After settling into Georgetown, it’s easy to find yourself stuck in the Georgetown bubble—walking to Leo’s, heading to class, and occasionally venturing down to M Street. But whether you’re heading to a museum, commuting to a job, or exploring a new neighborhood, getting around District of Columbia means learning to navigate its transportation options.
From Georgetown University Transportation Shuttle (GUTS) buses to the Metrorail, here’s your guide for navigating the city beyond the front gates.
GUTS
The GUTS bus is Georgetown’s free shuttle service for students, faculty, and staff. It connects the Hilltop Campus with Dupont Circle, the Rosslyn Metro stop, 55 H Street, Wisconsin Avenue near Trader Joe’s and Safeway, Union Station, Arlington, and the Capitol Campus. Each bus is Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessible, equipped with wheelchair lifts.
The Hilltop Campus has two pickup points: the McDonough bus turnaround by McDonough Arena, and Lombardi Circle, near the Leavey Hotel entrance. Be sure to check the GUTS schedule for pickup locations.
The most-used routes include the Dupont Circle and Rosslyn Shuttles, which students can take to access the Metro, with buses arriving every 15 to 20 minutes on weekdays.
Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA)
Once you’re off the Hilltop, WMATA makes it easy to get where you need to go. It offers Metrorail and bus services throughout D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. If your destination is on or near a station, take the Metrorail—you can depend on it for speed and accuracy.
Metrobuses are useful for destinations not served by GUTS or Metrorail. You can find schedules on Apple or Google Maps, or the WMATA website.
The university is expanding the Hoya Transit Program this semester, offering eligible students new ways to save on and access transportation. Up to 5,000 eligible students can receive a $50 monthly credit in WMATA SmartBenefits, and through the U-Pass pilot program, eligible Capitol Campus students can receive unlimited Metrobus and rail rides. Although the fall deadline for SmartBenefits has passed, be on the lookout for an email from the Office of Transportation Management ahead of the spring semester. Capitol Campus students will get more information on their benefits at orientation.
Metrorail
Heading across D.C.? Skip the traffic and let the Metro do the work.
After taking a GUTS bus to Dupont Circle, the Red Line connects you to places like Gallery Place-Chinatown for Georgetown men’s basketball games, Union Market, and Union Station, where you can catch Amtrak, Maryland Area Regional Commuter, and Virginia Railway Express trains, as well as various intercity coach buses.
From Rosslyn, the Blue Line runs to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), the Silver Line extends towards Dulles International Airport (IAD), and the Orange Line to Vienna, Virginia. All three Rosslyn lines also provide easy access to downtown D.C., including Foggy Bottom, the National Mall, and many Smithsonian museums. You can also transfer to the Yellow or Green lines at L’Enfant Plaza from the Blue, Orange, and Silver lines, or at Gallery Place from the Red line.
Metrobus
The closest Metrobus stops to campus are near the front gates, at 35th and Q Street, 38th Street and Reservoir Road, and along Wisconsin Avenue. From Georgetown, routes C91, D94, and D80 connect riders to central D.C., including Dupont Circle, Gallery Place, and Union Station. The D96 and D82 service Bethesda, Friendship Heights, Foggy Bottom, and Potomac Park, while the A58 connects the neighborhood with Farragut Square and Seven Corners.
Bus fares are a flat $2.25 per trip, with a two-hour window for free bus-to-bus and Metrorail-to-bus transfers, and a $2.25 credit towards your fare when transferring from Metrobus-to-rail. Always verify arrival times with the WMATA busETA tool or by searching the bus name and “route” into Google, since times fluctuate with traffic.
Metro Access
WMATA’s Metro Access program is a door-to-door, shared-ride paratransit service for people with disabilities who cannot use Metrobus or rail across the Washington region. To receive a Metro Access ID, individuals must complete an application certified by a healthcare provider, schedule an in-person interview and functional assessment at the Transit Accessibility Center, and be found eligible under the ADA.
Capital Bikeshare + Scooters
Bike and scooter rentals provide a way to reach Metro stops on weekends when GUTS service is limited. Capital Bikeshare lets you pick up a bike at one station and return it at any other in D.C. or Virginia, with docks right by Georgetown’s front gates and at 38th Street & Reservoir Road. Georgetown students get a discounted $25 annual membership, which includes benefits such as unlimited 45-minute classic bike rides. If you are far from a docking station, you can lock an e-bike anywhere you want for a $2 docking fee.
E-bikes and scooters from other companies like Lime and Veo are parked along nearby sidewalks. You can check their respective apps for nearby vehicles and availability.
Uber Overnight
For travel between campuses, the University has introduced Uber Overnight. This service provides free GU-designated point-to-point Uber rides from midnight to 6 a.m. between the Hilltop and Capitol Campus when GUTS is not in service. Additional details will become available at the start of the fall 2026 semester, and registration will be required.
SafeRides
All students, faculty, and staff may request a free SafeRide—a late-night, point-to-point transportation service—through the LiveSafe app. Service is available from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. Sunday through Wednesday, with coverage expanded until 3 a.m. from Thursday through Saturday. SafeRide services a perimeter around the Hilltop campus, spanning the Georgetown and Burleith neighborhoods.
