Getting To & Around Alexandria, VA

Alexandria is connected to the entire Washington, D.C. metropolitan area through the Metrorail and Metrobus systems, making it easy to get to and from the sights and attractions you want to see.

Fares

Travelers can buy fare cards at any Metrorail station or online. Buy a reusable SmarTrip® card or buy a 1-day or 7-day SmarTrip® pass for unlimited rides! SmarTrip® cards can also be used on Metrobus as well as every other bus system in the metropolitan area.

Metrorail

(202) 637-7000

Metrorail (operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority) is public transportation that can take you from Alexandria to Washington D.C., Maryland, and other parts of Northern Virginia. The King St-Old Town Metrorail station is located on King Street, Alexandria’s main street for shopping, dining, and the arts. Both Yellow Line and Blue Line trains stop at the King St-Old Town station.

The King St-Old Town Metrorail station is only a 25-minute walk from the waterfront at the east end of King Street. You can also take the free King Street Trolley along the length of King Street, from the Metrorail station to wherever you need to go, and back.

In addition to the King St-Old Town Metrorail station, Alexandria is served by four other stations: Potomac Yard, Braddock Road, Eisenhower Ave, and Van Dorn Street. To get to downtown D.C. from Alexandria, take the Yellow Line toward Greenbelt or Mt. Vernon Square, or take the Blue Line toward Largo Town Center or Stadium-Armory. Check out the Metrorail system map and WMATA’s official trip planner to plot the best route to your destination.

Metrorail hours:

Monday – Thursday: 5:00am – 11:59pm
Friday: 5:00am – 1:00am
Saturday: 7:00am – 1:00am
Sunday: 7:00am – 11:59pm

Metrorail tips:

Try to avoid purchasing cards or adding funds during rush hour periods in the morning and evening.

Stand to the right and walk to the left when using station escalators. (Elevators are also available.)

Check out the digital overhead boards for information about the next trains serving your station. The destination listed on the board is that of the final stop in the direction the train is headed.

DASH Bus

(703) 746-3274

Alexandria Transit Company (DASH) offers free DASH bus service and King Street Trolley service throughout the city. DASH bus service runs from early morning to late in the evening. Find route schedules or a DASH bus service map here.

Note: Construction at Alexandria City Hall and Market Square have impacted designated loading zones and parking. See below or here for more information. You can also find all motorcoach transportation resources at https://www.alexandriava.gov/Motorcoach 

Alexandria welcomes motorcoaches with parking options and user-friendly resources. Designated loading and unloading areas and short-term and long-term parking options are available with convenient online resources, maps, and suggestions to make visiting Alexandria easy.

Motorcoach parking in historic Old Town Alexandria requires a parking permit that can be obtained through online registration.

Request Your Motorcoach Parking Permit and see how simple it can be. Paid short-term and long-term parking are also available, and advanced reservation is encouraged. Please review our approved motorcoach areas below.

Motorcoach Loading & Unloading

Active loading and unloading for motorcoaches is allowed only in designated areas throughout the historic district. We have provided a list of approved locations closest to nearby attractions for your convenience. Please be aware that the Alexandria Police Department will strictly enforce any violations.

Market Square, Historic District Restaurants, Visitors Center, or Walking Tours
401 King Street, in front of Taco Bell Cantina. Note, this is one block west of the previous loading zone in front of City Hall. The loading zone is on the westbound side of the street, so please ensure you are entering the block from the east to avoid having to make a U-turn on our narrow and busy main street.

Gadsby’s Tavern Museum and Gadsby’s Tavern Restaurant
100 block of North Royal Street (one space), west side, southbound between Cameron & King streets, directly in front of Gadsby’s Tavern & Restaurant.

Christ Church, Shopping, and Dining
100 block of North Washington Street (five spaces), between Cameron & King streets, west side, southbound EXCEPT 4-6pm Monday through Friday.

100 block of South Washington Street (one space), between Prince and King streets, east side, northbound EXCEPT for 7-9am Monday through Friday. Do not block the DASH/Metrobus stop.

The Lyceum
200 block of South Washington Street (one space), west side, southbound EXCEPT 4-6pm Monday thru Friday

Motorcoach Parking

Motorcoach parking is permitted in designated locations only. Due to the sensitivity of our historic architecture, idling is not permitted when parked. Engines must be turned off. Parking is permitted at the following locations:

Short-Term Parking

Reserved short-term parking with a $5.00 permit is available:
Waterfront/Robinson Terminal: 500 block of North Union Street. Five spaces between Oronoco and Pendleton Streets, east side, northbound; Four-hour parking on a first-come, first-served basis. Register

North Old Town: 900 block of North St. Asaph Street. Three spaces, west side, southbound: Four-hour parking on a first-come, first-served basis. Register

Long-Term/Overnight Parking
Reserved overnight parking for a fee of $45 per night, and all-day parking for a fee of $20 is available:

George Washington Masonic Memorial: 101 Callahan Drive, 25 spaces. It is encouraged to obtain a permit in advance through the City of Alexandria (register here), but a meter is available for on-the-spot payment.

Thank you for visiting Alexandria. We appreciate your business and wish you a pleasant stay. Please obey our rules and regulations, as violations will be strictly enforced.

• Idling longer than 5 minutes is subject to a $50 fine. Motorcoaches parked in designated spots must turn off their engines.
• Double parking, stopping so as to obstruct traffic, and stopping to load or unload passengers in the traveled portion of any street are prohibited and subject to a $200 fine.
• Tour and sight-seeing motorcoaches may not use locations other than designated parking spaces and are subject to a $100 fine.

Motorcoaches planning to travel on the George Washington Memorial Parkway must be aware of numerous low clearance bridges on the parkway. You can view more information by visiting the National Park Service website at nps.gov/gwmp or you may call the permit Park Ranger at 703-289-2516 for general inquiries or questions.

For additional assistance, please contact the City of Alexandria by calling 703-746-4245 or visit https://www.alexandriava.gov/Motorcoach

Alexandria’s Amtrak station in the heart of Old Town offers easy access to Alexandria’s King Street Metrorail station, arts, shopping, and history from locations in the Midwest, Northeast, and South.

Five Amtrak routes stop in Alexandria:

• Cardinal (New York City to Chicago)
• Northeast Regional (Boston to Newport News, Norfolk, or Roanoke, VA)
• Carolinian/Piedmont (New York City to Charlotte, NC)
• Crescent (New York City to New Orleans)
• Silver Service/Palmetto (New York City to Tampa or Miami)

Multiple routes serve major cities including Boston, New York City, Newark, Philadelphia, and Baltimore. For more information, visit the Amtrak website.

Alexandria’s Amtrak Station (ALX)

110 Callahan Drive

From Alexandria’s Amtrak station, it’s only a 25-minute walk to the Potomac River waterfront by way of historic King Street – or visitors can take the free King Street Trolley from the King St-Old Town Metrorail station.

Virginia Railway Express (VRE)

The regional train service, VRE, provides service to and from Northern Virginia and Washington, DC’s Union Station. Please note that, as a commuter rail service, VRE operates very infrequently during non-“rush hour” periods.

Beginning July 1, 2024, passengers ages 18 and under will no longer need to pay to ride any VRE train. Visit VRE’s website to learn more: www.vre.org.

City Marina

0 Cameron Street
703-746-5487
Hours of Operation:
April – October: 9 a.m.-9 p.m.
November – March: 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Closed some City Holidays
Learn more

For boating enthusiasts, the marina is a 3-mile cruise from Washington, D.C. and Maryland. In addition to affording a spectacular view of the Potomac River, the City Marina has overnight boat slips and additional short-term docking space on sea walls and adjacent areas. The City Marina offers docking for pleasure boats and commercial vessels. For boaters who wish to stay overnight, restroom and shower facilities are available. One 30-amp electrical connection and water hose bib (in season) are available for each boat slip.

We ask that you and your guests please observe the following rules and regulations while at the City Marina:

• City Marina Rules & Regulations
• Marina Commercial Vessel Regulations

Want to explore all that Alexandria has to offer while also taking in the region’s top attractions, including D.C. monuments and museums, George Washington’s Mount Vernon and D.C.’s wine country? Let us ease your transportation worries. Alexandria has plenty of group transportation options, from hop-on hop-off bus tours to private guided tours to limousine rentals.