Raleigh Durham International Airport (RDU) is a midsize airport with plenty of national flights. Rental Cars are provided by Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Hertz, National and Thrifty are available at the airport. Taxis: from the airport to downtown Durham cost less than $20. Shuttles: many hotel shuttles depart from the airport, so check when you make hotel reservations.

 
Amtrak trains arrive daily at Raleigh Train Station and Durham Train Station, the latter is an impressive piece of public architecture. Oddly, Amtrak service from Raleigh does not extend to Atlanta:

Carolinian/Piedmont: Charlotte-Greensboro-Durham-Raleigh-Richmond-Washington

Charlotte-Greensboro-Raleigh-Richmond-Washington is a U.S. High Speed Rail Corridor designated for upgrade to 110 mph Amtrak service. Tracks are being incrementally upgraded from Washington to Richmond and Raleigh, then to Greensboro and Charlotte between 2016-2022.

Triangle Transit Authority, after a false start, is poised to build a 35-mile, 13-station Light Rail connecting Duke University, Durham, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, northeast Raleigh, RDU airport and University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill.

North Carolina Railroad Company plans to operate a new 143-mile commuter rail service between Greensboro, Durham, Raleigh and Goldsboro by 2013. It is also planned to intersect a part the Light Rail system.

 

Durham Civil Rights Walking Tours
Durham Preservation Society has monthly tours in Spring and Summer months; one Saturday tour covers civil rights FREE

WEBSITE: http://www.preservationdurham.org

Durham Self-guided Tours
Durham CVB features online maps for a wide range of themed self-guided tours on their website

WEBSITE: http://www.durham-nc.com/tours

Raleigh Downtown Walking Tour
Start with a country breakfast in a City Market restaurant. After a hearty breakfast, walk through the cobblestone streets of City Market and do a little shopping. Shops range from home furnishings to art galleries. Also in City Market is Artspace (FREE), where artists work in open-to-the-public studios. Walk across Moore Square to IMAX at Exploris, an interactive museum that encourages people to learn how the world works and the part each person can play in it. Or, see an IMAX film. Walk a few blocks to the North Carolina State Capitol (FREE). Tour the legislative chambers. Browse down Fayetteville Street for a bite to eat, then head to the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences (FREE) and the North Carolina Museum of History (FREE). These museums and the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame will keep you stimulated for the rest of the day.

 
Raleigh & Durham Freeway Network is expanding in this fast growing consolidated metro area. The freeways can be clogged with rush-hour traffic, but not at the scale Atlanta. Modest route congestion is understandable for a fast growing region adding lane expansions and new freeway-to-freeway connectors. Anticipate construction-related delays over brief stretches of landscaped freeway and OBEY North Carolina’s posted speed limits, which vary from 65 mph downwards. Freeways and major highways are:

    1  US Highway connects Raleigh destinations south
  15  US Highway connects Durham and Chapel Hill
  40  Interstate freeway connects Durham, Chapel Hill & Raleigh
  64  US Highway connects Raleigh with I-95
  70  US Highway connects Durham and Raleigh
  85  Interstate freeway connects Durham and Greensboro
147  State freeway connects I-40 & I-85 via downtown Durham
440  Interstate freeway circles Raleigh and connects with I-40
540  Interstate freeway connects I-40 and US 70