Hartsfield International Airport (tel. 530-6600), the busiest passenger airport in the U.S., is 10 miles south of downtown Atlanta, just inside I-285 (the "Perimeter").

Road shuttle services such as the Atlanta Airport Shuttle (daily every 15-20 min. 7 a.m.-11 p.m.; tel. 524-3400) run into the city. The airport is also the southern terminus of the south line of the subway, 15 minutes' ride from downtown. The Amtrak station, at 1688 Peachtree St., is too far north of downtown to walk to: take a taxi or bus No. 23 to the Arts Center subway stop, N5 on the northern line. Greyhound buses arrive south of downtown at 232 Forsyth St., near the Garnett Street subway station.

Atlanta's subway and wide network of buses are run by the Metropolitan Area Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA; tel.  848-4711), and are clean, reliable and pretty safe, operating between 5 a.m. and 1 a.m. weekdays and Saturdays, and from 6 a.m. until 12:30 a.m. on Sundays.

A good way to explore the neighborhoods of Atlanta is on a 90-minute walking tour with the Atlanta Preservation Center, 156 Seventh St (tel. 876-2041). Destinations include the West End, Fox Theater, Sweet Auburn (with emphasis on the churches), an architectural tour of downtown and many more.

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