National Landing and Arlington Transportation Guide: Crystal City, Pentagon City, Rosslyn and Ballston

Arlington County is small on the map and busy on the ground. Within a few square miles you have Reagan National Airport, the Pentagon, the office and hotel towers of Crystal City and Pentagon City, and the string of urban neighborhoods that runs from Rosslyn to Ballston. Visitors often book a hotel here for the airport access and then discover how much else is nearby. This guide explains the layout and the realistic ways to get around.

Two corridors, one county

It helps to think of urban Arlington as two separate strips.

National Landing is the name now used for the area covering Crystal City, Pentagon City and the Potomac Yard neighborhood at the Alexandria line. It lies along Route 1 immediately west and north of the airport, and it is home to a large concentration of hotels, defense and technology offices, and Amazon's second headquarters.

The Rosslyn-Ballston corridor runs west from the Potomac through Rosslyn, Court House, Clarendon, Virginia Square and Ballston. It follows Wilson and Clarendon boulevards and is known for offices at the Rosslyn end and restaurants and nightlife around Clarendon.

The Pentagon sits between the two, beside I-395.

Metro in Arlington

Metrorail is the backbone of both corridors. In general terms, the Blue and Yellow lines serve the National Landing side, with stations at Pentagon, Pentagon City, Crystal City and the airport. The Orange and Silver lines run under the Rosslyn-Ballston corridor, and the Blue Line also stops at Rosslyn, which makes Rosslyn the main transfer point between the two strips.

For trips that start and end near stations during the day, Metro is hard to beat, and we are happy to say so. Its limits are the usual ones: trains do not run overnight, weekend track work can lengthen trips, and hauling several suitcases through a transfer is nobody's idea of a good start to a visit. Always check the current service status before relying on it for something time-sensitive.

The main roads

• Route 1 (Richmond Highway) is the spine of Crystal City and Potomac Yard and continues south into Alexandria.
• I-395 passes the Pentagon and Pentagon City and crosses the 14th Street Bridge into the District. It is the main route to downtown and Capitol Hill and is heavily used at rush hour.
• The George Washington Memorial Parkway runs along the river, serves the airport directly and continues north past Rosslyn toward McLean and south to Old Town Alexandria.
• I-66 and Route 50 carry traffic west from Rosslyn toward Ballston, Falls Church and Tysons. I-66 inside the Beltway has rush-hour tolling rules that change by direction and time, so check them before driving it yourself.
• The Key Bridge links Rosslyn with Georgetown, and the Roosevelt and Memorial bridges connect to Foggy Bottom and the Mall.

The interchanges around the Pentagon, where I-395, Route 1, Route 110 and Washington Boulevard meet, are famously easy to get wrong. Local drivers learn them through repetition. Visitors in rental cars often learn them the hard way.

How close is DCA, really?

Very close. Crystal City is one Metro stop from the airport, and the hotels along Route 1 are only about a mile or so from the terminals. That closeness is slightly deceptive, because the space in between is filled with the parkway, rail tracks and airport roadways rather than sidewalks designed for travelers with luggage. There are trail connections that cyclists and determined walkers use, but most visitors take a hotel shuttle, Metro, a taxi or a car. From Pentagon City it is two stops by rail, and from Rosslyn or Ballston it is a longer ride with a change of lines or a drive down the parkway or Route 110.

For a short trip like this, a rideshare or taxi is often perfectly adequate in the middle of the day. Our Uber vs. limo service guide is candid about that. The case for a reserved car grows with luggage, group size, early departures and travelers you are hosting. See DCA to Arlington for how that transfer works.

Hotels and pickups

National Landing has one of the largest clusters of hotel rooms in the region, from large convention properties to extended-stay brands, and there are more along the Rosslyn-Ballston corridor. Many of the Crystal City buildings are connected by an underground concourse of shops and walkways, and several have entrances on more than one street. When you book a car, give the exact hotel name and, if you know it, the entrance you will use. Our chauffeurs confirm these details ahead of time so you are not circling a block on the phone.

The Pentagon and nearby sites

The Pentagon has its own Metro station and a large bus transit center. As you would expect, vehicle access around the building is controlled and standing is restricted, so pickups and drop-offs happen at designated areas and work best when planned. If you are visiting the Pentagon, the 9/11 Pentagon Memorial, Arlington National Cemetery or the Air Force Memorial, tell dispatch which one and what time your appointment or tour begins. For official visits, follow your host's instructions on arrival points.

When a car service fits

• Early flights. A hotel may be five minutes from the terminal, but at four in the morning you still need a confirmed ride, particularly for Dulles or BWI departures.
• Dulles and BWI transfers. Many National Landing visitors arrive internationally at Dulles. A flat-rate car with flight tracking and a 60-minute complimentary wait on international arrivals removes the hardest leg. See the Washington airport transportation guide.
• Meeting days across the river. A day split between Crystal City, the Hill and downtown agencies is easier with one chauffeur on an hourly booking. Our DC neighborhoods guide covers the District side.
• Corporate and delegation travel. Companies with teams rotating through Arlington offices can use a corporate account with monthly invoicing. Details are on the corporate car service page.
• Evenings and events. Dinner in Clarendon, a game or concert downtown, or an evening in Old Town Alexandria with a group.

Onward trips from Arlington

Arlington is a convenient base for the wider region. Common rides include Tysons and McLean for business, downtown Washington for meetings and sightseeing, and Alexandria for dining. All are short in distance and variable in time, depending on traffic and the bridges.

Booking

DCA Limos serves all of Arlington around the clock with flat-rate pricing confirmed before you ride, licensed and background-checked chauffeurs and commercially insured vehicles. Non-airport pickups include 15 minutes of complimentary wait time, and airport pickups include 45 minutes on domestic arrivals and 60 on international. Reserve on the booking page or call (877) 609-1919.