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The colossal Hartsfield International Airport (tel 404/530-6600), the busiest passenger airport in the US, is ten miles south of downtown Atlanta, just inside I-285 ("the perimeter"). Road shuttle services such as the Atlanta Airport Shuttle (daily every 15-20min 7am-11pm; tel 404/524-3400) run into the city for around $14, $22 round-trip good for thirty days, or a little more to get to Buckhead. The airport is also the southern terminus of the south line of the subway , fifteen minutes' ride from downtown ($1.75). If you need a taxi to get downtown, call Checker Cab ($18 for one passenger, $19 between two, $24 for three or more; tel 404/351-1111). The Amtrak station, at 1688 Peachtree St, is too far north of downtown to walk to: take a taxi or bus #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 404/848-4711), and are clean, reliable and pretty safe, operating between 5am and 1am weekdays and Saturdays, and from 6am until 12.30am on Sundays. Fares are $1.75 per journey (daily pass $3.50, Fri-Sun pass $9, weekly pass $13).

A good way to explore the neighborhoods of Atlanta is on a ninety-minute walking tour with the Atlanta Preservation Center, 156 Seventh St ($5; tel 404/876-2041). Destinations include the West End, Fox Theater, Sweet Auburn (with emphasis on the churches), an architectural tour of downtown and many more.