Transportation

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You can travel to the conference venue: University of Maryland, College Park (UMD) by airplane or train first, then use the local transportation to the UMD campus. 

https://globalmaryland.umd.edu/offices/transportation

For road closures and detours that may affect getting to and around campus, please see the page on Vehicle & Pedestrian Detours.

Airports

There are three large airports in the Washington metro area:

  • Baltimore-Washington International Airport (BWI)
  • Ronald Reagan National Airport (DCA)
  • Dulles International Airport (IAD)

When you are searching for a flight online, you can enter WAS for the airport code to search all three airports at the same time.

Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI)

https://www.bwiairport.com/

Located in Maryland, this is the closest airport to College Park, and many airlines fly in and out of BWI daily. The airport code is BWI.

Getting from BWI to College Park

Option 1: Catch the BWI Express from BWI Airport. There are two WMATA Bus Stops. One is located on the lower level of the International Pier and the other stop is located on the lower level of Concourse A/B. The B30 will pick you up outside at the bus shelter. Follow the signs that say Public Transit. This will take you to the Greenbelt metro stop. From there you can take the green line to the College Park-U of MD metro stop. At the College Park stop, you can take a taxi or Shuttle-UM to get to campus. Click here for directions by car(link is external).

Option 2: Take the BWI Airport Shuttle (free) from BWI Airport to BWI Thurgood Marshall station (MARC/Amtrak direction). Take the MARC train or Amtrak train ($7-16) to New Carrollton station. Then take F6 to College Park. 

Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA)

Also known as Reagan National or just National, this airport is very close to downtown DC. It is located in Virginia, on the blue and yellow lines, Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport stop. The airport code is DCA.

Getting from National (DCA) to College Park:

Take the yellow Metrorail line in the direction of Mt. Vernon Square/7th St. Convention Center. Transfer at Gallery Place/Chinatown to the green line in the direction of Greenbelt and get off at College Park-U of MD. From there you can take a taxi or Shuttle-UM to get to campus. 

Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD)

Located in Dulles, Virginia, Dulles Airport (or just Dulles) is about 26 miles from downtown DC. The airport code is IAD.

Getting from Dulles (IAD) to College Park:

Option 1: Purchase a ticket at the Washington Flyer Coach ticket counter located at Arrivals Door #4 in the Main Terminal. Travelers will also board the bus from this location. The buses depart approximately every 30 minutes but please listen for announcements for exact bus departure times. The bus will take you to the West Falls Church Metro stop, on the orange line. Take the train in the direction of New Carrollton. Transfer at Gallery Place/Chinatown to the green line in the direction of Greenbelt and get off at College Park-U of MD. From there you can take a taxi or Shuttle-UM to get to campus.

Option 2: Take the silver line from Washington Dulles International Airport to L’Enfant Plaza, and then transfer to the Green line (Greenbelt direction) to College Park-U of MD Metrorail Station. 

Trains

Traveling cross-country by train is no longer very popular in the United States, mostly because of the cost, but if it sounds appealing, Amtrak is the country’s leading railroad. Amtrak goes to and from BWI Airport from Washington, DC’s Union Station. The Amtrak website is https://www.amtrak.com/home.html

Maryland also has its local railway system, MARC, which is cheaper than Amtrak. Information on MARC can be found at https://www.mta.maryland.gov/schedule?type=marc-train

Local Transportation

https://transportation.umd.edu/sustainable-transportation/local-regional-transit

MARC Trains

These trains are operated by the Maryland Transit Authority, and are mostly used by commuters in the Baltimore-Washington metropolitan area. The MARC Train is a commuter rail system whose service areas include Harford County, Maryland; Baltimore City; Washington D.C.; Brunswick, Maryland; Frederick, Maryland and Martinsburg, West Virginia. MARC Train Service operates Monday through Friday with limited weekend service on the Penn Line. The MARC train offers a quick and convenient way to get to Downtown Washington DC, Baltimore, and BWI. MARC trains also run to BWI Airport, but it might be cheaper to take the Metrobus from the Greenbelt metro station. The MARC’s Camden Line connects Baltimore (Camden Station) to Washington, DC (Union Station) via the College Park Metro Station. There is no weekend service on this line.

Metro – Washington, DC Metro Area

https://www.wmata.com/

The Washington, DC metro area has an extensive bus and subway system run by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA)(https://www.wmata.com). The Metrobus and the Metrorail (the subway) extend well into Montgomery and Prince George’s counties. You are not allowed to eat or drink on the bus or metro or in the stations, and the law is strictly enforced. Rides start at $1.35 for Metrorail and increase in price the farther you go and during rush hour. Metrobus costs $1.20. You can call (202) 637-7000 for ride information, but you will probably be put on hold for some time. A better bet is to visit their website. Enter your beginning and end points and the time you wish to arrive or leave and they will give you directions.

Those traveling by Metro in the DC area can also refer to this overview of the DC metro system.

The University of Maryland is located on the green line, College Park/UM metro stop. You can take the Shuttle-UM, a taxi, or walk about 15 minutes to the campus.

MetroBus

In addition to the MetroRail system, WMATA also operates a number of MetroBuses in the area. Routes that run near and through campus include:

  • 83, 83X, 86 College Park Line                                  
  • C2 Greenbelt-Twinbrook Line                       
  • C8 College Park – White Flint Line                            
  • F6 New Carrollton – Fort Totten Line                        

THE BUS (ROUTE 1 RIDE)                          

The Route 1 Ride is an enhanced bus service that serves the Route 1 Corridor in Northern Prince George’s County. The Bus Route 17 services from IKEA, University of Maryland, College Park Metro Station, County Service Building and the Mount Rainier Terminal.                  

Learn more about Metro schedules and trip planning at wmata.com

Taxis

Taxis are not the cheapest mode of transportation in the United States but are convenient and fast. Taxis in Maryland and Virginia are metered, which means you will pay for each mile driven. In Washington, DC, the city is divided into zones, and you pay by the number of zones you pass through. Tipping taxi drivers (10-20%) is expected.

Taxi companies in the College Park area:

  • Greenbelt Taxi Service: (301) 441-8400
  • Ontime Transportation Incorporated: (301) 474-6111
  • Langley Park Taxi: (301) 559-0000
  • Silver Cab: (301) 341-5140

Attendees may use the DCYellowCap app or their website for an estimate of taxi fares (Uber reportedly also has a taxi estimation feature).

Ride-hailing services

Uber (https://www.uber.com/) and Lyft (https://www.lyft.com/) are the widely used ride-hailing services in the DC Metro area. In order to use their service, you will first need to download and install their app on your smartphone and create a profile. Once all required information (such as a valid credit card) is entered, you can use the app. Ride-hailing services tend to be more convenient and cheaper than taxis.

Shuttle-UM

Shuttle-UM is a free commuter shuttle service for students, faculty and staff of the campus operated by the University of Maryland, College Park. Spouses and visiting scholars or faculty may be able to ride the shuttle for a small fee with special Department of Transportation permission. Please contact the University of Maryland Department of Transportation for more information: (+1) 301-314-2255

You can take the Shuttle-UM 104 (College Park Metro) to the College Park Metro Station and from there, it’s a quick ride to Downtown Washington, D.C. and Reagan National Airport. You can download the app Transit (https://transportation.umd.edu/transit-official-app-shuttle-um) for real-time bus arrival information.  

MTA Commuter Bus

The MTA Commuter Bus provides express transit service from far reaching suburbs in Maryland to DC, Baltimore and College Park. Maryland Transit Administration operates 27 commuter bus routes. Route 204 provides service between Frederick and College Park. There is no weekend service on this route.

Visitor Parking

  1. Campus parking: https://transportation.umd.edu/parking/visitors
  2. Accessible parking: https://transportation.umd.edu/parking/accessible-parking 
Locations

The visitor parking map shows where visitors can park on campus. Visitor spaces are available: 

  • On the street 
  • In surface lots
  • In four of the five campus garages: Mowatt Lane Garage, Union Lane Garage, Stadium Drive Garage and Regents Drive Garage
Hours and Rates 

Visitor parking is enforced seven days a week from 7:00 a.m. to midnight, unless otherwise noted on the meter. With the exception of Labor Day, meters are not enforced on university-observed holidays. 

$3 per hour, with a $15 daily maximum if you park and pay after 7:30 a.m. 

Early bird daily maximum: $10 daily maximum if you park and pay before 7:30 a.m.

You can pay for visitor parking through the Parkmobile app in many visitor parking zones. 

Refunds: DOTS does not issue refunds or change for completed transactions.

Please report malfunctioning meters to the DOTS office by calling 301-314-3687 (4-DOTS). It is prohibited to park at a space with a malfunctioning meter. Money placed in a malfunctioning meter will not be refunded.

HOW TO PAY  – PAY STATIONS

Pay stations accept:

  • Cash, using $20 bills or smaller. Machines do not issue change.
  • Credit/debit card
  • Validation/pin codes  

You can also pay with the Parkmobile app in pay station areas. 

If you only need to park for 15 minutes or less at a pay station, you may park for free! You still must visit the pay station to enter your space number, but you will not be charged for your transaction.

https://transportation.umd.edu/parking/maps/visitor-parking-map

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