Transportation
Travel to and from Washington, D.C. to participate in the program is not included in your stipend and you will need to make your own travel arrangements.
Airports:
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport
(very close to downtown DC and accessible via Metro, or about a $20 cab ride to the dorms.)
Washington Dulles International Airport*
(no Metro trains travel to Dulles; shuttle buses travel between the airport and Metro, about $70 for a cab ride from the airport to DC)
Baltimore Washington International Airport*
(accessible via both Amtrak & MARC trains on the weekdays, and only Amtrak on the weekends; the trip is 45 miles one-way; cabs are expensive.)
*Supershuttle travels to and from both BWI and Dulles, and is a lower cost option than a cab.
Trains:
Amtrak
Amtrak comes into Washington at Union Station on Capitol Hill
Washington, D.C. Metro Transit System (WMATA)
Metrorail, or “Metro” – is clean, modern, safe and easy to use. WISE will provide each of you with $100.00 in Metro use to help supplement your local subway travel within the Washington, D.C. area. These cards are to be used for travel to and from your meetings, but they will not cover all of your personal and recreational Metro costs. You will be responsible for the remainder.
Your dorms are located within walking distance of your daily office spaces and you will not need to use Metro to get back and forth every day.
Rates vary depending on the destination point and time of day. Metro rates, routes, and schedule information can be found online or by calling 202.637.7000. (Metro Map)
WISE will issue each WISE intern one (1) pre-loaded SmartTrip card. You are responsible for the card once it is placed in your care. These cards are the same as cash and if lost, can not be replaced. Ensure against loss by registering your SmartTrip card online. If you do so, WMATA will replace the card for a $2 fee and reimburse the amount of the lost card.
Using a SmartTrip card gets you a discounted fare on both buses and Metrorail.
Buses:
You may use cash on the buses but you will pay a higher fare, and riders must have the exact fare for each bus trip as drivers do not make change. Rates vary depending on the destination point and the time of day. Schedules, rates and other information are available online.
Physically handicapped persons can ride Metrobus and Metrorail for half price with ID. For further information, contact Metro Handicapped Office, call 202.962.1245.
Taxis:
DC’s taxis now use meters, so ignore any horror stories that you might have heard about the taxi zone systems.
Uber & Lyft:
Both of these services are available in DC and are less expensive than DC’s taxis.
Bikes:
Bike and Roll
Bicycle rentals include Trek comfort bikes, performance bikes, road bikes, and tandem bikes. All bike rentals include a helmet, U-lock, bike rack, flat kit and city map.
Capital Bikeshare
Worth the investment of a month or two’s worth of membership.
For information on the difference between the two, go here.
Rental Cars:
For those of you who want to rent cars to get around DC, into Virginia, or out to the beaches, all of the usual car rental company options are available. However, if you need a car for only a few hours or less than a day, the better option is Zipcar.
Visit the DC Visitor Information Center for more information by category. Explore local dining, entertainment, and leisure opportunities through the Washingtonian Online or investigate the Washington, DC area through the Washington Post’s City Guide or WETA’s ExploreDC websites.
