Guide For Getting To Atlanta Airport
Trying to get to the busiest airport in the world isn't easy, but with this guide getting to Atlanta Airport will be a breeze. When coming back, a look at this guide on how to get out of there.
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Plane Train: Moving Around Atlanta Airport
Getting to Atlanta Airport can be complicated, and although the airport is huge, it doesn't have to be difficult to get around it. The airport is designed in a way that is has a central 'spine', with 'ribs' coming off each side. Each 'rib' houses different gates, and the 'spine' that connects them all houses the Plane Train, an automated people mover that runs on electricity and connects the international terminal (East) with the domestic terminal (West) within minutes.
The Plane Train operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and trains depart from each station every 2 minutes. The Plane Train and all of its stations are located on Level 0, so passengers must go down to this level to board the train and return to the level of their terminal for departure.
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Train (MARTA)
If coming from the north, catching a MARTA train to the airport is smooth and uncomplicated.
Two MARTA train lines that stop at Atlanta Airport – the Red Line and the Gold Line. The Red Line begins at North Springs Transit Station and the Gold Line begins at Doraville, both ending at the airport station. The links for each line above have maps of every station available on the Red and Gold Lines. Google Maps is also a useful tool in planning a trip to the airport.
Trains on the Red Line going South depart from 4:51 a.m. to 1:15 a.m on weekdays, and from 6:01 a.m. to 1:06 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Southbound trains on the Gold Line operate from 4:45 a.m. to 1:21 a.m. on weekdays and from 5:55 a.m. to 1:15 a.m. on the weekend.
Passengers are only able to be paid with a Breeze Card, which are also able to be used on other MARTA transportation services around Atlanta. Breeze Cards can be bought from MARTA stations or online, and one-way tickets cost $2.
The Red and Gold Line trains arrive into the domestic terminal of the airport, on Level 2. If travelling domestically, alight the train and follow the signs to the domestic atrium. From here, ticket counters will be on the left and right of the atrium. If travelling internationally, passengers should continue walking straight through the terminal (heading West), through the security check, and to the escalators. These will take passengers to the Plane Train, which can then take passengers to any terminal in the airport.
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Taxi
It is easy to catch a taxi to Atlanta Airport. The airport website doesn't suggest any taxi companies so customers will have to choose which company they would like. Yelp has listed the top 10 taxi companies in Atlanta based on public reviews. Taxis can be booked in advance or at the time the passenger needs to depart. Each taxi company will have contact details listed on its website.
Taxi fares are set between the Central Business District (CBD) and Atlanta Airport. It costs $30 to get from the Downtown to the airport, $40 to get there from Buckhead and $32 from Midtown. Fares coming from outside the CBD in Atlanta are: $2.50 for the first 1/8 mile, $0.2 for every additional 1/8 mile, and $21 per hour of waiting time.
The designated taxi drop-off area in the airport is on Level 2, across from the domestic departures building. To get to the domestic departures area, walk towards the airport doors once exiting the taxi and enter. The North and South domestic flight desks will be on the right and left. If travelling internationally, walk through the domestic atrium and through the security checkpoint at the east end of the room (opposite end from the entrance/exit doors). Continue walking straight ahead until the escalator, then take it down to Level 0 and catch the Plane Train to the correct terminal. Here's the Atlanta Airport map if needed.
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Shared Shuttle Bus
There are a lot of local shuttle bus companies that operate from Atlanta to the airport. The Atlanta Airport website lists 11 authorized shuttle bus companies that that operate between the airport and Downtown, Buckhead, and Midtown. In addition, there are local shuttle bus companies that take passengers to the airport from cities in the these counties: Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton and Gwinnett.
When catching a shuttle bus to the airport, the maximum fees for journeys from the CBD are the following: Midtown $18.50, Buckhead $30, and Downtown $16.50. Fares for shuttle buses coming from other places have different prices. It is best to contact the shuttle bus company directly and ask about their fares. Here is a list of Atlanta Airport's list of shuttle bus services for each county surrounding Atlanta.
If passengers are coming to Atlanta Airport from areas outside the Atlanta region, there are many shuttle buses they can take. Alabama, South Carolina, North Carolina and Tennessee all have shuttle buses going to Atlanta Airport. The airport website has provided a list of these shuttles, where passengers can find contact details for the companies.
Regional shuttle buses are also available, providing service from Alabama, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. A list of these shuttles and their contact details is also available on the Atlanta Airport website. As with the local shuttles, it is best to book these services in advance.
Local and regional shuttle buses will drop passengers in the ground transportation area outside the domestic terminal on Level 2. To get to a domestic flight from here, walk through the airport doors and continue straight. Soon there will be ticket desks on the right and left sides of the atrium. If travelling internationally, passengers should continue walking straight until they reach the security check. Once through here, continue walking straight until an escalator appears. Take the escalator down to Level 0 and board the Plane Train to the correct terminal.
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Hotel Shuttle Bus
If staying at a hotel in Atlanta, it may provide a shuttle bus back to the airport. Many hotels offer this service for free or a small fee. Inquire with the hotel if they offer this service. All hotel shuttle buses will drop passengers in the same area as local shuttle buses and taxis. Read the above sections for directions from this drop-off area to other locations in the airport.
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Greyhound Bus
Atlanta Airport has a Greyhound bus office, where passengers are able to be dropped off. Greyhound is a bus company that operates in USA, Canada and Mexico, and has many stations across America. Passengers must arrange their ticket to Atlanta Airport with Greyhound via its website, where more contact details and fares information can be found.
The Atlanta Airport Greyhound office is on the Ground Floor of the North Terminal in the airport. To get to the domestic and international terminals from here, once getting off the bus, enter the airport building and take the escalator or lift going up. The domestic terminal is on Level 2. Once on Level 2, head East to get to the domestic departures ticket counters, or go walk West though the security check to an escalator, which will take passengers to Level 0. The Plane Train is on this level and can take passengers to any other terminal in the airport.
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Return A Rental Car
If passengers rented a car from the Rental Car Center (RCC) at Atlanta Airport, they can return their rental cars here before boarding their flight. The RCC is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and its address is 2200 Rental Car Center Parkway, Atlanta, GA 30337. The Atlanta Airport website provides driving directions, however using a navigation app like Google Maps, Waze or Maps.me is helpful when driving to new places.
Once passengers have dropped off their rental car, they can get back to the airport via the SkyTrain. There are signs in the RCC directing passengers to the SkyTrain. It takes about 5 minutes to reach the domestic terminal from the RCC. The AirTrain will arrive on Level 3, so passengers should take escalators or a lift to Level 2. From here, passengers can either check in to domestic flights, or continue walking to the Western side of the building where they will pass through security, go down an escalator, and board the Plane Train to get to the international terminal and the other gates.
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Limousine
Atlanta is home to plenty of limousine rental companies, many of which operate in connection with hotels in the area. If passengers are staying at a hotel, ask if they provide limousine services. Otherwise, Atlanta Airport has over over 300 limousine services listed on its website. It is recommended to book limousine services in advance. When dropping its passengers at the airport, the limousines will stop in the taxi bay outside the domestic terminal. For directions to the domestic check in desks and international terminal, see the taxi section above.
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Drive and Park There
Atlanta Airport has many different car parks and parking options, with enough spaces to accommodate 30,000 parked cars. It has four parking categories: Hourly, Daily, Economy and Park Ride. The Atlanta Airport website lists directions to and maps of the car parks, but Google Maps, Waze or Maps.me are also useful for driving directions.
The cost for parking at Atlanta Airport varies with each parking lot. Domestic hourly (short term) parking costs $3 for the 1st and 2nd hours, $4 for the 3rd to 6th hour, and $36 per day after 6 hours and $36 for each additional day. International hourly parking costs the same, although they are on opposite sides of the airport. Daily (overnight) parking is located on Level 4 and costs $3 per hour, with a maximum limit of $19 per day. Economy parking costs $3 per day and has a maximum limit of $14 per day. Park-Ride Lots A and C are close to the North and South terminals and cost $3 per hour, with a maximum daily limit of $10. Atlanta Airport website also shows a live status of the parking lots, allowing passengers to know if the parking lots are full before arriving.
Off-site parking lots are also available for passengers to use, and are generally cheaper than the airport parking. SpotHero, Airport Parking Reservations, and Parking Guides allow passengers to compare the prices for off-site parking around the airport. Check these websites for more information.
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Ride-Sharing
Like most airports in America, Atlanta Airport supports ride-sharing apps like Uber and Lyft. These services are generally cheaper than taking a taxi. To use the apps mentioned, download it from the App Store or Google Play Store and open it. All apps operate in a very similar way. Users should enter their payment information, their current location and the drop-off destination. Then they can select the type of car and service. Uber and Lyft offer a range of different vehicles and services. For more information check out their websites.
After this information has been entered, the passenger will be able to track their driver's location until they arrive. Passengers should enter the terminal they are departing from as their drop-off location in the app (either domestic or international) and the driver will drop them there. Both the apps and the websites will give estimate costs for the ride once the pick-up and drop-off locations have been entered.
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Doesn't make sense?
If passengers are having trouble getting to the airport, they should try the following links and numbers:
Atlanta Airport Ground Transportation - (404) 530-6674
Atlanta Airport Parking - (404) 530-6725
Atlanta Airport Office of Public Affairs - (404) 382-2368
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