How do I get there from here?
As a new student at UMW, you may feel marooned in a strange place without your car. Don’t despair! Transportation options abound on and near campus. The most important ones are detailed below. In addition, you’ll soon have friends and contacts who have cars but, in the meantime, take advantage of closer ties to campus. Investigate all the possibilities of evening and weekend entertainment-from residence hall socials to music or drama offerings; from guest speakers to campus recreation activities, from working out in the gym to “open mike” nights. You’ll find information about these and many more possibilities posted on all the bulletin boards, on the University’s web pages, and through the “Weekly Email” from Student Activities.
The Fredericksburg Area Metropolitan Planning Organization has a very helpful, comprehensive site of travel information, including area airports and bus service operations.
Campus Escort Service
The Escort Service is an after-dark, student-operated safety service provided on request from an academic or administrative building back to the residence hall. The student escorts are walking escorts – not vehicle assisted. For assistance, call 540-654-1025. This service also operates from the campus parking deck as well as off-campus parking lots by calling from the parking lot/parking deck emergency phones. The service is available during the academic year from dusk to 1 a.m. M-W and dusk to 3 a.m. Th-Su.
Fredericksburg Regional Transit
The FREDericksburg Regional Transit (FRED) buses are FREE to University students with presentation of the student ID card. Convenient stops are located along Double Drive within the main gates off University Avenue, in front of Seacobeck and on Sunken Road. The FRED buses run to the historic downtown area of shops and eateries, and out to the major shopping areas and movie complexes on Route 3. A special FRED Express service was developed especially for the University students and operates Thurs.-Sun., August through April. The line has also been extended into Spotsylvania County. Advise the bus driver if it is your first time on board and he will assist you with the necessary transfer information. For more information call 540/372-1222.
Club Vans
Student clubs and organizations often reserve University vans for transportation to plays, concerts, museums or other special events of interest. Club members and other Interested students are invited to attend.
Bicycle Power!
Biking is an option for getting around campus and the surrounding neighborhoods, to downtown Fredericksburg, which is considered bike-friendly due to its wide one-way streets. We would not recommend attempting to travel by bicycle to the Route 3 area which is a high-traffic area and definitely not pedestrian or bike friendly!
Greyhound Bus Lines
The Greyhound station is located downtown at 1400 Jefferson Davis Hwy., Fredericksburg. Telephone Numbers:
- Main: 540-373-2103
- Greyhound Package Express: 540-373-2103
- Customer Service: 540-371-0384
Hours of operation are subject to change. Please call to verify hours before making travel arrangements.
Amtrak
Amtrak trains stop at the Fredericksburg train station and offer service north to New England and south to Florida. In addition to their regular service, Amtrak trains run on weekends and holidays when the Virginia Railway Express (VRE) trains are not in service. Call 1-800-USA-RAIL or visit their website.
Virginia Railway Express (VRE)
The Virginia Railway Express (VRE) is the fastest and most convenient way to make day trips to all the cultural attractions of the nation’s capital or to make Metro connections to the Washington, D.C. airports. These commuter trains start running as early as 5:15 a.m. and return as late as 7:40 p.m. during the week. Weekend service is offered by Amtrak. For more information on VRE call 703/684-1001.
Metrorail
Taking the DC Metro is a wonderful way to get around our nation’s capital. It is easy to make connections to Metro from the VRE or Amtrak. Metro also makes convenient connections to Reagan National and Dulles airports. At each station there are large color-coded maps showing fares and travel times. Each passenger needs a farecard to ride and fees are based on when and how far you travel. Farecard machines are in every station. Take a friend from the University and have a day of adventure seeing where you can go on the Metro! Metro operates on weekdays from 5:30 a.m. until midnight and on weekends from 8 a.m. until midnight. For more information on Metro schedules, fares or parking call 202/637-7000.
Taxi Service
Don’t forget the convenience of taxi service which is available 24 hours a day. Taxi service is also available to the airports with pickup at the University and delivery to the airline terminal for $130-$150. This service could be shared by up to 4 students for the same price. (Call ahead for rate information.)
- Hilldrup Taxi 373-8294
- Virginia Cab Service 373-8555
- Bumbrey’s Cab 373-6111
Getting to Washington D.C. and Area Airports
Getting from Fredericksburg to Reagan National Airport, Dulles Airport, or Washington DC is not as hard as it seems. Some methods include:
- TAXI Service: (see above) The local taxi companies will provide door-to-door transport to the airports. Call ahead to get current price information. This service could be shared by up to four students to reduce the price.
- GLOBAL CAB: A new, reasonably priced service for rides to the airport (currently $75 one way), is being offered by Global Cab. Call 540-657-CABS (2227), or visit Global-Cab.com.
- VAN/LIMO/CAR service to DC area airports is available for a wide range of prices beginning at $55. Limousine contact numbers include: *Elsie Belman Limousine Service, 540-899-LIMO (5466); *Fredericksburg Limo Service, 540-899-6150; *ChopChop Shuttle, 703-906-6939. Also, contact freddygo2airports.com at 571-356-0025 to arrange transportation to DCA, Dulles, and Richmond for approximately $98 one way; travel to BWI is also available for approximately $115. Ask about their student discounts.
Classic Transportation (Long Island, NY; New Jersey)
Classic Transportation services the New York Metropolitan area and offers transportation for our students. They are also setting up various pick-up locations in the Metropolitan area to facilitate college students, their parents, relatives and friends who are en route to their college or university destinations. Classic gives a direct route from Long Island, New York or New Jersey. You can contact them at 631-567-5100, ext. 201.