Getting Here & Getting Around

Whether you're planning on visiting us within easy driving distance, or you're arriving from the other side of the world, getting here is relatively easy to do. We're served by multiple airports, multiple rail systems, and a range of major highways connecting us to all major regional thoroughfares. Browse the information below and familiarize yourself with all of your options.

Getting Here

Just minutes from Washington, D.C. in the Mid-Atlantic region of the U.S., Fairfax County is within a day’s drive of 50% of the U.S. population, and within a 10-hour drive of the following cities:

Baltimore - 55 miles
Boston - 440 miles
New York – 245 miles
Philadelphia – 140 miles
Richmond – 100 miles
Virginia Beach – 200 miles
Atlanta – 640 miles
Miami – 1,050 miles

Northern Virginia is very easy to get to…by planes, trains, and automobiles:

PLANES

Fairfax County offers the convenience of easy access to two major airports – Washington Dulles International (IAD) and Ronald Reagan Washington National (DCA) – these airports offer more than 200 non-stop domestic and international flights combined.
A third option, Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall (BWI), offers more than 60 non-stop domestic and international flights, and is about 45 miles away.
With three great airport choices, you can compare flights for both ease of access and affordability.

TRAINS

Amtrak offers passenger rail service between nearby Union Station in Washington, D.C., and major eastern cities. The AutoTrain is available from Lorton, VA, down the coast to Sanford, FL.
You can also take Amtrak’s Northeast Regional line from parts of Southern Virginia (such as Lynchburg or Norfolk) straight to Burke Centre in Burke, VA.
View Amtrak Maps

AUTOMOBILES

Visitors who choose to drive to Fairfax County have the option of arriving via four major interstate highways (I-66, I-95, I-395, and I-495), the main transportation arteries by which many people arrive.

Getting Around

Fairfax County affords visitors lots of convenient, reliable, and cost-effective options to get around, another reason why we have been selected to host various state, regional, national, and international sports events.

METRORAIL & METROBUS

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), which offers regional transit service in Northern Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia, operates Metrorail (our area’s “Subway/Metro” that also travels above ground). Metro is not just a convenient way to access many of the region’s most memorable attractions, it’s part of the vacation experience itself! There are 13 stations in Fairfax County, many offering daily parking facilities and bicycle racks. In 2022 additional stations were added in Fairfax County including a station at Dulles International Airport. View the Metrorail System Map.
Also operated by WMATA, Metrobus offers bus routes in many parts of Fairfax County, with service available at Metro stations. Providing more than 400,000 trips each weekday throughout the D.C. area, Metrobus is the sixth busiest bus agency in the United States, with a fleet of more than 1,500 buses operating on 325 routes.

PERSONAL & RENTAL CARS

Personal vehicles are the easiest way to navigate the region. Interstates 95, 66, 395, and 495 are the main transportation arteries to get people to and from Fairfax County.
Interstate 495 – commonly referred to as “The Beltway” – wraps around Washington, D.C. and runs through Northern Virginia and Maryland. To help make trips faster and more predictable during rush hours, the new 495 Express Lanes can be used, which are tolled and operate alongside regular lanes on the Virginia side of I-495.
All major car rental companies are represented at Dulles International, Reagan National, and BWI airports, providing visitors with convenient transportation to host hotels, competition and social venues, and to explore the many amazing tourism sites in our area.
Another wonderful perk of traveling to Fairfax County is the abundance of parking, which in most cases is available at no charge.

UBER/LYFT & TAXI

Rideshare services such as Uber and Lyft have a strong presence in the D.C. metro area. For those who prefer the traditional route of hailing a cab or reserving one in advance, several taxi companies (e.g., Yellow Cab, Northern Virginia Checker Cab) operate in our region to transport guests quickly and dependably.

BUS SERVICE

Our local bus system, Fairfax Connector, is perfect for cost-effective transportation to a variety of sites throughout Fairfax County, including many Metro and Metrobus stations.

RAIL SERVICE

Amtrak runs passenger rail service from Fairfax County to Union Station in Washington, D.C.
Additionally, the Virginia Railway Express (VRE) offers local rail service in Fairfax County with two stops in D.C. (Union and L’Enfant Stations).
View Amtrak Maps

AIRPORT & HOTEL SHUTTLES

In addition to car rental, rideshare, and taxi services, the D.C. area’s three major airports offer shuttles and other modes of ground transportation to points throughout Northern Virginia.
To transport guests to local restaurants and attractions, many of the region’s hotels provide complimentary shuttle service to these venues as well as to nearby airports.

TRANSPORTATION SERVICE VENDORS

If there’s ever a need to shuttle small or large groups of people throughout the D.C. area during your event, we’ll gladly help to secure sedans, SUVs, limousines, vans, minibuses, or motorcoaches through one of the many transportation service vendors operating in our area.

WALKING & BIKING

Washington, D.C. is a very walkable city. By foot, it’s easy to get from monuments to museums to memorials. Most of the urban hubs in Fairfax County are pedestrian-friendly as well. Lifestyle centers abound, where you can walk to restaurants, retail shops, movie theaters, as well as town squares to enjoy a live concert or game of cornhole. Our county, state, regional, and national parks are ideal venues for a nice hike.
Fairfax County’s amazing bike trails include a diverse selection of easy to challenging rides with paved, off-road, and mountain biking options. From short, slow rides with the kids to heart-pumping, single-track pistes for avid mountain-biking enthusiasts, there’s something for every level of cyclist. Bike rentals are available through the Capital Bikeshare system and local bike shops.

Dulles International Airport