Is MARTA the best way to get from ATL to downtown Atlanta?
Yes — MARTA is the cheapest and often the fastest way to downtown Atlanta from the airport.
MARTA's Gold and Red Lines provide direct rail service from the Hartsfield-Jackson station (integrated into the Domestic Terminal) to downtown Atlanta. The trip to Five Points (the central downtown station) takes approximately 20 minutes and costs $2.50 with a Breeze Card.
Compared to alternatives: rideshare/taxi to downtown takes 20–60 minutes depending on traffic and costs $30–60. MARTA is comparable in time during off-peak hours and significantly faster during rush hour (7–9 a.m. and 4–7 p.m. weekdays) when I-75/85 traffic is heavy.
MARTA's downtown stations include Five Points (Atlanta's central transit hub), Garnett (south downtown), Peachtree Center (north downtown / corporate towers), and Civic Center (north downtown). From Five Points you can transfer to the Gold or Red Line continuing north (Midtown, Buckhead, Sandy Springs) or the Green or Blue Line east (East Atlanta) or west (Bankhead).
Service runs from approximately 5:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m. weekdays with trains every 12–20 minutes. Weekend service is somewhat reduced. The last train from the airport departs around 12:30 a.m. — for later arrivals, rideshare or taxi is required.