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United States of America

Travel to Washington Dc

Flying to Washington Dc

Airlines offering flights to Washington, DC from the UK include British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, United, US Airways and Delta.

Flight times: 

From London - 7 hours; New York - 1 hour 10 minutes; Los Angeles - 5 hours 30 minutes; Toronto - 1 hour 30 minutes; Sydney - 22 hours.

Travel by road

Summary:

The minimum driving age in Washington, DC is 16 years and traffic drives on the right. Freeway driving speeds are 88-113kph (55-70mph). The speed limit on all roads within the DC area is 40-55kph (25-35mph). Technically overtaking should only be done on the left lane, although, in reality, cars on a five-lane highway often pass on both sides. At traffic lights, right turns on the red light are permitted if the way ahead is clear. At crossroads without traffic lights, the four-way stop system means that it is first come first served, or if two cars arrive simultaneously, the one on the right has the right of way. All traffic must stop when school bus hazard lights are flashing. Visitors must possess a full national driving licence to drive in America. International Driving Permits are not required for UK licence holders.

The American Automobile Association (AAA) (tel: 1 866 636 2377; www.aaamidatlantic.com) can provide information and may offer reciprocal benefits to members of automobile clubs in other countries.

Emergency breakdown service:

AAA (tel: 1 800 222 4357/AAA HELP).

Routes:

I-66 heads west into Virginia; I-50 to Annapolis in Maryland; I-95 to Baltimore, Richmond, Philadelphia and New York; and I-270 to Maryland and beyond.

Driving times:

From Baltimore is 50 minutes; from Richmond is 2 hours and from New York is 4 hours 45 minutes.

Coaches:

Greyhound long-distance buses operate from the 24-hour Greyhound bus terminal, 1005 First Street, NE (tel: (202) 289 5141; www.greyhound.com). Facilities in the station are limited, with food outlets and a gift shop selling snacks and newspapers. Peter Pan Bus (tel: 1 800 343 9999; www.peterpanbus.com) also connects Washington, DC with many cities throughout America. The service operates from the same bus terminal.

Travel by rail

Services:

Amtrak services cover long-distance routes from Washington, DC, while MTA/MARC trains connect with points in Maryland. Train services operate Monday to Friday 0500-2400. The vast Union Station is on 50 Massachusetts Avenue, NE, and its extensive facilities include restaurants, shops, ATMs and left-luggage. The ticket office (tel: 1 800 872 7245) is open 0430-2200 weekdays and 0500-2200 weekends. Tickets can also be purchased from the 24-hour Quik-Trak ticketing machines.

Operators:

Amtrak (tel: 1 800 872 7245; www.amtrak.com) operates long-distance services to and from Washington, including regular departures to Philadelphia (Acela Express), New York and Chicago. MTA/MARC (tel: (410) 539 5000; http://mta.maryland.gov) operates local services, including to Baltimore and other towns in Maryland.

Journey times:

From Philadelphia is 1 hour 35 minutes; from New York is 3 hours 45 minutes and from Chicago is 16 hours 40 minutes.

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