World City Guide

Getting Around

Public Transport
Although a car-dominated city, MARTA, the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (tel: (404) 848 4800; website: www.itsmarta.com) does provide rapid rail and bus services throughout the city – which means that most places can be reached by public transport. The bus network operates throughout the city 0500-0130 Monday to Friday and 0500-2430 Saturday and Sunday. Buses take correct change or tokens only. The overground rail network runs from the north suburbs of Marietta to the airport in the south; east–west lines also extend across the suburbs. Trains are quiet, clean and, outside the rush hour, uncrowded. In stations, machines dispense tokens and change. Ticket booths are closed in the evenings. Rail services operate 0500-0100 Monday to Friday and 0600-2430 Saturday and Sunday.

For bus or rail, a single adult fare costs US$1.75, purchased from a ticket dispenser on either service. Rail stations sell tokens for use on both bus and rail services. A useful option is to buy one of the following passes allowing unlimited access to all services: Weekly Transcard – US$13, valid for any Monday to Sunday; Monthly Transcard – US$52.50, valid for any calendar month and the Weekend Pass – US$9, valid from Friday to Sunday.

Taxis
Taxis can be hired at ranks outside MARTA stations, in the city centre, at the airport, at shopping malls or by telephone. Taxi & Limo (tel: (404) 633 0030) or Metropolitan Cab Company (tel: (404) 525 5466) are two taxi services that operate within the city centre. Each district has its own local firm with special knowledge of the area.

Taxi rates start at US$1.75 and increase US$0.25 every 0.7 miles thereafter. Tipping of 10-15% is customary but only if the driver is helpful.

Women travelling alone during late hours should pre-book taxis or choose a female driver. Visitors should be wary of unlicensed taxis that linger outside of MARTA stations. These older limousines offer no set rates and should be avoided.

Limousines
Greene Classic Limousines (tel: (404) 875 3866 or (888) 425 5466; website: www.greeneclassiclimousine.com) offers personal service with well-groomed drivers. Topper Limousine (tel: (770) 578 1867 or (800) 387 1642; website: www.topperlimo.com) has a ‘party bus’, which can be decked out with balloons and stocked with champagne, as well as more mundane buses and stretch limos. Rates start at about US$60 per hour, usually with a minimum 3-4-hour hire period requirement. A top-line limousine can cost up to US$650 per week.

Driving in the City
Atlanta is designed to be accessed by car and visitors staying outside the immediate town centre may feel lost without one. Sights are far apart and there are car parks provided at all of them. However, the city is therefore filled with cars, especially on the freeways. Traffic is extremely busy on and within the ring road during weekday rush hours. Lane discipline is almost non-existent but should drivers venture into another’s, offenders are likely to be hooted or verbally abused.

From whichever direction visitors approach Atlanta by car, the first major road encountered is the peripheral I-285. This is a frighteningly busy five-lane highway with multiple exits and speeding traffic, which is especially bad during rush hour (0700–0900 and 1600–1800). When driving on this and other freeways, a detailed map is essential.

Atlanta relies heavily on the automobile, so there is plenty of parking – most major office buildings, malls and hotels offer parking spaces. For visitors staying on the outskirts of the city and using the light rail system to travel into the city, most MARTA stations provide parking. However, visitors should be careful of off-street parking near theatres and music venues. Not all of these temporary parking lots are legal. On average, parking costs approximately US$2 per hour in car parks (up to a maximum of US$30 per day). Hotel overnight parking averages about US$20 per night.

Car Hire
To hire a car, an International Driving Permit is only required if the visitor’s national driving licence is not in English. Some agencies will not rent cars to anyone less than 25 years old and possibly over 71 years. Car rental prices are very competitive; in Atlanta a standard automobile currently costs about US$170 per week; fly–drive deals can reduce the prices further.

Companies insist on collision damage waiver insurance (CDW) – about US$6-14 per day – and car hire prices quoted will usually not include this or sales tax at 7%. However, European insurance may be extendible to cover US driving and some credit cards may have an insurance scheme that covers car hire insurance.

Major car hire agencies have several offices throughout the city including: Budget (tel: (404) 530 3000; website: www.budgetrentacar.com), Dollar (tel: (404) 261 7337; website: www.dollarcar.com), Enterprise (tel: (404) 261 7337; website: www.pickenterprise.com), National (tel: (404) 530 2800; website: www.nationalcar.com) and Thrifty (tel: (770) 996 2350). Adventures on Wheels, 1774 Iris Drive, Conyers (tel: (770) 483 9080; website: www.adventuresonwheels.com), has motorhomes for hire from US$1100 per week.