Atlanta attracts visitors of all ages from across the world throughout the year, all thanks to its climate, beautiful sights and events/festivals. Atlanta’s public transportation system- Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) is the perfect mode of transport to get around the city. There are some other ways of getting in and around the city, such as car, taxis and buses. It is easy and comfortable to use public transport in Atlanta to travel around and explore the beauty of the city. Read on to know about the ways of getting in and around Atlanta.
Getting to Atlanta
Getting to Atlanta by Plane
Image by ERIC SALARD via Wikimedia Commons
Atlanta’s main airport is the
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), which is 8-10 miles of downtown (south). It is the world’s busiest and largest passenger airport and offers nonstop service to about 186 United States cities. It is the key hub for Southwest Airlines and Delta Airlines. Some of the airlines serving the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport are:
Delta Airlines,
US Airways,
AirTran,
Continental,
United Airlines,
American Airlines,
Northwest Airlines,
Japan Airlines,
British Airlines, and
Lufthansa.
The gates of the airport are in seven concourses: A, B, C, D, E, F and T. The international concourses are E and F, and you can easily take a taxi or shuttle from the international terminal.
Image by Qwesy via Panoramio
Getting to and from ATL Airport
Image by dbking via Wikimedia Commons
There are several ways of getting to and from airport. Many of the well-known hotels offer shuttle service to their guest. Other options are: rental cars, taxi and MARTA rapid bus or rail service. Taxis operating to and from the airport generally have fixed rates.
Getting to Atlanta by Train
Image by Loco Steve via Wikimedia Commons
Amtrak service is available in Atlanta. Amtrak runs the Crescent trains runs every day between New York and Atlanta with stops in Charlotte, Birmingham, Philadelphia, New Orleans, Baltimore, Gainesville, and Washington. Travel time between Atlanta and New York is 18 1/2 hours.
Station address: 1688 Peachtree St. N.W., Atlanta
From the Amtrak station, you can take a taxi to get to the nearest MARTA station or to your hotel. International travelers can purchase a USA Rail Pass which allows you an unlimited travel on Amtrak for 15-30 days, depending on the pass limit. Take the pass through overseas travel agents or online.
The discounted fares are also offered by Amtrak. To know about the money-saving plans, get in touch with the
Amtrak Vacations.
Getting to Atlanta by Bus
Buses are convenient and economical way for short trips between United States cities.
Greyhound Bus Lines are accessible in Atlanta. Greyhound connect the whole US with Atlanta by means of bus. They offer bus service to Atlanta from several locations all-round the US. Buses leave and arrive from the Greyhound terminal-
Greyhound station: 232 Forsyth Street, Atlanta, GA 30303, United States
Tel: 1-800-229-9424
M
egabus.com: Express bus service is available to and from Chicago, Athens, Richmond, Gainesville, Birmingham, Knoxville, Durham, Washington C, Columbia, Indianapolis, Memphis, Charlotte, Orlando, Cleveland, Mobile, Chattanooga, New Orleans, Jacksonville, Columbus, Louisville, Fayetteville, Cincinnati, Nashville, Christiansburg, Montgomery, and Lexington.
Bus Bank: Bus Bank offers services to the travelers visiting Atlanta. It takes you to some of the best attractions of the city.
Getting to Atlanta by Car
Atlanta is connected to the other cities of the United States via the Interstate Highway System. The major interstates serving Atlanta are:
Interstate-75 connecting Detroit to Florida
Interstate-20 linking Texas to South Carolina
Interstate-85 linking Mid-Atlantic to New Orleans
Interstate-285 connects with the airport and the freeways. Also known as the Perimeter
Getting Around Atlanta
Getting around Atlanta is easy. The best way of getting around Atlanta is via its public transportation system-MARTA. MARTA offers efficient and effective bus and rail service in Atlanta. Taxis and rental cars are also available. The public transit system is well-developed.
Getting Around Atlanta by Foot
Atlanta is a walkable city. The roads are well developed and maintained. It is easy and comfortable to walk around the city. Walking around the downtown, Buckhead, midtown and Decatur is easy. Some of the major attractions of the city are within the walking distance of downtown.
Getting Around by Public Transit
Image by Biomedeng via Wikimedia Commons
The public transportation system of Atlanta is managed by
Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA). MARTA offers rapid bus and rail service throughout the city. The MARTA trains and buses accept the re-loadable
Breeze cards which can be taken from the MARTA station vending machines. Passes for one, two, three, four or seven days are available.
MARTA Rail
Image by RTABus via Wikimedia Commons
This is the best way to get around Atlanta. The MARTA subway is the fastest and easy way of traveling around the city. There are four lines, and all of them meet at the Five Points Station. The train goes from north to south; east to west, extending across the suburbs. For one-way trip, the fare is $2.50, and the day pass charge is $9. The running time of the trains vary depending on the lines. MARTA trains generally leave and arrive every 8 to 10 minutes, seven days a week, from 5:00 am to 1:00 am.
MARTA-Bus
Image by RTABus via Wikimedia Commons
MARTA buses run in downtown and suburb areas. The MARTA bus runs on 150 routes, on approx 1,550 mile network. The bus routes take you to many attractions of the city. During the weekdays, buses arrive at every 10-15 minutes, the time vary by lines. The fare for one-way trip is $2.50. You must have a Breeze Card or a ticket pass.
Getting Around Atlanta by Taxi
Taxis are available at the airport, MARTA stations, major hotels and downtown area in Atlanta. From the airport to the downtown, midtown and Buckhead, a flat rate of $30 is charged, and an additional $2 for each extra passenger. For other zones, the taxis at least $1.50 for the one-sixth mile and meter drop and for each extra one-sixth mile the charge increases.
Some of the taxi companies operating in Atlanta are as follows:
Atlanta Checker Cab Co Inc
Address: 563 Trabert Ave NW, Atlanta, GA 30309, United States
Phone: 1 404-351-1111
Atlanta airport taxi service
Address: Atlanta, GA, United States
Phone: 1 770-415-2375
Yellow Cab Co
Address: 249 Milton Ave SE, Atlanta, GA 30315, United States
Phone: 1 404-521-0200
Atlanta Royal Cabbies
Address: 418 Whitehall St SW, Atlanta, GA 30303, United States
Phone: 1 404-584-6655
Cascade Cab Co
Address: 1570 Ralph David Abernathy Blvd, Atlanta, GA 30310, United States
Phone: 1 404-758-5521
SK Taxi Service
Address: 3254 Desert Cir, Atlanta, GA 30344, United States
Phone: 1 404-587-2389
Around Atlanta Limousines Inc.
Address: 3108 Pine Heights Dr NE, Atlanta, GA 30324, United States
Phone: 1 404-447-5496
Getting Around Atlanta by Car
The most popular way of getting around Atlanta is Cars.
Car rentals: You can rent a car in order to get around the city. Some of the car rental companies operating in Atlanta are:
Budget Rent A Car
Address: 140 Courtland Street NE, Atlanta, GA 30303, United States
Phone: 1 404-530-3000
Avis Car Rental
Address: 143 Courtland Street NE, Atlanta, GA 30303, United States
Phone: 1 404-659-4814
Thrifty Car Rental
Address: 221 Peachtree Center Avenue Northeast, Atlanta, GA 30303, United States
Phone: 1 404-524-2843
Prestige Luxury & Exotic Car Rentals
Address: 3025 Sylvan Rd, Atlanta, GA 30354, United States
Phone: 1 888-513-9711
Sixt rent a car
Address: 659 Peachtree Street NE, Atlanta, GA 30308, United States
Phone: 1 404-698-4779
National Car Rental
Address: 174 Piedmont Avenue NE, Atlanta, GA 30303, United States
Phone: 1 404-523-3705
E-Z Rent-A-Car
Address: 6000 North Terminal Pkwy, Atlanta, GA 30320, United States
Phone: 1 404-761-4999
Alamo Rent A Car
Address: 267 Marietta Street, Atlanta, GA 30313, United States
Phone: 1 888-826-6893
Bicycle Hire
Atlanta has many lanes and paths for bicycle. The Eastside trail is popular for bicycling. Some of the tour companies in Atlanta offer tours of city via bicycle.
The Bicycle Tours of Atlanta provide the city tour. To know the bike rentals location in Atlanta, visit the official website of the
Atlanta Bicycle Coalition rentals.
A Map Guide on Getting To and Around Atlanta