City and Chicago and virtually tied with Boston for rail commuters.