Population:             540,391

Elevation:             612 feet above sea level

Land area:             292.5 square miles

Time Zone       Central Time Zone. (When its noon in Fort Worth, its 1:00pm in New York City and 10:00am in Los Angeles).  Fort Worth observes  Daylight Savings Time from April October.

Location:        Fort Worth location: in North Central Texas, approximately 30 miles West of Dallas.

Weather:

Climate:

Local Seasons:

In the Spring (March-early May) and throughout the fall (mid September-mid November) are the best times to visit. Generally comfortable humidity and daytime temperatures of 65-87 F are normal and make it a wonderful time to enjoy many of the numerous outdoor activities.  Thunderstorms bring heavy rain, hail and sometimes tornadoes in spring, especially in late afternoon. It is always advisable to check the local weather before venturing out for the day. Summer highs average in the mid 90s . July and August are the hottest months, and its not unusual for temperatures to top 100, sometimes for several days in a row. During this time, why not enjoy some of the many museums, restaurants, and other indoor, air conditioned activities.  In addition to the heat, humidity can be quite high in the summer, so be sure to dress accordingly.

Winters are typically mild with lows in the mid 30s  and highs in the 50s .  Fort Worth does get some  occasional snow but it is usually light and quickly disappears.  While its there, however, it does make the area quite beautiful

Getting There:

By Air

Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW)

3200 East Airfield Drive
DFW Airport, TX 75261

972-574-8888

Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) is one of the nation's largest airports. While travelers comment that the airport is user-friendly in many ways, the sheer size and the 18 baggage claims scattered around the many terminals can make for confusion. Yet the airport is clean, and employees are friendly. Downtown Fort Worth is 23 miles away, a 30-minute drive under normal traffic conditions.

Most visitors arrive at the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), located east of town, halfway to Dallas. Shuttles, taxis and buses are available for people who prefer not to tackle the Metroplexs traffic on their own in a rental car.

By Car:

The main routes into Fort Worth are I-35W from the north (Oklahoma City) and southwest (San Antonio or Austin); I-30 from the east (Dallas) and west (Abilene); and I-45 from the south (Houston).  Fort Worth is circled by the I-820 loop as well, making it easy to get around.

By Bus:

Greyhound

901 COMMERCE ST
Ft Worth TX 76102

817-429-3089
Hours:  Station open daily, 24 hour/day

By Train:

Amtrak

1001 Jones Street

Fort Worth, Texas 76102

800-USA-RAIL

Hours: 10:30am 6:00pm daily

Getting Around:

By Trolley

Longhorn Trolley

817-215-8600 or 817-334-0092

Call for schedules or pick up at the any of the Visitor Information Centers

Hours: 11am-11pm between downtown and the Stockyards national Historic District

11am-6pm between downtown's Sundance Square and the Cultural District/Fort Worth Zoo

Fare Charged

Within the city, the only public transportation most visitors need is the Trolley, green buses dressed up like trolleys that run every 20 minutes among the three major districts, from the Fort Worth Zoo all the way to the Stockyards, making stops downtown on the way. However, virtually every museum and attraction in Fort Worth gives out free gold trolley tokens, which allow visitors to ride the Longhorn Trolley for free.

By Car

You can quite easily manage to get around Fort Worth without a car. However, if you want to spend time in Dallas or Arlington, you will be better off with an automobile.  Getting around downtown Fort Worth is easy, as long as you pay attention to the one-way street signs.

Parking on the street can sometimes be hard to find during the day, but public parking garages abound (fee charged). After 6 pm, metered spaces are free.

By Bus

Fort Worth Transportation Authority (the T)

817-871-6200

Downtown fareno charge; elsewhere, fare charged. It offers service up and down Throckmorton in the downtown area every five minutes.

Trinity Railway Express (TRE)

817-215-8600

No service on Sunday or most holidays

Call for route and schedule information

Fares Charged

The Trinity Railway Express  is the most convenient and hassle-free way to travel to Dallas without having to worry about traffic. It's an express commuter train connecting the two cities, traveling to DFW Airport, Irving, Dallas' American Airlines Center (for Mavericks and Stars games), and Dallas Union Station ($4 round-trip). Pickup and drop-off points are the Texas & Pacific Station and the Intermodal Transportation Center downtown.

Taxi

Yellow Cab

 817-534-5555

Checker Cab

817-469-1111
You can call for a taxi by phone or find them in front of major hotels. Drivers are not accustomed to being hailed on the street and may not stop. Sharing a taxi is acceptable.

National Holidays:

New Year's Day: Jan. 1

Martin Luther King, Jr., Day: 3rd Mon. in Jan.

President's Day:  3rd Mon. in Feb.

Memorial Day: last Mon. in May

Independence Day: July 4

Labor Day: 1st Mon. in Sept.

Thanksgiving Day:  4th Thurs. in Nov.

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day: Dec. 24 and 25

New Year's Eve: Dec. 31