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Washington DC Taxi Fare Estimator

Mon, 22 Mar 2010 23:10:32 +0000

The Washington Post has a very good tool to estimate taxi fares in the Washington DC area. I have used it several times and the ranges they give have been pretty accurate all times I’ve compared with my cab rides. Link: District Taxi Fare Estimator Tool

Please note that the estimator does not include extra fees the taxis charge for each piece of luggage and additional passengers. So have in mind that the fare will likely be a couple of dollars more if you’re coming/going to the airport or train station for example. The list below can give you a reference in what extra charges you should expect.

photo credit: Max Klingensmith

Fare Rates (last updated: March 2010)
Metered Rates (Set by Washington DC Taxicab Commission

•$3.00 First 1/6 mile
•$0.25 Each additional 1/6 mile
•$1.00 Emergency Fuel Surcharge per trip within District of Columbia
•$15.00 Wait rate per hour (begins 5 minutes after arrival, or if stopped in traffic or below 10 mph for 60 seconds or more)
•$1.50 Additional Passenger (age 6 and older)
•$19.00 Maximum fare in the District of Columbia (not including other surcharges)

Extra Charges
•Rate for hire: (1st hour or any fraction thereof): $25.00
•After first hour – each 15 minutes thereafter: $6.25
•Large Luggage in trunk (per piece): $2.00
•Large Luggage handled by drivers (per piece): $0.50
•Telephone dispatch fee: $2.00
•Dismissal of dispatched cab without use: $3.00
•Fare during declared Snow Emergency: 125%
•Personal service (driver leaves cab vicinity): $2.00
•Animal (excludes securely-enclosed or service animals): $1.00

For other cities, you may want to try the Taxi Fare Finder

Washington DC Taxi Fare Estimator is a post from: www.kristraveler.com

This post was submitted by Kris.

Eating Like the President

admin — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 02:36:44 +0000

Where would you eat if you were a very important person…. hummm, let’s say the president of the US…. and could choose anywhere from the fanciest table to a chili bowl joint in DC?

Here are some places the Obama himself has been to for you to feel inspired…

————–

Dear Mr. President

by Todd Kliman | Washingtonian | July 1st, 2009 | Link to Original Post

So far, so good on your dining-out choices. Here are ten other places you should try.

Congratulations on the good judgment you’ve shown in your first few months. Not your economic plan—your dining-out judgment.

Some critics in the press have suggested that you’re playing a kind of culinary politics with your eating-out excursions. They point to the fact that you followed up date-night dinners with Michelle at Equinox and Citronelle—temples of fine dining—by swinging by Ben’s Chili Bowl (with DC mayor Adrian Fenty) for a chili dog and Ray’s Hell-Burger (with VP Joe Biden) for a hamburger. That’s the same high/low approach you took when you lived in Chicago: Your date-night restaurant was the elegant Spiaggia, with its vistas of Lake Michigan. But the place you went most often was MacArthur’s, a soul-food cafeteria where a plate of chicken with two sides costs $6.99.

like to think that your sensibilities are my sensibilities—a love of eating out at the extremes of the dining spectrum. And so, in that spirit, I’ve come up with ten of my favorite spots you really ought to try.

Komi. The most personal, the most soulful, the most distinctive restaurant in DC. Can you set aside your BlackBerry for three hours? Dinner is a lingering affair. From the mezzethakia, which starts a meal and takes at least an hour, to the communal-style final course, where you’ll be tearing the crisped meat off a baby goat or baby pig, the cares of Washington will seem a million miles away.

Palena. Frank Ruta might be the most technically proficient local chef who’s in his kitchen every day. His soups and pastas are very good, and his charcuterie will open your eyes to the small miracle of cured meats. As great as Ruta’s brand of French-Italian cuisine can be, maybe the greatest thing about it is that you come out of the place talking not about the chef but about how good simple cooking can be.

Vidalia. You’ve professed your love for Southern cooking, and this subterranean roost does soulful refinement as well as anyone in the country. Start with a perfect mint julep, load up on the cornbread in the stellar breadbasket, and then settle back and enjoy the imaginative preparations of country staples such as shrimp and grits and crabcakes. If you don’t have room for the killer lemon chess pie, ask for a doggy bag.

Four Sisters. This is one of the oldest Vietnamese restaurants around, newly relocated to the Merrifield section of Falls Church. I don’t think there’s an area restaurant that’s more beautiful, more delicious, or more inexpensive. An order of the marvelous shrimp toast, the juicy lacquered quail with blood-orange segments, the mushroom-filled rice crepes, and a Vietnamese coffee—and all that carping by the Republicans will be like water under the bridge.

Ravi Kabob House and Ravi Kabob II and III. Here’s the other reason to head into Virginia: It’s got the area’s best and most varied ethnic eating. The kebabs—marinated 18 hours and tended with great devotion over a charcoal flame—are superlative: as juicy and tender as any grilled slab at a big-ticket steakhouse. Go for lunch, and take Joe with you. But beware: If the right-wingers could light into you for chowing on a gourmet burger at Ray’s, just think what they’ll do to you for eating at a Pakistani restaurant.

Pete’s New Haven Style Apizza. Everyone knows you like pizza, and I know your favorite spot in Chicago is a thin-crust place. I think you’ll fall hard for Pete’s, which is serving the area’s best pizza. Big, crispy thin-crust pies with a balance of sauce, cheese, and topping. Take the girls and get the Sorbillo’s Original (a glorious turnover) and the clam pie, which is better than the one at Manhattan’s legendary Lombardi’s.

Poste. In a dining landscape ruled by chefs with bigger names and splashier dining rooms, this DC brasserie doesn’t receive nearly as much chatter as it deserves. The chef, Rob Weland, is the kind of kitchen talent whose confidence never crosses the line into showing off, and his Americanized bistro cooking, built on a foundation of top-notch ingredients—including herbs from his garden out back—is consistent and creative.

La Caraqueña. You got some flak over your handshake with Hugo Chávez, so coming to this Venezuelan-Bolivian restaurant would amount to a tweaking of those critics. But it also would mean a great afternoon of cheap eating. The sopa de mani (peanut soup), the fried arepas, and the salteñas are all superb.

Volt. This restored townhouse in historic Frederick is the best restaurant in the Maryland suburbs—elegant and unfussy American cooking in an atmosphere as cool as it is serene.

Faryab. Remember when you addressed the Muslim world and said we weren’t at war with Islam? Think about what you might achieve by dropping by this Afghan cafe for aushak (scallion-filled dumplings topped with a tomato-based meat sauce and spattered with yogurt), kadu (sweetened pumpkin), and mantu (dumplings with meat sauce and yogurt). You’ll be reassuring the Afghanis of your sincerity—all by having a delicious and inexpensive dinner.

This appeared in the July, 2009 issue of The Washingtonian.

Eating Like the President is a post from: www.kristraveler.com

My Favorites: Washington, DC

admin — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 00:56:59 +0000

Ten Pehn: Fusion Asian restaurant with outdoor seating right on Pennsylvania Ave, surrounded by Washington DC most beautiful buildings in downtown area. Food is excellent – shrimp with cury sauce and most of their appetizers are really exquisite. Ask for their promotion on 1/2 price bottles of wine, which can make a full meal the best one you have though for about $20-30 cheaper… Promotion used to be valid every Sunday, though I’ve seen it offered in other days of week as well, so you may want to call ahead and ask about it.

Sequoia: Right by the Potomac River, one of my favorites for good seafood with a view to the sun setting behind the Key Bridge in a spring or summer day. Lobster Ravioli and Crabcakes are my top choices every time I go there. The bar down by the deck is always crowded, but drink menu is very limited. Outdoor seating on the upper level is best for a happy hour or dinner.

My Favorites: Washington, DC is a post from: www.kristraveler.com

Interactive Maps

admin — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 02:44:08 +0000

Map Network has very nice interactive maps, where you can see the location of attractions, restaurants, etc for the major US cities. Just click on a building to see pictures, contact information and website of the venue.

The picture below is a map of the National Harbor (DC/Maryland) area:

http://map.mapnetwork.com/destination/dc/nationalharbor/

For other destinations:

http://www.mapnetwork.com/maps_destinations.asp

Interactive Maps is a post from: www.kristraveler.com

Photo Gallery

admin — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 13:31:58 +0000

Photo Gallery is a post from: www.kristraveler.com Related posts:Washington DC Taxi Fare Estimator Eating Like the President My Favorites: Washington, DC Interactive Maps Photo Gallery Ground Transportation – Airports in the Washington DC area Always be prepared…

Photo Gallery is a post from: www.kristraveler.com

Ground Transportation – Airports in the Washington DC area

admin — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 01:01:57 +0000

The Washington DC area has 3 main airports – see below alternatives for ground transportation to/from each of these airports and be prepared before going on your trip!

(Look for the best options marked in red!)

Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA)

Parking:

GARAGE A (Serving Terminal A)

Daily/Hourly Rates (Hybrid Rates)

$2 per half-hour for the first two hours or fraction;

$4 per hour for the 3rd and 4th hour or fraction;

$20 maximum for 24 hours.

GARAGE B and GARAGE C (Serving Terminals B and C)

Hourly Rates

$2 per half-hour for the first two hours or fraction;

$4 per hour for the 3rd through 8th hour or fraction;

$36 maximum for 24 hours.

Daily Rates

$5 per hour or fraction;

$20 maximum for 24 hours.

Taxi

Approximate one-way fares:

DCA to Rosslyn/Key Bridge: ~$12

DCA to Woodley Park/National Zoo: ~$17

DCA to Chevy Chase/Bethesda: ~$25

DCA to Downtown DC: ~$13

*additional charges may apply according to number of passengers or suitcases

SuperShuttle

Door-to-door service in a shared van. Costs around $15 (varies according to pick up /drop off location) per person.

Go to www.supershuttle.com for reservations or more information.

Subway <– Recommended by kristraveler.com

The DC subway system has a station connected to the concourse level at terminals B and C at the Reagan National airport. Being able to access the airport through the Blue or Yellow lines makes this option probably the easiest and cheapest of all. You’ll avoid traffic and pay about $1.50-3.00 to get to most places in the DC area. Even if your final destination is not close to a Metro stop, might be worth taking the metro to the closest station and getting a taxi from there.

For a map of the DC Metrorail system map, click here

Dulles International Airport (IAD)

Parking:

HOURLY PARKING LOT – Located directly in front of the Main Terminal within walking distance. Ideal for stays of less than 2 hours. Rates:

$4 per hour or fraction

$36 maximum for 24 hours.

DAILY GARAGE 1 and 2 – Both garages are connected to the Main Terminal by covered walkways. There is also free Shuttle Service 24/7. Easy vehicle access from the circular roadway in front of the Main Terminal. Rates:

$4 per half hour or fraction

$17 maximum for 24 hours.

Taxi:

Service provided by Washington Flyer, aproximate one-way fares:

IAD to Rosslyn / Key Bridge: ~$50

IAD to Woodley Park / National Zoo: ~$55

IAD to Chevy Chase / Bethesda: ~$55

IAD to Downtown DC: ~$51

*additional charges may apply according to number of passengers or suitcases

SuperShuttle

Door-to-door service in a shared van. Be prepared to leave with extra time, as van stops at various locations before final destination.

Costs around $30 (varies according to pick up /drop off location) per person. Go to www.supershuttle.com for reservations or more information.

Washington Flyer Coach Service <– Recommended by kristraveler.com

Non-stop service from the airport to Metro’s West Falls Church station. Trip takes around 25-30 minutes, fare: $10 one way, $18 round-trip.

For information on bus schedule and ticket purchase, click here

Public Bus System – Metrobus

Metrobus Route 5A operates between L’Enfant Plaza Metro station in Washington, D.C. and Washington Dulles International Airport, with a stop at the Rosslyn Metro station in Arlington. Other stops include Tysons-Westpark Transit Station and the Herndon-Monroe Park & Ride Lot. One-way fare: $3. Check schedule ahead, but be prepared for bus delays. More information, click here (document in *.pdf)

Baltimore-Washington International Airport (BWI)

Parking:

HOURLY GARAGE – The first 30 minutes in the garage is FREE, each half hour thereafter is $2.00, up to a maximum of $20 for the day.

DAILY GARAGE – Rates are $2.00 per hour to a 24-hour max of $10.

LONG TERM PARKING – Rates are $1 per hour, up to a maximum of $8 per day

Taxi

BWI to Rosslyn / Key Bridge: ~$75

BWI to Woodley Park / National Zoo: ~$71

BWI to Chevy Chase / Bethesda: ~$81

BWI to Downtown DC: ~$71

SuperShuttle

Door-to-door service in a shared van. Be prepared to leave with extra time, as van stops at various locations before final destination.

Costs around $37 (varies according to pick up /drop off location) per person. Go to www.supershuttle.com for reservations or more information.

Amtrak / MARC trains <– Recommended by kristraveler.com

The Amtrak or MARC trains are probably the most convenient and cheapest way to get to/from the BWI airport. If you are leaving from DC to the airport, go to the Union Station by metro or taxi and get the Amtrak or MARC trains that leave to Baltimore Penn Station (~30 mins regular train, 15-20mins on Express). Tickets can be bought up to few minutes prior to departure. At Baltimore Penn Sation, cross the street and catch the free shuttle to the Airport (~5-10 mins).

Marc trains provide service Monday to Friday to Baltimore Penn Station – $4 one way – and Union Station in Washington DC – $6 one way. MARC schedule

Amtrak has daily train service to Baltimore Penn Station – $16 and up one way – and Union Station in Washington DC – $16 and up one way. Amtrak schedule

*All rates in US Dollar and are approximate values during July 2009

Have more information or other alternatives that you’d like to share? Please leave your comment or question below!

Ground Transportation – Airports in the Washington DC area is a post from: www.kristraveler.com

Always be prepared…

admin — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 15:03:30 +0000

A couple of years ago a friend of mine went to Buenos Aires, Argentina, and was unfortunate to get a taxi driver that takes advantage of foreigners… He was charged about 150 argentine pesos, for a ride that typically would cost around 60 pesos. While he thought the price was steep for that ride, he didn’t know how much the ride would cost, so couldn’t question the driver and had to pay the 150 pesos.

This happens in several countries, but as easy as it is to be caught in a situation like that, it’s also simple to avoid it – before starting your trip, research on the web or call the hotel you’re staying at to find out how much the taxi ride would cost.

____________________________

07/14/09 Update:

For main cities in the US, go to www.taxifarefinder.com to calculate estimated cab fares and get cab phone numbers

Always be prepared… is a post from: www.kristraveler.com