Home Destinations USA North Carolina Charlotte, Raleigh, and the Piedmont Features Getting Here & Around

Getting Here & Around

Charlotte, Raleigh, and the Piedmont Features

Getting Here & Around

By Air

The Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU), off Interstate 40 between the two cities, is served by most major airlines. RDU Airport Taxi Service provides taxi service from the airport.

Charlotte-Douglas International Airport (CLT), served by most major airlines, is west of Charlotte off Interstate 85. From the airport, taxis charge a set fee to designated zones; the cost is $13 to $21 (plus $2 for each additional passenger) to most destinations in Charlotte. Airport vans are approximately $8 per person. Just west of Greensboro, the Piedmont Triad International Airport (PTI) is off Route 68 north from Interstate 40; it's served by Allegiant Air, American Eagle, Continental Express, Delta, Northwest, United, and US Airways. Taxi service to and from PTI is provided by Piedmont Triad Airport Transportation.

By Bus

Capital Area Transit is Raleigh's public transport system, Chapel Hill Transit serves Chapel Hill and Carrboro, and Durham Area Transit Authority is Durham's intracity bus system. The fare for the Raleigh and Durham systems is $1. Chapel Hill Transit is free.

The Triangle Transit Authority, which links downtown Raleigh with Cary, Research Triangle Park, Durham, and Chapel Hill, runs weekdays except major holidays. Rates start at $2.

By Car

While it's possible to use buses and trains for travel within the Piedmont and Sandhills, they're usually not convenient or fast. Interstates 40, 85, and 77, as well as several U.S. and state highways, offer easy access to most of the region's destinations. Traffic is an issue in the metropolitan areas during morning and evening rush hours, but it is light compared to conditions in larger U.S. cities.

U.S. 1 runs north-south through the Sandhills and the Triangle and is the recommended route from the Raleigh-Durham area to Southern Pines.

Charlotte is a transportation hub; Interstate 77 comes in from Columbia, South Carolina, to the south, and then continues north to Virginia, intersecting Interstate 40 on the way. Interstate 85 arrives from Greenville, South Carolina, to the southwest, and then goes northeast to meet Interstate 40 in Greensboro. From the Triangle Interstate 85 continues northeast and merges with Interstate 95 in Petersburg, Virginia.

Greensboro and Winston-Salem are on Interstate 40, which runs east-west through North Carolina. From the east Interstate 40 and Interstate 85 combine coming into the Triad, but in Greensboro, Interstate 85 splits off to go southwest to Charlotte. High Point is off a business bypass of Interstate 85 southwest of Greensboro.

U.S. 1 runs north-south through the Triangle and links to Interstate 85 going northeast. U.S. 64, which makes an east-west traverse across the Triangle, continues eastward all the way to the Outer Banks. Interstate 95 runs northeast-southwest to the east of the Triangle and the Sandhills, crossing U.S. 64 and Interstate 40, from Virginia to South Carolina.

By Taxi

Taxis and airport vans service all the area towns and airports and are an alternative to renting a car if you don't plan on doing a lot of sightseeing. Reputable companies include Blue Bird Taxi in Greensboro, Central Piedmont Transportation in Winston-Salem, and Crown Cab and Yellow Cab in Charlotte.

By Train

From Charlotte, there's daily service to Washington, D.C., Atlanta, and points beyond, as well as daily service to the Triangle cities of Raleigh, Durham, and Cary. In Greensboro, Amtrak's Crescent stops in before continuing from New York to New Orleans (or vice versa). And the Carolinian also stops in Greensboro as it goes from Charlotte to Raleigh and then north to Baltimore, Washington, and New York. The in-state Piedmont connects nine cities—including Greensboro—between Raleigh and Charlotte each day.

Both southbound and northbound Amtrak trains—one daily in each direction—stop in Southern Pines.

Tour Information

On Lake Norman, near Charlotte, the Catawba Queen paddle wheeler gives lunch and dinner cruises and tours and the Lady of the Lake,a 90-foot yacht, offers dinner cruises.

Essentials

Air Contacts

Charlotte-Douglas International Airport (CLT, 5501 Josh Birmingham Pkwy., Airport/Coliseum, Charlotte, 28208. 704/359-4013. www.charlotteairport.com). Piedmont Triad International Airport (PTI, 6451 Bryan Blvd., Greensboro, 27409. 336/665-5666. www.flyfrompti.com). PTI Airport Transportation (6415 Bryan Blvd., Greensboro, 27409. 336/668-9808). Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU, 1600 Terminal Blvd., Morrisville, 27623. 919/840-2123. www.rdu.com). RDU Airport Taxi Service (1600 Terminal Blvd. Raleigh-Durham, 27623. 919/840-7277).

Bus Contacts

Capital Area Transit (919/833-5701. www.raleighnc.gov/transit). Chapel Hill Transit (919/968-2769. www.townofchapelhill.org). Durham Area Transit Authority (919/683-3282. www.durhamnc.gov). Triangle Transit Authority (919/549-9999. www.ridetta.org).

Taxi Contacts

Blue Bird Taxi (1205 W. Bessemer Ave., Suite 208, Greensboro, 27406. 336/272-5112). Central Piedmont Transportation (6415 Bryan Blvd., Greensboro, 27409. 336/668-9808). Crown Cab (1541 St. George Pl., Charlotte, 28205. 704/334-6666). Yellow Cab (4257 Golf Acres Dr., Charlotte, 28208. 704/332-6161).