Tour Bus, Motorcoach & School Tour Bus Information

The City of Alexandria welcomes all visitors and tourists who visit the City by motorcoach or by tour bus. However, to preserve and maintain the beauty, ambiance and tranquility of Alexandria’s historic and residential areas, the City is working to manage motorcoaches and tour buses and balance their operational needs with measures to limit intrusive effects on the City's neighborhoods, environment, and quality of life.

Page updated on Mar 26, 2018 at 5:23 PM

tourbusAlexandria welcomes tour bus, motorcoach, and school bus trips. Buses are allowed on most streets in the City except cobblestone streets and streets posted with “no truck traffic” signs.

Quick Links

Questions?

If you need more information about motorcoach, tour and school bus travel in Alexandria, please call the Alexandria Visitors Center at 703.746.3301 between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m.

A 24-hour information hotline is available at 703.746.4020.  

To report tour bus, motorcoach, or touring school bus parking or traffic violations, citizens may submit information through Call.Click.Connect.  If enforcement action is requested, please call the Police Non-Emergency line at 703.746.4444.

Loading & Unloading

Tour buses should load and unload at designated locations only. Permits are not required to load or unload.

There are six primary loading and unloading areas in Old Town Alexandria:

Short-Term Parking

Motorcoach parking in Alexandria is allowed at designated locations only. Some spaces in historic Old Town Alexandria require a permit which must be obtained in advance; paid short-term parking is also available. Additional free, unreserved parking locations are available within three miles of Old Town. Idling while parked is not allowed.

Short-Term 4 hour parking with a free permit is available at the following locations:

  • Five spaces near the waterfront in the 500 block of North Union Street 
  • Three spaces in north Old Town in the 900 block of North St. Asaph Street 
  • Beginning July 2017, please note that there is an additional $25 fee for permits booked through the Alexandria Visitor's Center. Reservations made through the City's online self-reservation system will remain free. Click here to access the reservation system.

Short-term 5 - 10 hour parking before 11:00 pm for a flat-fee of $15 is available at the following location:

  • 25 spaces at the George Washington Masonic Memorial (101 Callahan Drive)
  • Beginning in July 2017, please note that there is an additional $25 fee for permits booked through the Alexandria Visitor's Center, for a total of $40. Reservations made through the City's online self-reservation system will remain $15. Click here to access the reservation system.  

7 Unreserved, free (first-come, first-served) parking spaces are available within 2 miles of historic Old Town on the 400 block of Swann Avenue.

Long-Term/Overnight Parking

All motorcoaches staying for a period of 24 hours or more are required to park at the George Washington Masonic Memorial (101 Callahan Drive). Overnight parking at the Masonic Memorial requires a $40 permit and must be obtained in advance on-line or from the Alexandria Visitors Center at (703) 746-3301. Beginning July 2017, an additional $25 fee is assessed for permits made through the Visitor's Center, totaling $65. Reservations made through the City's online self-reservation system will remain $40. Click here to access the reservation system.

Traffic Rules and Regulations

The City of Alexandria actively enforces idling, double-parking, and loading and unloading in undesignated locations. These violations are subject to fines in varying amounts based on the violation.


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