III. Transportation

 

A. Local Transportation

GUTS Bus

     The Georgetown University Transportation Shuttle, or GUTS bus, is a free shuttle service to both Union Station and Georgetown Main Campus. For Union Station, the van leaves from the 2nd Street driveway every 15 minutes from 5 p.m. until 12:30 p.m. You may also pick up the return shuttle at Union Station, but you must show a Georgetown I.D. before boarding. The bus runs to and from Main Campus periodically during the weekdays - the actual schedule is located here. Shuttle service is coordinated by the Office of Transportation Management on the main campus. Also, the Gewirz Shopping Shuttle is provided free to Gewirz residents 4 days a week, as coordinated by the Office of Housing and Residence Life. 

DC Metro

     MetroRail, the subway system, can be used to reach most major sections of the city, as well as many locations in Maryland and northern Virginia such as Reagan National Airport. The stops closest to Georgetown Law - Judiciary Square and Union Station - are on the Red Line. Other lines connect with the Red Line nearby at Metro Center and Gallery Place-Chinatown. Fares vary, but they start at $1.60 and can reach as high as $5 depending on distance traveled and rush hour rates. Fare cards, which can be purchased at any metro station are required to enter and exit Metro Rail stations. Metrorail operates Monday to Thursday from 5:00 a.m. to midnight; Friday from 5:00 a.m. to 3:00 a.m.; Saturday from 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 a.m.; and Sunday from 7:00 a.m. to midnight. Hours of operation vary on national holidays.

     MetroBus covers several popular areas not directly served by Metro Rail, such as Adams Morgan and Georgetown. Metro Bus fares are $1.50 when paid by SmarTrip, or $1.50 cash.    Route timetables will also let you know what time each route runs. 

     The Circulator is a relatively new bus system operating in central DC, and can be used as an alternative to Metro Bus. For Georgetown Law students, the most useful of the Circulator's routes is the Union Station - Georgetown route, with a stop just outside the law center on Massachusetts Avenue. Circulator fare is $1.00, exact change. The Circulator arrives daily every 5-10 minutes from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

     A handy Trip Planner from the Metro Authority can help you decide which rail or bus routes to take to reach your destination. 

Zip Car

     ZipCar is a car sharing service that enables members to rent a car by the hour. You pay a one-time $25 application fee, an annual membership fee of $50, and depending on the car model, you can drive from $8/hour during the week or $9/hour on weekends. Gas, insurance and 180 free miles are included. Cars are located at various sites across the city, some within walking distance of the Georgetown Law campus.

Capital Bikeshare

     Capital Bikeshare puts over 1,000 bicycles at your fingertips. You can choose from over 110 stations across Washington D.C. and Arlington, VA and return it to any station near your destination. You can join for 24 hours ($5), 30 days ($25), or a year ($75), and have access to a fleet of bikes 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The first 30 minutes are free. 31-60 minutes costs $1.50; 61-90 minutes costs $3.00; each additional 30 minutes costs $6.00. Bikes are located at numerous locations across the city, one is at Union Station near the Georgetown Law campus.

Commuter Train

     Virginia Rail Express (VRE) serves suburban Virginia during the week. The Fredericksburg line goes from Fredericksburg, VA, to Union Station. The Manassas line runs from Broad Run, VA, to Union Station.

     Maryland Area Rail Commute (MARC) trains serve the northern suburbs and outlying areas, with three lines all stopping at Union Station. The Penn Line heads northeast to Perryville, MD, passing through Baltimore's Penn Station and the Baltimore-Washington International Airport (BWI). The Camden Line takes a slightly different route east to Camden Station in Baltimore, while the northwestern Brunswick line ends up in Martinsburg, WV.

Taxi

     Taxis in the District recently switched from a zone system to a meter system in 2008. It is recommended that you do not use a taxi that has not switched over to the meter system.  Current rates are much easier to keep track of than zones. 

     Virginia and Maryland taxis have always been metered.  However, note that you can only catch one of these taxis in their respective states and take them in to Washington. You generally cannot pick up a Virginia or Maryland taxi in Washington and take it back to one of those states.

 

B. External Transportation

Airports

      There are three major airports in the DC area. The most convenient by metro access is the Ronald Reagan National Airport (DCA), located on the Blue/Yellow Line at National Airport, just 4 miles from downtown DC. The Dulles International Airport (IAD) is located in Chantilly, VA, 26 miles from downtown DC. The Baltimore-Washington International Airport (BWI), which is 10 miles south of Baltimore, frequently features cheaper domestic flights. Airports can be reached by metro, train, taxi, or SuperShuttle bus.

Train

      A convenient way to travel to nearby cities is by train. In addition to regional commuter services offered by Virginia Rail Express and the MARC train, see above, Amtrak provides nationwide service out of Union Station.

Bus

      For those on a tighter budget, traveling by bus may be a better option, especially if you're interested in visiting popular cities like New York City, Philadelphia, or Boston.  Cheap bus companies, often known as Chinatown Buses because of the original companies' stops at various Chinatown locations, offer roundtrip travel discounts in addition to the already cheap one-way fare.  A number of the Chinatown Buses allow reservations online.  Additionally, MegaBus and BoltBus offer cheap bus travel to select locations.  For more extensive travel plans, SuperShuttle buses service nearby airports, and the Greyhound station is located just north of Union Station.

 

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