NIH Fellows Handbook

Transportation
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Air Service

  • Washington National Airport is located 3.5 miles from downtown DC. National Airport handles domestic traffic only, but a shuttle connects with international flights from Dulles. Call an airline for flight information. For general information call (703) 685-8000.
  • Dulles International Airport is located approximately 25 miles from downtown DC and can be reached via the Dulles Access Road off the Beltway (I-495) in Fairfax County, VA. Excellent ground transportation is available from National Airport. Dulles is mainly an international airport, having a limited number of domestic flights. For further airline information, call the Airport Hotline at (703) 471-4242 (recording).
  • Baltimore/Washington International Airport (BWI) is located in Maryland, 20 miles from downtown Washington. Limousine service is available. For general information, call (301) 261-1000. 

Alternative Choices for Commuting

    For those who use public transportation, commute by bicycle or walk to work, the Council of Governments offers up to four (4) free Emergency Rides Home per year. Call the NIH Employee Transportation Services Office at (301) 402-RIDE.

    • NIH TRANSHIRE Program

      Receive up to $44 a month in a tax-free transportation subsidy if you commute to work by public transportation or vanpool. Park for free at the Shady Grove and New Carrollton Metro stations.

      This subsidy is available to NIH employees and postdoctoral trainees who surrender any NIH parking permits. Participants can receive up to twenty-four (24) temporary one-day parking permits for the campus per year. Fare media are distributed bi-monthly at the R&W; store in Building 31. Call the NIH Employee Transportation Services Office at (301) 402-RIDE.

    • RideFinders Network

      NIH offers a free carpool and vanpool matching service. Qualify for a carpool permit and park closer to your building. If interested in vanpooling, you may qualify for up to $44 a month in trANSHARE subsidies toward cost of commuting. Vanpools also qualify for a reserved parking space. Car/vanpool riders can get up to twenty-four (24) temporary one-day parking permits for the campus per year. Those who commute by carpool/vanpool are also eligible for four (4) free Emergency Rides Home per year.


Automobile

  • High Occupancy Vehicle Lanes (HOV) are reserved during designated times for buses, vanpools, and other vehicles carrying three or more passengers. Tickets are issued when improperly used. 

Bicycle Information

  • Storage facilities for those commuting to NIH by bicycle are available throughout the campus. a total of 235 bicycle racks are located near all major buildings and garages. Of these, 110 are in convered, weather-protected locations. In addition, there are also 20 bicycle locker spaces.
  • Washington Area Bicycle Association, (202) 872-9830.
  • R&W; Bicycle Commuter Club. 

Bus Service

  • Airport Connection is a limousine service that services areas in the Washington, DC, Montgomery County, MD, and Prince George's County, MD areas.
  • Greyhound-Trailways Buslines is a nationwide bus line that serves both Washington and Baltimore from main terminals downtown to satellite terminals in the suburbs. For more information, please call (202) 289-5155 for Greyhound-Trailway Lines.
  • METROBUS provides transportation to destination points throughout the Washington, DC, Maryland, and Virginia area. Pamphlets describing bus routes are available at the Parking Office, Building 31, Room B3B04 or by calling METRO at (202) 637-7000.
  • Washington Flyer gives service to all three airports, some areas of DC, and some areas of Montgomery County, MD. For further details, please call (703) 685-1400.
  • Other Suburban Bus Systems
    • Maryland
      • RIDE-ON bus service in Montgomery County at (301) 217-7433.
      • CALL A BUS serves the southern part of Prince George's County where access to METRO or other bus services is not available for shopping, medical facilities, etc. For more information, please call (301) 499-8603.
      • Eyre Trailways (301) 854-5600.
      • University of Maryland (UMBUS) serves University of MD, area apartments, and Metro stations, (301) 314-2255.
      • Service to Upper Marlboro. TheBus Route 21 (from New Carrollton Metro and Largo Town Center Metro) and TheBus Route 20 (from Addison Road Metro) provide service to Upper Marlboro. For schedule information, call (301) 324-2877, or visit the Prince George's County Department of Public Works and Transportation Web site.
    • Virginia
      • Loudon County Department of Transportation Ride Sharing and Commuter Bus, (703) 771-5665.
      • Alexandria Transit Company, (703) 370-DASH.
      • Arlington Transportation Commission. For free maps of bus routes in the city, (703) 358-3698.
      • Ballston Transit Store, (703) 528-3541.
      • Crystal City Trolley, (703) 358-3575.
      • Fairfax City CUE, (703) 385-7859.
      • Fairfax County Office of Transportation Transit Operations, (703) 246-1100.
      • Lorton-Fairfax Connector, (703) 339-7200.
      • Reston bus car/pool information LINK, (703) 318-9663.
      • Reston Internal Bus System RIBS, (703) 548-4545.
      • Prince William County COMMUTERIDE ride sharing, (703) 490-4422; bus/rail, (703) 490-4811.
      • Regional carpool/vanpool matching service, (202) 783-POOL. 

Rail Service

  • Amtrak-Rail passenger service, (202) 484-7540, is available at the following stations:
    • Union Station in the District
    • Baltimore, MD
    • Baltimore/Washington International Airport
    • New Carrollton, MD
    • Rockville
    • Silver Spring, MD
    • Alexandria, VA
    • Quantico, VA
    • Fredericksburg, VA
  • MARC
    • One line from Perryville, MD passing through Baltimore to DC
    • Second line travels from Baltimore to DC
    • Third line travels from Martinsburg, West Virginia to Washington, DC
    For further information, please call 1-800-325-RAIL. 
  • Metrorail serves the District, Alexandria, Arlington, Fairfax, Falls Church, and Vienna in Virginia; Prince George's and Montgomery Counties in Maryland. A packet of commuter information is available from the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, 600 Fifth Street NW, Washington, DC 20001, (202) 637-7000.
  • Virginia Railway Express
    • Manassass Line:
      • Broad Run/Airport, Manassas, VA
      • Manassas Park, VA
      • Burke Center, VA
      • Rolling Road, VA
      • Backlick Road, VA
      • Alexandria, VA
      • Crystal City, VA
      • L'Enfant Plaza, DC
      • Union Station, DC
    • Fredericksburg Line:
      • Fredericksburg, VA
      • Leeland Road, VA
      • Brook Road, VA
      • Quantico, VA
      • Rippon Landing, VA
      • Woodbridge, VA
      • Alexandria, VA
      • Crystal City, VA
      • L'Enfant Plaza, DC
      • Union Station, DC 

    For more information, please call (703) 497-7777.



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Page last revised March 28, 2007 (sva)