 |
|
|
 add to Travel Bag (NEW)
Getting There
By Air
The Hartsfield Atlanta International Airport ( ATL ) ( +1 404 209 1700 / http://www.atlanta-airport.com ) towers as the world's busiest passenger airport. Located 10 miles south of downtown, it is currently in the midst of an ambitious 5.4 billion dollar development program to keep pace with its world standing. The following major airline companies dock at its terminals:
Aero Mexico ( +1 800 237 6639 / http://www.aeromexico.com )
Air Canada ( +1 800 776 3000 / http://www.aircanada.ca )
Air France ( +1 800 871 1366 / http://www.airfrance.com )
Air Jamaica ( +1 800 523 5585 / http://www.airjamaica.com )
American Airline ( +1 800 433 7300 / http://www.aa.com )
British Airways ( +1 800 247 9297 / http://www.british-airways.com )
Continental ( +1 800 525 0280 / http://www.continental.com )
Delta ( +1 800 221 1212 / http://www.delta.com )
Frontier ( +1 800 432 1359 / http://www.frontierairlines.com )
Jet Blue ( +1 800 538 2583 / http://www.jetblue.com )
Korean Air ( +1 800 438 5000 / http://www.koreanair.com )
Lufthansa ( +1 800 645 3880 / http://www.lufthansa.com )
Northwest ( +1 800 225 2525 / http://www.nwa.com )
United ( +1 800 241 6522 / http://www.ual.com )
US Airways ( +1 800 428 4322 / http://www.usairways.com )
All of Hartsfield's ground transportation services, including buses, rental cars, shuttles, and trains, are conveniently located in the airport's Ground Transportation Center ( GTC ) ( +1 404 530 6674 ). MARTA ( Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority ) ( +1 404 848 4711 / http://www.itsmarta.com ) offers rail service in and out of the airport. Trains depart every eight minutes. Rides to downtown last 15 minutes, one of the fastest options into Atlanta. One-way fares cost USD1.75; weeklong passes USD13.
Taxis ( +1 404 530 6698 ) are located on GTC's Island A. The cabs charge set fees for Atlanta's central business district with a special per-person rate for two or more passengers. Set fees: USD25 to Downtown, USD28 to Midtown, and USD35 to Buckhead. Rides outside of the central business district operate on a meter basis.
GTC's Island B harbors shuttle van service. The vehicles depart every 15 minutes, operating daily from 7AM-11PM. Depending on location rates generally fall between USD12-USD18. Some of the more prominent companies include:
Airport Metro Shuttle ( +1 404 766 6666 )
Atlanta Corporate Shuttle ( +1 770 619 5336 )
Downtown Shuttle Service ( +1 404 766 5312 )
Interstate Airport Jitney ( +1 770 932 6757 )
Airport Parking Service
Park 'N Fly ( +1 800 763 6895 / http://www.pnfnetwork.com )
Some 50 limo companies vie for business at the airport and depending on the car rides into downtown are often comparable to taxis. Most hotels in town also have shuttle service to and from the airport.
Rental Car Companies:
Avis ( +1 800 831 2847 / http://www.avis.com )
Budget ( +1 800 527 0700 / http://www.budget.com )
Dollar ( +1 800 4000 / http://www.dollar.com )
Hertz ( +1 800 654 3131 / http://www.hertz.com
National ( +1 800 227 7368 / http://www.nationalcar.com )
Thrifty ( +1 800 367 2277 / http://www.thrifty.com )
Payless ( +1 404 766 5034 / http://www.paylesscarrental.com )
Another attractive ground transportation option is Flexcar, which operates in certain U.S. cities. This new breed of rental car allows you to rent on an hourly basis rather than a daily basis. Be sure to register online before your trip.
Flexcar ( +1 877 353 9227 / http://www.flexcar.com )
To get into downtown hop on either Interstate 85, which runs along the northwest side of the airport and eventually flows into Interstate 75, or pick up Interstate 75 on the west side of the airport for the straight shot into town.
By Car-Share
Flexcar ( +1 404 817 3599 / http://www.flexcar.com/ )
By Train
Amtrak ( +1 800 872 7245 / http://www.amtrak.com ) puffs into Atlanta's historic train station at 1688 Peachtree Road. The Crescent Line services the area daily from New York City with stops in Philadelphia and Washington.
By Bus
Greyhound ( +1 800 231 2222 / http://www.greyhound.com ) escorts travelers in from every direction. The bus terminal at 232 Forsyth Street adjoins Atlanta's rail system, lending for easy access to other parts of the city.
By Car
Atlanta rates as one of the most car-accessible cities in the country thanks to a cobweb of major thoroughfares. Interstate 20 bisects downtown Atlanta in an east/west direction, coming from Alabama in the west and South Carolina in the east. Interstate 75 rummages in from a north/south direction, and Interstate 85 veers through at a northeast/southwest angle.
Getting Around
Rail service, via MARTA, represents the quickest means of transportation for maneuvering around Atlanta. The orange colored North/South Line services downtown as well as such popular destinations as Buckhead, the High Museum of Art, and the airport. The blue East/West Line also wanders through downtown and beyond and includes stops at the Martin Luther King historical sites. Trains pass each stop every 15 minutes. One-way fares are USD1.75; weeklong passes USD13. Trains only accept exact change and tokens. Hours of operation: M-F 5a-1a; Sa-Su 5a-12:30a.
Though slow and infrequent, buses, also managed by MARTA, service all of downtown and the surrounding suburbs. Destinations and route numbers are clearly visible on the bus windshields. The USD1.75 fare includes transfers. Hours: M-F 5a-1a; Sa-Su 6a-12:30a
Taxis are relatively easy to hail throughout downtown and can be found loitering at all the major hotels. Some of the more reputable cab companies include:
Atlanta Lenox Taxi ( +1 404 872 2600 )
Checker Cabs ( +1 404 351 1111 )
Yellow Cabs ( +1 404 521 0200 )
Driving in Atlanta is mind bending. Part of the problem lies in a deficiency of creative street names. There is Peachtree Street, Peachtree Road, Peachtree Avenue, and Peachtree Industrial Boulevard. If your destination bears the name Peachtree be sure to consult a map to avoid a vehement bout of pounding the dashboard and cursing Henry Ford for his car invention. One-way downtown streets, sudden street name changes, and roads abruptly cut-off by Interstates contribute to the driving nightmare. Try to avoid morning and afternoon rush hour traffic, especially through the "downtown connector," a stretch of downtown Interstate where I-75 and I-85 merge.
Traffic Information
To find out city traffic information go to http://www.traffic.com
If traveling overseas, take the safety precaution of registering your trip at https://travelregistration.state.gov and for helpful, practical advice about traveling technicalities and safety standards check out http://travel.state.gov/
|
|
|
|
|
Travel Bag
Interested in writing content for Wcities?
