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Directions

Visiting the University of Maryland

  1. Finding a building on campus
  2. Getting from College Park to the campus
  3. Driving to College Park and parking
  4. Taking the train to College Park
  5. Flying to the region

Finding a building on campus

To find a building a campus, you may use any of these resources:

The Linguistics Department is located in Marie Mount Hall (map coordinates). It is at the southeastern corner of the campus mall, a rectangular yard at the center of campus. It is immediately to the north of Memorial Chapel, just across a small road that leads to several parking lots. Helpfully, it is easy to see the spire of the Chapel from Route 1, aka Baltimore Avenue.
 
Many of our events happen at the Language Science Center, which is in HJ Patterson Hall, mainly Room 2130. This building is a 3 minute walk from Marie Mount Hall, 300m across the campus mall in the northwestern direction, past the sundial.

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Getting from College Park to the campus

 

From Baltimore Ave (Rt.1) to Marie Mount Hall

The campus lies on the west side of Baltimore Avenue, which is Route 1. There are two roads that lead from Route 1 to Marie Mount Hall. Follow the first if you are coming from the south, and in particular if you are walking from the commercial center of College Park, or walking from the Metro. Otherwise follow the second. 

1. Regents Drive 

Regents Drive road intersects Route 1 at the the southern edge of the campus, which is also northern edge of the older commercial district of College Park. It is a big intersection, controlled by stop lights. The entrance to the University is flanked by brick pillars.

To reach Marie Mount Hall on Regents Drive, head westward through the pillars and into campus about 400m, steadily bending north. You will see Memorial Chapel on your left. Marie Mount Hall is the first building past the chapel on your left.

Note that east of Route 1, Regents Drive changes its name to College Avenue, as it continues eastward into the town of College Park and towards the Metro Station.

2. Campus Drive

Campus Drive serves as the main entrance to the university off of Route 1. It is marked by a large brick entry gate. This gate is about 100m to the south of the end of the large apartment buildings and strip malls on Route 1.

Pass through the brick gate to enter the campus. About 450m later you will come to a traffic circle with an "M" in the middle of it. Make a left turn by going (270 degrees) around this circle, onto Regents Drive heading south. Passing by the campus mall, you will see Marie Mount Hall ahead of you on the right.

Warning: Presently Campus Drive is impassible after the roundabout, due to construction of the Purple Line streetcar system. This will cause traffic slowdowns even before that point. So it might be better to avoid Campus Drive and use Regents Drive instead.


From the Metro

To get to College Park via the DC Metro, take the Green Line (direction Greenbelt) to the College Park Station. It is best to buy a reusable SmarTrip card. If instead you buy a new ticket for each ride, you will pay a $1 surcharge for each ticket. There are then two ways to get to Marie Mount Hall from the Metro Station.


1. Shuttle Bus

Red University of Maryland Shuttle Buses to the campus leave regularly from the front (east side) of the station. This is Route 104, to Regents Drive Garage. 

It is best to get off the bus immediately before the "M", a traffic circle at the intersection of Campus Drive and Regents Drive. Walk south on Regents Drive. Past the campus mall, you will see Marie Mount Hall on the right.


2. Walking

After exiting the turnstile in the Metro station, take the pedestrian tunnel under the train platform. 

Walk through the parking lot to Columbia Avenue, turn right onto Columbia, and walk north about 100m. Then turn left from Columbia onto College Ave.

Walk about half a mile west on College Avenue to Route 1. Walk across Route 1 and continue straight on what is now called Regents Drive. Follow Regents Drive about 500m, past Memorial Chapel, to Marie Mount Hall.

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Driving to College Park and parking

 

From the north

Take I-95 South to exit 27 for I-495 West ("Silver Spring"). Immediately after this (very gentle) exit, follow signs for Route 1 South ("College Park"), Exit 25. The campus is about 2 miles down Route 1. 

From the south

Take I-95 North to I-495, the Capital Beltway, which is a continuation of I-95. Continue North on I-95/I-495 toward Baltimore. Take Exit 25 for Route 1 South toward College Park. The campus is about 2 miles down Route 1.

Parking on campus

Parking areas are highlighted on this map, and rules for visitor parking are here. Visitors can park in any of the four lots below, for $3/hour, or $15 for five hours or more.

  1. The Stadium Parking Garage, in the northwest of the campus, attached to the western edge of the football stadium 
  2. The Mowatt Lane Garage, in the southwest of the campus, where Knox Rd turns into Mowatt Lane (this can be reached from Route 1 via Knox Rd heading west).
  3. Union Lane Garage, which is immediately to the west of the Stamp Student Union building, and therefore difficult to reach during construction of the Purple Line streetcar tracks
  4. Regents Drive Garage, in the northeast of the campus, where Regents Drive meets Stadium Drive

You can also park in town, either at meters on the streets, or in the Downtown Parking Garage at 7338 Yale Avenue, right in the center of town, immediately southwards behind Ledo Pizza.


Taking a train to College Park

Amtrak makes two stops in the area, Union Station in Washington, and New Carrollton Station in Maryland.

Union Station (WAS) 

Many trains stop at Union Station, which is on several Amtrak routes: the Acela Express, Vermonter, The Cardinal, and Silver Service / Palmetto

From Union Station it is easy to get to the University of Maryland by Metro. Take the Red Line (direction Glenmont) to Fort Totten. At Fort Totten, transfer to the Green Line (direction Greenbelt). Get off at College Park Station.

New Carrollton (NCR)

Relatively few trains stop at New Carrollton. It is served only by the Northeast Regional and Vermonter Routes.

The F6 bus from New Carrollton to Silver Spring stops at the University of Maryland. But this bus is not frequent.

You may therefore want to take a taxi or ask a local friend for a ride. The station is about 6 miles from the University. The advantage of New Carrollton over Union Station is that this drive is the easier than the 8 miles through city traffic to Union Station.  


Airplane travel to the region

Guests travelling to College Park by air have a choice of three airports: Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), Baltimore-Washington International Airport (BWI), and (least conveniently) Dulles Interational Airport (IAD).

Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA)

Reagan is the most expensive airport to fly to, but often the most convenient. It is very close to downtown D.C. – near the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia – and has its own Metro stop.

To get to College Park from Reagan by Metro, take the Yellow Line, direction Fort Totten, to L'Enfant Plaza. At L'Enfant Plaza, change to the Green Line (direction Greenbelt). Get off the Green Line at College Park Station. During the peak hours of the AM and PM commutes, this transfer is not necessary, and you can take the Yellow Line all the way to College Park. When using the DC Metro it is best to buy a reusable SmarTrip card. If instead you buy a new ticket for each ride, you will pay a $1 surcharge for for each ticket. 

Taxi service to College Park from Reagan costs approximately $50.00, plus a tip. Rideshare services may sometimes cost less. Reagan is only about 15 miles from the University. But throughout work hours, traffic is terrible. The ride will take at least 30 minutes, but less than one hour.

Baltimore-Washington International Airport (BWI)

Flights to BWI are cheaper than flights to Reagan. It is a hub city for the discount carrier Southwest Airlines, which generates some price competition. BWI has mostly domestic connections, but also a few direct international connections (for example, to the UK and Germany).

College Park is about 25 miles from BWI. Taxi service is therefore expensive, in the area of $80-100. There used to be a public bus (B30) but it is presently not running. 


Washington-Dulles International Airport (IAD)

Dulles is the main international hub in the region, with direct connections from throughout the US, Europe and Asia.  Dulles is 25 miles west of downtown D.C, however, and the 40 mile trip from Dulles to College Park is not easy. Options are Metro, taxi or shuttle van.

Taxi service to College Park costs approximately $120. The drive is at least 45 minutes, and most often one hour. Ride services may be somewhat cheaper.

The cheapest path by far from Dulles to College Park is by Metro ($11), but it will take at least 90 minutes, and most likely, two hours. The terminus of the Silver Line is at Dulles, near the parking garage. Take the Silver Line from Dulles Station to L'Enfant Plaza. At L'Enfant Plaza, transfer to the Green Line, direction Greenbelt, and get off in College Park. When using the DC Metro it is best to buy a reusable SmarTrip card. If instead you buy a new ticket for each ride, you will pay a $1 surcharge for each ticket.