Directions to AU Math/Stat Department


Location

American University is located in northwest Washington, DC. The area around American University is a safe residential area, but there are few things within walking distance of campus. U. S. monuments and government buildings, museums, stores, restuarants, etc. require a taxi or subway ride. See the local transportation section below. The street address of American University is 4400 Massachusetts Avenue, NW. Click on the link above for more information. At the bottom of that page, there are links for maps and directions.

A campus map is shown below. The Department of Mathematics and Statistics Office is in Gray Hall (bottom left), Room 103, phone number 202-885-3120, FAX 202-885-3155. The Public Security/Campus Police non-emergency number is 202-885-2525, emergency number is 202-885-3636.





Getting to Washington, DC

Air travel

The closest airport is Reagan National Airport. From that airport you can get directly onto the Metro (subway) and get to downtown Washington, DC and within one mile of the American University campus. A taxi cab ride from National Airport to American University costs approximately $25. See local transportation below for more information. Warning for those arriving at night: National Airport has restricted hours - if your flight is delayed past a certain time (depending on the type of plane), you will not be able to land there. You will likely be routed to one of the airports below and bused to National Airport.

There are direct flights to Washington Dulles International Airport from Europe and the west coast of the U.S., so this airport may be easier for some. However, the airport is approximately 30 miles (50 km) west of Washington, DC and it is more expensive to get to the city. A taxi ride costs approximately $50 from Dulles Airport to American University. There is bus service (approximately $15 one-way, every 1/2 hour during the day) from the airport to the city center. See local transportation below for more information.

There are direct flights to Baltimore-Washington International Airport from Europe and the west coast of the U.S., so this airport may be easier for some. However, the airport is approximately 30 miles (50 km) north of Washington, DC and it is more expensive to get to the city. A taxi ride costs approximately $50 from Baltimore-Washington Airport to American University. There is bus service and train service from the airport to the city center. See local transportation below for more information.

Train

There is efficient train service along the east coast of the U.S. There are trains from Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York, and Boston to Washington's Union Station several times a day. See AMTRAK for more information. There is a Metro (subway) stop in the train station, see below for more information about the Metro.

Automobile

Washington, DC is near Interstate 95, the major north-south highway on the east coast. Click on American University link at the top of this page to gets maps and driving directions.



Local Transportation

Metro is the subway and bus system for Washington, DC. The subway is modern, clean and safe. It closes at night (approximately midnight), so make sure you don't get caught out late. The Metro stop for American University (AU) is Tenleytown-AU on the Red line (the routes are color coded). There are a few buildings of American University near the metro, but the conference will be held at the main campus, which is approximately 0.8 mile (1.3 km) from the Metro stop. In nice weather, it is a pleasant walk to the main campus. With luggage or in bad weather, you can take the AU shuttle bus or a taxi to the main campus.

Walking to the AU campus from Metro: at the top of the long escalator, go right to Wisconsin Avenue west. When you reach the street level, go right (south) on Wisconsin Avenue for two blocks to Tenley Circle. There is a cluster of several AU buildings on your right, but this is not the main campus. Turn right on Nebraska Avenue and walk about 1/2 mile west on Nebraska to Ward Circle. The main AU campus is on the far side of the circle (northwest corner).

Shuttle bus to the AU campus from Metro: at the top of the long escalator, turn left to Wisconson Ave east - AU shuttle. As you come out at ground level, go straight about 40 meters to the shuttle stop, beside a video store. (There is supposed to be an "AU Shuttle" sign there, but it is periodically torn down.) Shuttle buses come every 15 minutes, on the quarter hour. Weekday schedule: shuttle leaves the Metro stop from 7:15 AM to 12:30 AM. Weekend schedule: shuttle leaves the Metro stop from 8:30 AM to 12:45 AM. AU shuttle buses are white with AU logo in red and blue (not to be confused with Washington, DC buses which are white with red and blue trim, and stop nearby!). If the shuttle bus driver asks for identification, say you are coming to a meeting on campus and show some ID card you have.

Taxis in Washington run on an arcane zone system. Most city cabs do not have meters in them, so you must know what zone you are in and what zone you are going to before you can estimate the cost. (From the airport, there should be standard fares posted at the taxi stop - ask the attendant if you are unsure.) It can cost from $10-$25 to travel between American University and different parts of the city.

Parking

Most parking on campus is restricted - you will be ticketed if you park in the wrong place. There are a limited number of parking spots with meters near Bender Library and Clark Hall for short term parking. Contact the Math/Stat Department several days before your arrival if you will need a parking permit.





The following webpages give more information about Washington, DC.

Official Tourism Website of Washington, DC
Guide to Washington, DC