Get a guidebook. Find a book that details how to get around the city using public transportation such as taxi cabs, the Metro, and city buses and trains. A good guidebook includes information on how to get to various stations, how much they cost, and maps of routes.
Contact a travel agency to get tourist information regarding Washington, D.C., and how to get around while you're there. The City also offers its own agency--the Washington D.C. Convention and Tourism Corporation--which is specifically designed to help get tourists the information they need.
Take a tour. Available tours abound in our country's capital and are available for almost every tourist destination in the city. Going on a tour can help you get a feel for how the city is laid out as well as help you narrow down the sites you'd like most to visit.
Be prepared. Whether you intend to use the Metro, a cab or bus, make sure you have whatever fees, tickets or paperwork you need to be able to access these various forms of transportation. If you plan to take a cab, for example, make sure you carry enough cash for the cab fare as you tour the city. If you take the Metro, get the correct tickets.
Ask for help if you get lost or are having troubles finding your way around Washington, D.C. People you can go to for assistance include bus and train station attendants, tour guides, front desk attendants at hotels, and visitor center guides. When in doubt, ask.
