Arrival and getting around
The colossal Hartsfield International Airport (tel
404/530-6600), the busiest passenger airport in the US, is ten
miles south of downtown Atlanta, just inside I-285 ("the
perimeter"). Road shuttle services such as the Atlanta
Airport Shuttle (daily every 15-20min 7am-11pm; tel 404/524-3400)
run into the city for around $14, $22 round-trip good for thirty
days, or a little more to get to Buckhead. The airport is also the
southern terminus of the south line of the subway , fifteen
minutes' ride from downtown ($1.75). If you need a taxi to
get downtown, call Checker Cab ($18 for one passenger, $19 between
two, $24 for three or more; tel 404/351-1111). The Amtrak station,
at 1688 Peachtree St, is too far north of downtown to walk to: take
a taxi or bus #23 to the Arts Center subway stop, N5 on the
northern line. Greyhound buses arrive south of downtown at
232 Forsyth St, near the Garnett Street subway station.
Atlanta's subway and wide network of buses are run
by the Metropolitan Area Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA; tel
404/848-4711), and are clean, reliable and pretty safe, operating
between 5am and 1am weekdays and Saturdays, and from 6am until
12.30am on Sundays. Fares are $1.75 per journey (daily pass $3.50,
Fri-Sun pass $9, weekly pass $13).
A good way to explore the neighborhoods of Atlanta is on a
ninety-minute walking tour with the Atlanta Preservation
Center, 156 Seventh St ($5; tel 404/876-2041). Destinations include
the West End, Fox Theater, Sweet Auburn (with emphasis on the
churches), an architectural tour of downtown and many more.
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