United States » Getting to Washington

An approximate flight time to Washington from London is 8 hours and 21 minutes.

By Air

Washington, D.C. is served by three major airports i.e. Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Washington Dulles International Airport, Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport.

Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), located in Arlington, Virginia on the west bank of the Potomac River just south of the city, is the closest and most serviceable. Walkways connect the concourse level of the B and C terminals to the Washington Metro rail platform; the walk from the A terminal to the metro takes 5 to 10 minutes. A taxi trip to downtown costs about $15.

Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) is located at Dulles, Virginia, 26 miles west of downtown DC. To get into the city, the most serviceable option may be the Washington Flyer coach, which operates every half hour to and from the West Falls Church Metro (Orange Line). It takes 20-25 minutes and costs $9 one way or $16 round trip.

Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI), is in Maryland and is 30 miles north-east of DC and 10 miles south of downtown Baltimore. Metro operates the hourly B30 express Metrobus to the Greenbelt Metro Station (Green Line). It boards on the lower level outside the International Pier.

By Train

Amtrak services arrive from all over the country, especially the Northeast Corridor (Boston-to-Richmond). All stop at downtown Union Station, 50 Massachusetts Ave NE, on Metro's Red Line a few blocks from the U.S. Capitol steps. Virginia Railway Express (VRE) also provides rail from the southwest, starting in Virginia suburbs of Manassas and Fredericksburg, for those who do not wish to drive into the metropolitan area. From BWI Airport, a free "Amtrak/MARC" shuttle bus runs from the airport terminal to the BWI Rail Station. MARC local rail operates weekdays to New Carrollton (Orange Line) for $5 each way or Washington Union Station (Red Line) for $6.

By Bus

The stop for Washington, D.C. is at 1005 1st St NE that is few blocks north of Union Station (where you can catch the Red Line Metrorail). Current fares are around $20 (or $35 for a return ticket) from New York City. There are other Greyhound stations located in Silver Spring, Maryland and Arlington, Virginia.