The use of public transportation, including taxis, in Washington is recommended as free parking is limited and posted times are enforced. Metrorail, Washington's subway system, and Metrobus link the city with nearby communities in Maryland and Virginia. The Federal Triangle and Smithsonian stations, on Metrorail's Blue and Orange lines, are located near the Mall. Every subway station is equipped with an elevator and most with escalators.
There is no public parking facility at the Smithsonian on the National Mall. There are a limited number of free, 3-hour limit, on-street parking spaces near National Mall museums along Jefferson and Madison Drives; for visitors with disabilities, vehicles must display the appropriate plate or permit while parked in designated handicapped parking spaces. There are numerous commercial parking lots throughout the city.
