Whether you're a local going to work or a tourist seeking the sites, it'd do you some good if you bought yourself a SmarTrip card. As with any other major city in the world, Washington D.C. offers up their own pass that helps people get unlimited access to certain modes of transportation. But the SmarTrip is different than those in New York or Miami, in it that you can actually use it again. The card is refillable, just go to any metro station, grocery store, or you can even lead it online if your American bank has a digital platform.
Again, Washington D.C. is far from New York but that doesn't mean the public transport here pales in comparison. In fact, compared to other major cities in the country—particularly Los Angeles—D.C. has a great taxicab system. You can easily see them around at every corner, but they're mostly near the tourist spots or the busier urban spaces. And all you need to do is hail a cab and you'll get one in a matter of minutes (seconds if you're lucky and it's not rush hour!). You could also use a ride-hailing app to reserve a cab for yourself when you really need it.
Perhaps, second to New York's famous subway system, D.C.'s Metrorail system is one of the best of its kind in the country. It's often on time, it's spacious, and it's fast enough to ensure that the commuters get to where they need to be on time. In fact, one ace that the D.C. Metrorail system has against the subway of New York is that it rarely gets too crowded in the former, even during rush hour. It still gets filled, particularly in the morning when people are going to work/school, but throughout the day, It's spacious and wide.
The cheapest mode of transportation in D.C. is bus system. With around 325 routes throughout the capital city, you're guaranteed to get to where you need to go. And it only costs $1.75 a ride! Next to the Metrorail system, D.C.'s buses are the second busiest public transport. Since it covers more ground than the former, as well as the cheaper price, many locals have preferred it. The only complicated thing about it is that they stick to their routes rather strictly, which often means you'll probably need to transfer buses every once and a while.
What many people might not realize about Washington D.C. is that it's quite a wide and open city. Not just with the national parks and such, but the actual streets and roads as well. This makes it the perfect place to ride a bike, be it for leisure or you're actually going somewhere on it. Over the years, cycling has gone beyond just a form of exercise or a novel experience for tourists. Locals now actually use their own or rent for a day/week/month as a mode of transportation. Of course, this is mostly the case during spring and summer, when the weather is perfect for a bike ride.
Similarly, scooters are also used to go from one place to another in Washington D.C. though for now, it hasn't gotten the same traction as a serious mode of transportation within the capital, In the meantime, it remains to be more popular for tourists and fitness junkies. But it has also proven to be quite efficient as a mode of transportation, especially since there are loads of rental stations throughout the city. Using your SmarTrip card or even your credit card, you can pay to ride a scooter and leave it in the station nearest to your destination. Talk about convenient!
Source: Flickr.com/ Elvert Barnes
Washington D.C. may be one of the most important cities in the USA, but that doesn't it's difficult to explore and travel within it. The city's public transport systems have proven to be quite efficient in helping people go to where they want/need to go on time!
Though its public transport isn't the only good thing about the capital. Washington D.C. luxury apartments are also worth noting and are great choices for your accommodation here!
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