Getting Around in Northern Virginia
Northern Virginia maintains a robust transportation system engineered to handle large crowds. There are lots of convenient, reliable, and cost-effective options available to get around, another reason why the D.C. area is such a popular destination for state, regional, national, and international sports events.
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 SportsNOVA partner destinations. 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 in Northern Virginia 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.
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 10 stations in Fairfax County, many offering daily parking facilities and bicycle racks. In 2022, additional stops will be added in Fairfax and Loudoun counties, as well as at Dulles Airport. 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.
BUS SERVICE
Each SportsNOVA partner destination offers a local bus system for cost-effective transportation (Fairfax: Fairfax Connector; Loudoun: Loudoun County Transit; Prince William: OmniRide; Stafford: FRED). Our local transit buses connect passengers to a variety of sites throughout Northern Virginia, 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, Prince William, and Stafford Counties, with two stops in D.C. (Union and L’Enfant Stations).
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. Northern Virginia is 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. Northern Virginia’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.