Atlanta City Guide - Getting Around

Although a car-dominated city, MARTA, the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (tel: (404) 848 5000; website: www.itsmarta.com) does provide rapid rail and bus services throughout the city - which means that most places can be reached by public transport. The bus network operates throughout the city around 0500-0130 Monday to Friday and 0500-2430 Saturday and Sunday. Buses take correct change or tokens only. The underground rail network runs from the north suburbs of Marietta to the airport in the south; east-west lines also extend across the suburbs. Trains are quiet, clean and, outside the rush hour, uncrowded. In stations, machines dispense tokens and change. Ticket booths are closed in the evenings. Rail services operate around 0400-0100 Monday to Friday and 0600-2430 Saturday and Sunday.

For bus or rail fares are purchased from a ticket dispenser. Rail stations sell tokens for use on both bus and rail services. A useful option is to buy one of the following passes allowing unlimited access to all services: Visitor Pass: one-day pass, two-day pass; three-day pass; seven-day pass. Additional days can be added.

Atlanta relies heavily on the automobile, so there is plenty of parking for most major office buildings, malls and hotels. The city is generally jam-packed with autos so it is not advisable for visitors to hire a car unless staying outside the immediate town centre or planning to visit sites located in the outskirts of the city.

Freeways are often congested, especially within the ring road (I-285) during weekday rush hours. The I-285 is a frighteningly busy five-lane highway with multiple exits and speeding traffic. Lane discipline is almost non-existent but should drivers venture into another's, they are likely to be hooted or verbally abused.

For visitors staying on the outskirts of the city and using the light rail system to travel into the city, most MARTA stations provide parking. However, visitors should be careful of off-street parking near theatres and music venues. Not all of these temporary parking lots are legal. On average, parking costs approximately US$2 per hour in car parks. Hotel overnight parking averages about US$20 per night.

To hire a car, an International Driving Permit is only required if the visitor's national driving licence is not in English. Some agencies will not hire cars to anyone under 25 years old or possibly over 71 years. Car hire prices are very competitive and fly-drive deals can reduce the prices further.

Companies insist on collision damage waiver insurance (CDW) and car hire prices quoted will usually not include this or sales tax at 7%. However, European insurance may be extendible to cover US driving and some credit cards may have an insurance option that covers car hire insurance.

Major car hire agencies have several offices throughout the city including: Alamo (tel: 1 800 327 9633; website: www.alamo.com), Avis (tel: 1 800 331 1212; website: www.avis.com), Budget (tel: 1 800 527 0700; website: www.budget.com), Dollar (tel: 1 800 800 4000; website: www.dollar.com), Enterprise (tel: 1 800 261 7331; website: www.enterprise.com), Hertz (tel: 1 800 654 3131; website: www.hertz.com), National (tel: 1 800 227 7368; website: www.nationalcar.com) and Thrifty (tel: 1 800 367 2277; website: www.thrifty.com).