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Getting Around

Public Transport

Walking is only rewarding in the compact central area southeast of Five Points. The area around the Dome, with the Congress centre and CNN, is only one stop away via MARTA or a bus-ride down Martin Luther King Drive.
MARTA
, the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transport Authority (tel: (404) 848 4800; web site: www.itsmarta.com ), provides rapid rail and bus services throughout the city. The bus network operates throughout the city 0500-0130 Monday to Friday and 0500-2430 Saturday and Sunday.

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 rush hour, uncrowded, but ticket machines take correct change only and in the evenings ticket booths are unmanned. Rail services run 0500-0100 Monday to Friday and 0600-0030 Saturday and Sunday.

For bus or rail, a single adult fare costs US$1.50, purchased from a ticket dispenser on either service. Rail stations sell tokens for use on both bus and rail services; a ten-token roll costs US$15 and a 20-token roll US$25. A useful option is to buy one of the following passes allowing unlimited access to all services: Weekly TransCard - US$12; Monthly TransCard - US$45; Weekend Pass (Friday to Sunday) - US$8.

Driving in the City

Atlanta is designed to be accessed by car - and visitors staying outside the immediate town centre will feel lost without one. Sights are far apart and there are car parks provided at all of them.
Traffic is extremely busy on and within the ring road during weekday rush hours. Lane discipline is strict and offenders are likely to be hooted or 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, especially bad at rush hour. When driving on this and other freeways, a detailed road map should be consulted to determine the points of entry and exit.

Taxis

Taxis can be hired at ranks outside MARTA stations, in the city centre and at shopping malls; or by telephone. Taxi & Limo (tel: (404) 633 0030) or Metropolitan Cab Company (tel: (404) 525 5466) are city-centre taxi services; each district has its own local firm that knows the area. Women travelling alone after dark should pre-book cabs or choose a female driver. In addition to registered cabs, private car services operate from MARTA stations. These are cheaper, spacious older limousines, often offering good value for money if travelling with luggage or many people. Rates start at US$3 and a fare for five kilometres (three miles), including luggage handling, would be about US$8 by private car or US$12 by taxi.

Limousines

For a fancy stretch limousine service, Greene Classic Limousines (tel: (404) 875 3866) offers a personal service with drivers in top hats and tails if required, while Corporate Transportation (tel: (770) 641 7272) offers limos that are more suitable for boardroom clients. Topper Limo Company (tel: (800) 387 1642 or (770) 578 1867) has a party bus, which can be decked out with balloons and champagne, as well as more mundane buses and stretch limos.
Rates start at about US$60 per hour.

Car Hire

To hire a car, an International Driving Permit is only required if the national licence in not in English. Some agencies will not rent cars to anyone less than 25 years old or possibly over 71 years. Car rental prices are very competitive; in Atlanta a standard automobile currently costs just US$150, and a top line limousine US$500 for a week's rental; fly drive deals can reduce prices further.
Companies insist on collision damage waiver insurance (CDW), (US$3-10 per day) and the above prices do not include this or state sales tax (7%). However, European insurance may be extendable to cover US driving, and some credit cards may have an insurance scheme that covers car insurance.
Major car hire agencies have offices throughout the city; including: Budget (tel: (404) 530 3000; web site: www.budgetrentacar.com ), Dollar (tel: (404) 766 0244; web site: www.dollarcar.com ), Enterprise (tel: (404) 261 7337; web site: www.pickenterprise.com ), National (tel: (404) 530 2800; web site: www.nationalcar.com) and Thrifty (tel: (404) 622 2206). A local agency is Atlanta Rent a Car (tel: (404) 892 7368), at 718 Ponce de Leon Avenue NE and other locations. Coach and Campers, 1936 Iris Drive, Conyers (tel: (770) 483 9080; web site: www.coachandcampers.com ), ten miles east along the I-20 to exit 78, has motorhomes for hire from US$950 per week.



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GENERAL
City Overview
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GETTING THERE
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GETTING AROUND
Getting Around
 
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SIGHTSEEING
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ENTERTAINMENT
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