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Getting Around
Navigating your way around Rosslyn, the rest of Arlington, and the DC Metro Area can be a bit of an adventure but thanks to a wonderful metro rail, metro bus, and greenway system, getting around isn't too bad.
Metrorail- The Washington, DC metrorail is one of the cleanest and safest metro systems in the world. It may be a bit smaller then other cities such as New York but it does a nice job of getting you to all the places you want to go. Rosslyn has a metro station located on North Moore Street. The metro is about 2 blocks from River Place Apartments and sits on the Orange and Blue lines. Rosslyn is the last metro stop before entering the District. Fares are a minimum of $1.65 and will cost more at times depending on time of day and distance traveled. The metrorail operates weekdays from 5 am to midnight and operates weekends from 7 am to 3 am.
The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) controls the operation of the metrorail. Please visit their website at: www.wmata.com. There is also a trip planner provided on the WMATA web site helping you plan trips from one location to another. It even details times of trains, buses, walking distances and cost.
Metrobus- The District of Columbia is also serviced by a line of buses that make up the Metrobus system. Just like the metrorail, metrobus is operated by WMATA. You can find a major hub for buses directly in front of the Rosslyn metro station. Fares costs $1.25, or $0.35 with a transfer, no matter the time or distance (exact change needed). Please also visit the WMATA website, www.wmata.com, for more information.
Arlington County also has a line of buses that operate small routes only in the Arlington area. These are called Arlington Transit buses, or ART. For more information please visit the Commuter Page at www.commuterpage.com/art.
Georgetown is a popular area of the District but has never had a metrorail station. To help visitors and residents get in and around Georgetown, the DC Circulator bus line services a line that connects Rosslyn to Georgetown to DuPont Circle. The DC Circulator stops at the Rosslyn Metro and cost $1 for a one way pass or $0.35 with a metro transfer (exact change needed). For more information please visit the DC Circulator web site.
Taxi- Traveling around the DC metro area can sometimes be easier in a taxi. Typically the taxis are clean and efficient as well as providing you door to door service. The downside to taxis is the cost is more expensive then metrorail or metrobus. Each building at River Place Apartments has a direct line to the Red Top Cab Company located in their respective lobby. You can also find cabs at the nearest taxi stand located across the street from the Rosslyn metro station.
Bicycle- The Washington, DC metro area has a wonderful bike trail system that allows cyclist to get just about anywhere. Several bicycle paths are within half a mile of River Place Apartments and providing riding that typically keeps cyclist off city streets. The metro are has over several hundred miles of bike trails (86 miles in Arlington alone) for commuters, exercise enthusiast, or those that just like to go for a slow roll. Also, metrorail and metrobus allows bicyclist to use their systems. Please check the WMATA web site for information on this. Please also visit Bike Arlington's web site at www.bikearlington.com for more information and for trail maps.
Bicycles can be rented from several locations in the area. The closest is on the other side of Key Bridge at Thompson Boat Rental, 2900 Virginia Ave NW, Washington, DC, (202) 333-9543. If you decide to bring your bicycle, please make arrangements with your building's management office to reserve a space for your bicycle in their bicycle room. Due to the limited space in your apartment, please do not keep bicycles in your apartment.
You can also try the Capital BikeShare program that gives you access to 1,100 bikes 24/7 all throughout DC. You go to any station, use your membership key to take a bike, ride around and then return it to any station you choose. Check out the website for more information. http://www.capitalbikeshare.com/
Running & Walking- Exercise is a big part of life in Washington, DC and the bike trails help residents get out and stretch their legs. Also, it is rare to find a street without a sidewalk so make sure to bring some good shoes because the possibilities are limitless. It should also be mentioned that Arlington National Cemetery and Theodore Roosevelt Island are very close by and wonderful places to walk.
Helpful links for running & walking: Bike trails: www.bikearlington.com (Just remember to stay to the right and allow faster runners and cyclist to pass) Walking tour of Arlington: http://www.arlingtonarts.org/cultural_affairs/walkarlington.htm Walk Arlington: http://www.walkarlington.com/home.html
Car Sharing- In the past few years a new concept has been developed called car sharing. The name of this company is Zipcar and you can essentially rent a car by the hour without needing insurance or paying for gas. Zipcar has stands nearby or have plans to create one soon. For more information please visit their websites at: Zipcar.
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