Thinking of moving to Atlanta? You’ve come to the right place. We’ve compiled everything you need to know about public Transportation in the ATL.

ITP vs. OTP

The first thing you’ll need to know about moving to and getting around Atlanta is the difference between living “ITP” and “OTP.” These acronyms simply stand for living “inside the Perimeter,” or “outside the Perimeter.” The Perimeter, of course, is the nickname given to Interstate 285, the major highway that circles the city of Atlanta.

Atlanta residents will tell you that once you pick one to move to, you’ll rarely cross into the other. But, the fact that I-285 is one of the most heavily traveled roads in the United States proves that this isn’t really much more than a joke between the locals.

Neighborhoods ITP include Morningside, Midtown, Buckhead, and Virginia Highland. OTP, you’ll find communities including Marietta, Smyrna, and Dunwoody. These tend to be more suburban areas, with lower taxes, less traffic, and more peace and quiet.

At the end of the day, no matter which area you choose to live in, you’ll be able to get around thanks to the accessible and efficient public transportation system in Atlanta.

Getting around Atlanta

MARTA

The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) is the main form of public transportation in The Big Peach. Made up of a fleet of trains and busses, MARTA operates within the entirety of the city of Atlanta as well as its immediately surrounding neighborhoods every single week day. You can take it to get from one end of the city to the other, just down the block, or even to the airport.

A single fare on MARTA costs a modest $2.50 which you can place onto a Breeze card. Once you’ve gotten one of these reusable cards (for a $1.00 one-time fee), you can load up to 20 trips ($42.50) or purchase a daily, weekly, or monthly pass. Passes will give you unlimited rides for the duration of the time period you purchased the pass for. When using the train, you’ll need to tap your card once when you enter, and once again when you exit the station. For the bus, you only need to tap when you board.

MARTA also conveniently provides a mobile app that encompasses everything from trip planning to fare-purchasing.

Atlanta Streetcar

A relatively new institution, the Atlanta Streetcar travels around a 2.7 mile loop and makes 12 stops along the way throughout downtown Atlanta. If you find yourself in need of MARTA but near the Streetcar, never fear: you can take the Streetcar directly to MARTA’s Peachtree Center station and catch the rail.

Browse Atlanta apartments for rent today.

The post How to Navigate Atlanta’s Public Transportation Services appeared first on The Zumper Blog.