Short answer
Georgia is in the Eastern time zone, a MARTA ride costs $2.50, a Georgia State Parks day pass is $10 per vehicle, and consumer fireworks need a buyer 18 or older. This page answers 42 visitor questions, each with the official source and the date we read it.
Download the data: CSV · JSON · Column definitions (42 questions, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 with a link to It’s Georgia).
Checked . Every answer comes from an agency, operator or the Official Code of Georgia page linked beside it. Prices, hours and rules change, so the source date is shown and each link goes to the official page. This is travel information, not legal advice.
Airports
Four of Georgia’s airports are covered here from their own pages. We did not verify a current count of Georgia airports with scheduled airline service, so we give none.
| Question | Answer | Source |
|---|---|---|
| What is the airport code for Atlanta's airport? | ATL is the code for Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, according to the airport's own fact sheet. | ATL Fact Sheet (Hartsfield-Jackson) page last modified 2025-12-23 |
| Is there a MARTA train station at the Atlanta airport? | Yes. The airport's fact sheet says MARTA's Airport Station connects to Hartsfield-Jackson at the west end of the Domestic Terminal. | ATL Fact Sheet (Hartsfield-Jackson) page last modified 2025-12-23 |
| How do I get from the international terminal to the MARTA station? | ATL's maps page says a free shuttle runs from the international terminal curb to the west end of the domestic terminal, and passengers can also take the Plane Train from the international terminal to the domestic terminal. | ATL Maps no date shown |
| What is Savannah's airport and its code? | Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport, code SAV. | Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport no date shown |
| What is Augusta's airport and its code? | Augusta Regional Airport, code AGS. | Augusta Regional Airport no date shown |
| Does Albany, GA have scheduled airline service? | Yes. Southwest Georgia Regional Airport (ABY) says Delta Connection is its scheduled airline, with three daily flights to Atlanta on 75-seat regional jets. | About ABY (Southwest Georgia Regional Airport) no date shown |
| Is there airline service at Macon's airport? | Yes. Middle Georgia Regional Airport (MCN) lists Contour Airlines as the airline currently operating there, with daily service to Baltimore/Washington International and Dulles. | Middle Georgia Regional Airport, About Us no date shown |
MARTA
Atlanta’s rail and bus system. Fares and hours are read from MARTA’s own pages and can change.
| Question | Answer | Source |
|---|---|---|
| What does a MARTA ride cost? | The standard one-way fare is $2.50 on rail, bus, Rapid and MARTA Reach, with up to 4 free transfers in 3 hours. The streetcar is $1.00 with no transfers. | MARTA Fare Programs no effective date shown; read 2026-10-19 |
| Do I need a Breeze card to ride MARTA? | MARTA's New Rider Guide says you tap a Breeze card or device to pay, and Breeze cards are sold at vending machines. Each rider needs their own payment. | MARTA New Rider Guide no date shown; read 2026-10-19 |
| How much does a Breeze card cost? | MARTA says it charges a one-time $2.00 fee when you buy a Breeze card, and the same $2.00 applies to the virtual Breeze card. | MARTA Ways to Pay no date shown; read 2026-10-19 |
| How many MARTA rail lines are there? | Four color-coded lines: Red, Gold, Blue and Green. MARTA's train stations page lists 38 stations. | MARTA New Rider Guide; Train Stations & Schedules no date shown; read 2026-10-19 |
| What hours do MARTA trains run? | MARTA lists weekday train hours of 4:45 AM to 1 AM and weekend hours of 6 AM to 1 AM. | MARTA Train Stations & Schedules no date shown; read 2026-10-19 |
Tolls
Georgia’s toll lanes are optional express lanes run with Peach Pass. We found no pay-by-plate option for visitors described on the Peach Pass pages we read.
| Question | Answer | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Which Georgia roads have toll lanes? | Georgia Express Lanes are optional toll lanes beside existing interstates: I-75 South Metro (Henry and Clayton counties), Northwest Corridor on I-75/I-575 (Cobb and Cherokee), I-85 Express Lanes (northeast Atlanta to Gwinnett) and the I-85 Extension (Gwinnett). | Peach Pass: Where can I use Peach Pass no date shown; read 2026-10-19 |
| When did each Georgia Express Lane open? | Peach Pass lists the I-85 Express Lanes as 2011, I-75 South Metro as 2017, Northwest Corridor as 2018 and the I-85 Extension as 2018. Prices vary with traffic. | Peach Pass: Georgia Express Lanes no date shown; read 2026-10-19 |
| Is GA 400 still tolled? | No. The governor's office announced on November 22, 2013 that tolling on Ga. 400 had ended. | Deal fulfills promise, ends Ga. 400 Tolls (Governor's office) 2013-11-22 |
| Can out-of-state drivers use the Express Lanes? | Peach Pass says drivers with E-ZPass, Sun Pass, E-Pass and Quick Pass transponders can also use the lanes, and each vehicle must be registered on an active Peach Pass account. | About Peach Pass page modified 2026-10-16 |
| What if I use an Express Lane without a Peach Pass? | Peach Pass's violation page says you can pay online, by phone at 1-833-426-2406, or by mail, warns of escalating fines and penalties if unpaid, and says disputes must be mailed within 90 days of receiving the violation. | Peach Pass: Pay Toll Violations no date shown; read 2026-10-19 |
Ferries and islands
Georgia’s barrier islands need a boat. These are the ferry and booking facts from the agencies that run them.
| Question | Answer | Source |
|---|---|---|
| How do I book the Cumberland Island ferry? | The National Park Service says transport is by a National Park Service concessioner ferry, booked at cumberlandislandferry.com or by phone at 877-860-6787. Reservations are recommended and open up to six months ahead. | Cumberland Island Permits & Reservations (NPS) page updated |
| Where does the Cumberland Island ferry leave from? | From the mainland visitor center in St. Marys. Check-in begins one hour before departure, and the island is reachable only by passenger ferry or private boat. | Cumberland Island: Be Ready (NPS) no date shown; read 2026-10-19 |
| Can I just show up on Sapelo Island? | Not by default. The Sapelo Island National Estuarine Research Reserve says the state provides a passenger ferry, advance reservations are required, and visitors must be pre-registered by a landowning host. | Visiting Sapelo Island (Sapelo NERR) no date shown; read 2026-10-19 |
| How much is the Sapelo Island ferry? | Georgia DNR lists round-trip ferry fees of $15 for adults (13 and over), $10 for children 6-12, and free for ages 5 and under. | Sapelo Island WMA (Georgia DNR) no date shown; read 2026-10-19 |
| Is the Savannah Belles Ferry free? | Yes. Chatham Area Transit says its free ferries operate from 7 a.m. to midnight, seven days a week; confirm current service with Chatham Area Transit before you go. | CAT resumes regular Savannah Belles Ferry service no date shown; read 2026-10-19 |
Alcohol
Georgia alcohol rules are partly set by each county or city. This is what the Official Code says; it is not legal advice. Statute text was read from Justia’s copy of the Official Code, which may lag; confirm at legis.ga.gov.
| Question | Answer | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Can I buy alcohol on Sunday in Georgia? | It depends on the county or city. Georgia Code section 3-3-7 allows Sunday package sales of malt beverages and wine between 12:30 P.M. and 11:30 P.M. once a local referendum approves them; spirits follow the same terms. | O.C.G.A. 3-3-7 (Justia, 2025 Code of Georgia) 2025 Code |
| Can bars and restaurants serve alcohol on Sunday? | Only where local voters have approved it. Section 3-3-7 allows on-premises Sunday sales from 11:00 A.M. until midnight for licensed places that meet its food or lodging revenue tests, once a referendum passes. | O.C.G.A. 3-3-7 (Justia, 2025 Code of Georgia) 2025 Code |
| Can I have an open container of alcohol in a car in Georgia? | No. Section 40-6-253 says a person shall not consume any alcoholic beverage or possess an open alcoholic beverage container in the passenger area of a vehicle on a public road, with exceptions such as paid-passenger vehicles and motor home living quarters. | O.C.G.A. 40-6-253 (Justia, 2025 Code of Georgia) 2025 Code |
Fireworks
What the Official Code and the State Fire Marshal’s rule say about consumer fireworks. Local rules and burn bans can be stricter; this is not legal advice.
| Question | Answer | Source |
|---|---|---|
| How old do you have to be to buy or use consumer fireworks in Georgia? | 18. Section 25-10-2 lets anyone 18 or older use, possess, transport or store consumer fireworks and makes selling to anyone under 18 unlawful; the State Fire Marshal's rule requires buyers to be at least 18 and show valid ID in a face-to-face sale. | O.C.G.A. 25-10-2 (Justia); Ga. Comp. R. 120-3-22-.12 (Cornell LII) 2025 Code, amended effective July 1, 2025 |
| Where and when can consumer fireworks be used in Georgia? | Section 25-10-2 makes use unlawful indoors, in a public road right-of-way, in county or municipal parks without a permit, and in state parks except as park rules allow. Use is allowed from 10:00 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. unless it breaks a noise ordinance, with no-use zones such as 100 yards from airports and hospitals. | O.C.G.A. 25-10-2 (Justia) 2025 Code, amended effective July 1, 2025 |
| Can a Georgia city or county restrict fireworks? | Yes, within limits. Localities may enforce a general noise ordinance and require a special use permit (fee up to $100), and the Governor may declare a drought ban in counties where the Keetch-Byram Drought Index reaches 700 or above. | O.C.G.A. 25-10-2 (Justia) 2025 Code, amended effective July 1, 2025 |
Driving and roads
Road rules from the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety and the Official Code, plus Georgia’s 511 traveler line.
| Question | Answer | Source |
|---|---|---|
| What does Georgia's hands-free law say? | The Governor's Office of Highway Safety says drivers cannot hold a phone or have it touching any part of their body while driving. Hands-free calls, voice-to-text and GPS are allowed; reading or sending texts is not. | Hands-Free Georgia Act (Georgia Governor's Office of Highway Safety) effective July 1, 2018 |
| What are the fines for a hands-free violation? | The Governor's Office of Highway Safety lists up to $50 and 1 point for a first conviction, up to $100 and 2 points for a second, and up to $150 and 3 points for a third or later. | Hands-Free Georgia Act (Georgia Governor's Office of Highway Safety) effective July 1, 2018 |
| What is the speed limit on Georgia interstates? | Section 40-6-181 allows 70 miles per hour on a highway that is part of the federal interstate system where signs designate it, and 65 mph on physically divided state highways without full access control where signed. Always follow the posted limit. | O.C.G.A. 40-6-181 (Justia, 2025 Code of Georgia) 2025 Code |
| What is Georgia's Move Over law? | The Governor's Office of Highway Safety cites Code 40-6-16: when approaching a stationary emergency vehicle with flashing lights, move to a lane not adjacent to it if possible; if you cannot, slow to a reasonable speed below the posted limit and be ready to stop. It also covers towing, recovery and maintenance vehicles. | Move Over Law (Georgia Governor's Office of Highway Safety) no date shown; read 2026-10-19 |
| How do I get Georgia traffic information? | Dial 511 or visit 511ga.org. Its FAQ calls it Georgia's official travel information system, covering all major interstates and state routes, with operators available 24/7. | 511GA FAQ no date shown; read 2026-10-19 |
Parking
State park parking and the ParkPass. Our state parks table has the park-by-park details.
| Question | Answer | Source |
|---|---|---|
| How much is parking at Georgia State Parks? | $10 per vehicle, with an annual ParkPass at $70, according to Georgia State Parks. | ParkPass (Georgia State Parks) no effective date shown; read 2026-10-19 |
| Is a ParkPass valid at state historic sites? | The Georgia DNR Law Enforcement ParkPass page says the pass is for state parks only, not state historic sites, and excludes places such as Kennesaw Mountain, Stone Mountain, Jekyll Island and Lake Lanier. That page still shows the older $5 and $50 prices, so use the Georgia State Parks page for current prices. | ParkPass (Georgia DNR Law Enforcement) no date shown; read 2026-10-19 |
Cell service
Federal land managers warn of patchy cell service at remote Georgia sites. We did not find a statewide coverage map from an official source, so we do not give one.
| Question | Answer | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Is there cell service at remote Georgia mountain campgrounds? | The U.S. Forest Service page for Jacks River Fields Campground says some remote areas have limited or no cellular service and advises getting the Recreation.gov app before arriving. | Jacks River Fields Campground (USFS Chattahoochee-Oconee) no date shown; read 2026-10-19 |
| Is cell service reliable at Lake Conasauga? | The U.S. Forest Service page for Lake Conasauga notes that cell service is limited due to remoteness. | Lake Conasauga (USFS Chattahoochee-Oconee) no date shown; read 2026-10-19 |
| Will my phone work at Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge? | The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says cellular service may be limited and calls Kingfisher Landing a remote access point where cell service may be limited, so get your Recreation.gov pass in advance. | Okefenokee NWR: Visit Us (USFWS) no date shown; read 2026-10-19 |
Time zone, capital and emergencies
A few facts visitors ask first.
| Question | Answer | Source |
|---|---|---|
| What time zone is Georgia in? | Eastern. Explore Georgia, the Georgia Department of Economic Development's visitor site, says Georgia is in the Eastern time zone. | Getting Here & Around (Explore Georgia) no date shown; read 2026-10-19 |
| What is the capital of Georgia? | Atlanta, which georgia.gov lists as the capital from 1868 to the present. | Georgia Facts (georgia.gov) 2016-02-16 |
| What number do I call in an emergency in Georgia? | 911, which Explore Georgia says to dial for police, fire or medical help. | Essential Things to Know for International Visitors (Explore Georgia) no date shown; read 2026-10-19 |
| When is Atlantic hurricane season? | Georgia's emergency agency, GEMA/HS, said the 2025 Atlantic season began June 1, 2025 and continued through November 30, 2025. We read only the 2025 release, so check GEMA for the current year. | 2025 Atlantic Hurricane Season (GEMA/HS) 2025-05-30 |
What we could not verify
- A current count of Georgia airports with scheduled airline service: the only Georgia DOT figure we found dates from about 2003.
- Airline service at the Columbus, Valdosta, Brunswick and Athens airports: their official pages did not load or did not state it.
- Which airlines serve Savannah and Augusta, and whether the Atlanta airport’s SkyTrain is free to every rider.
- Which MARTA lines serve the Airport station, and the date the current $2.50 fare took effect.
- A pay-by-plate or invoice option for visitors on the Express Lanes; the Peach Pass pages we read do not describe one.
- General statewide hours for alcohol sales (they are set locally) and the Georgia Department of Revenue’s own drinking-age page.
- The 2026 hurricane season dates: we read only the 2025 GEMA release.
- A statewide cell-coverage map from an official source.
FAQ
How much does MARTA cost?
MARTA lists a standard one-way fare of $2.50 on rail, bus, Rapid and MARTA Reach, with up to 4 free transfers in 3 hours; the streetcar is $1.00.
Is there a train from the Atlanta airport into the city?
Yes. MARTA’s Airport Station connects to Hartsfield-Jackson at the west end of the Domestic Terminal, according to the airport.
Can I buy alcohol on Sunday in Georgia?
It depends on the county or city. The Official Code allows Sunday package sales from 12:30 P.M. to 11:30 P.M. where local voters have approved them.
How old do you have to be to buy fireworks in Georgia?
18. Georgia law lets anyone 18 or older use consumer fireworks and makes selling to anyone under 18 unlawful; use is banned in places such as public roads and county parks without a permit.
Is GA 400 a toll road?
No. The governor’s office announced on November 22, 2013 that tolling on Ga. 400 had ended. Georgia’s toll lanes today are the optional Express Lanes on I-75 and I-85.
How much is parking at a Georgia state park?
Georgia State Parks lists $10 per vehicle, and an annual ParkPass at $70. The pass is not valid at state historic sites.
Is there cell service in the north Georgia mountains?
Not everywhere. The U.S. Forest Service says some remote areas of the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest have limited or no cellular service, and Lake Conasauga’s page says service is limited.
How we checked this guide: Dates, hours, admission and parking prices, and access details were verified against the official sources listed below on . Operators change schedules and raise prices without notice, so confirm anything time-sensitive before you drive. The figures in this guide also feed our Georgia Attraction Transparency Index and Family Day-Out Cost Index.
Sources
- Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
- MARTA
- Peach Pass
- National Park Service: Cumberland Island
- Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety
- Georgia State Parks: ParkPass
- Official Code of Georgia Annotated (Justia copy)
- Explore Georgia
Hank Whitlock is the pen name of the It's Georgia editor. Every guide is built around the questions a busy family actually asks before a trip: how long is the drive, what does parking cost, can the stroller make it, are dogs allowed. Details are checked against official park, city, and venue sources, and each guide shows the date it was last updated.
More from Things to Do
Cite this page: It's Georgia, “Georgia Visitor Basics: Airports, MARTA, Tolls, Ferries, Alcohol, Fireworks and Road Rules”, itsgeorgia.com/things-to-do/georgia-visitor-basics/ (updated ). Free to quote with attribution and a link to this page.