Travel

Red Shuttle Bus

University of Maryland Shuttle Buses to the campus leave regularly from the front (east side) of the station. This is Route 104, which stops at Regent Drive Garage - a five minute walk to the Stamp Student Union.

Walking (full map)

After exiting the turnstile in the Metro station, take the pedestrian tunnel under the train platform. Walk through the parking lot to Columbia Avenue, turn right onto Columbia, and walk north about 100m. Then turn left from Columbia onto College Ave. Walk about half a mile west on College Avenue to Route 1, known here as Baltimore Avenue. Cross Route 1 and continue straight on what is now called Regents Drive. Walk along Regents drive, which curves from westward to northward, for 700m, until you reach a traffic circle (called “The M”). Turn left, and walk 400m westward. The Stamp will be on your right, the grand ballroom is on the first floor of the Stamp Student Union.

Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA)

Reagan (a.k.a. National) is the most convenient. It is very close to downtown D.C. – near the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia – and has its own Metro stop.

To get to College Park from Reagan by Metro, take the Yellow Line, direction Fort Totten, to L’Enfant Plaza. At L’Enfant Plaza, change to the Green Line (direction Greenbelt). Get off the Green Line at College Park Station. During the peak hours of the AM and PM commutes, this transfer is not necessary, and you can take the Yellow Line all the way to College Park. When using the DC Metro it is best to buy a reusable SmarTrip card. If instead you buy a new ticket for each ride, you will pay a $1 surcharge for for each ticket. One can also use Apple Wallet or GPay options. Taxi service to College Park from Reagan costs approximately $40.00, plus a tip. Super Shuttle is also an option. In a shared van, the price is $28, plus $10 per additional person. Reagan is only about 15 miles from the University. But throughout work hours, traffic is terrible. The ride will take at least 30 minutes, but less than one hour.

Baltimore-Washington International Airport (BWI)

Flights to BWI are cheaper than flights to Reagan. It is a hub city for the discount carrier Southwest Airlines, which generates some price competition. BWI has mostly domestic connections, but also a few direct international connections (for example, to the UK and Germany).

There is weekday public bus service to BWI from the Greenbelt Metro Station, for only $7.50, on the B30 Metrobus Metrobus (there is no service over the weekend). Greenbelt is just one stop beyond College Park on the Metro Green Line. College Park is about 25 miles from BWI. Taxi service is therefore expensive, in the area of $70. The Super Shuttle costs $32, plus $12 per additional person.

Washington-Dulles International Airport (IAD)

Dulles is the main international hub in the region, with direct connections from throughout the US, Europe, and Asia.

Dulles is 25 miles west of downtown D.C, however, and the 40 mile trip from Dulles to College Park is not easy. Options are taxi or shuttle van, or bus-and-metro combination. Taxi service to College Park costs approximately $80. The drive is at least 45 minutes, and most often one hour. Super Shuttle is another option: a shared van is $39, plus $10 per additional person. But be warned! Trips to College Park can be as much as three hours long: in dropping off several customers, the shuttle may follow a circuitous path, and traffic is generally terrible. The cheapest path is by Metro, $11. Take the Silver Line Express Bus ($5) to the Wiehle-Reston Metrorail Station. From there take the Silver Line train, direction Largo Town Center, to L’Enfant Plaza. At L’Enfant Plaza, transfer to the Green Line, direction Greenbelt, and get off in College Park. Under ideal conditions, the combination of bus and Metro ride will talk 90 minutes. But you should plan for a two-hour trip (at least) to be cautious.

When using the DC Metro it is best to buy a reusable SmarTrip card. If instead you buy a new ticket for each ride, you will pay a $1 surcharge for for each ticket. One can also use Apple Wallet or GPay options.

From the north

Take I-95 South to exit 27 for I-495 West (“Silver Spring”). Immediately after this (very gentle) exit, follow signs for Route 1 South (“College Park”), Exit 25. The campus is about 2 miles down Route 1.

From the south

Take I-95 North to I-495, the Capital Beltway, which is a continuation of I-95. Continue North on I-95/I-495 toward Baltimore. Take Exit 25 for Route 1 South toward College Park. The campus is about 2 miles down Route 1.

Parking Info

A list of parking garages on campus is here. The lot closest to WSCLA is Union Lane Garage, which sits immediately to the west of the Stamp Student Union. Parking on campus is $15/day on weekdays and $5/day on weekends.

You can also park in town at the Yale Avenue Garage for $0.75/hour, which will save you money on weekdays (13 hours will be $9.75), and on Sunday, when parking will be free. To get to WSCLA from this garage, follow the directions from Route 1 to Stamp above or here.

Amtrak to College Park

Amtrak makes two stops in the area, Union Station in Washington, and New Carrollton Station in Maryland.

Union Station (WAS)

Many trains stop at Union Station, which is on several Amtrak routes: the Acela Express, Northeast Regional, Vermonter, Capitol Limited, The Cardinal, and Silver Service / Palmetto. From Union Station it is easy to get to the University of Maryland by Metro. Take the Red Line (direction Glenmont) to Fort Totten. At Fort Totten, transfer to the Green Line (direction Greenbelt). Get off at College Park Station.

New Carrollton (NCR)

Relatively few trains stop at New Carrollton. It is served only by theNortheast Regional and Vermonter Routes. The F6 bus from New Carrollton to Silver Spring stops at the University of Maryland. But this bus is not frequent. You may therefore want to take a taxi or ask a local friend for a ride. The station is about 6 miles from the University. The advantage of New Carrollton over Union Station is that this drive is the easier than the 8 miles through city traffic to Union Station.