American Express-- The office is near the airport at 1302 Concourse Dr., Linthicum Heights (tel. 410/865-5300).

Car Rentals-- Two companies offer car rentals in the Inner Harbor: Budget at the Hyatt Hotel, 300 Light St. (tel. 410/783-1448) and Enterprise at the Sheraton, 300 S. Charles St. (tel. 410/547-1855).

Emergencies-- Dial tel. 911 for fire, police, or ambulance.

Eyeglass Repair-- For Eyes is at 330 N. Charles St. (tel. 410/727-2027). Sterling Optical has a shop at 22 Light St. (tel. 410/234-8398).

Hospitals-- City hospitals downtown include Johns Hopkins Hospital, 600 N. Wolfe St. (tel. 410/955-5000); University of Maryland Medical Center, 22 S. Greene St. (tel. 410/328-8667); and Mercy Medical Center, 301 St. Paul St. (tel. 410/332-9000).

Liquor Laws-- Restaurants, bars, hotels, and other places serving alcohol may stay open 6am to 2am. On Sunday and election days, some opt to close. The legal age to buy or consume alcohol is 21.

Newspapers/Magazines-- The major daily newspaper is The Baltimore Sun. The City Paper is the city's weekly alternative. It's published Wednesdays and has excellent listings. The Washington Post is also widely available. The local monthly magazine is Baltimore.

Pharmacies-- Rite Aid is at 17 W. Baltimore St. (tel. 410/539-0838). Walgreens is at 19 E. Fayette St. (tel. 410/625-1179).

Police-- Dial tel. 911 for emergencies, tel. 311 for nonemergencies requiring police attention.

Post Office-- The main post office is at 900 E. Fayette St. (tel. 410/347-4202). It's open Monday to Saturday 7:30am to 10pm. Other area post offices are at 111 N. Calvert (tel. 410/347-4202), and at 130 N. Greene St. (tel. 410/539-8575). Both are open weekdays, 8:30am to 5pm.

Safety-- Baltimore has a nagging problem with property and violent crime. More police, along with the Downtown Partnership's safety guides, are doing a pretty good job of keeping the Inner Harbor and Mount Vernon areas fairly safe. But be alert and follow some common-sense precautions.

If you're using public transportation, try to travel during peak hours and keep valuables out of sight. It is safer and smarter to drive or take a cab between neighborhoods (unless otherwise noted in this chapter) rather than walk, even when the distance is not too great. Keep a good city map at hand. Neighborhoods go from safe to scary in a matter of a few blocks. Keep to the main routes and turn around if anything looks worrisome.

Taxes-- The state sales tax is 5%. The hotel tax is an additional 7.5%.

Transit Information-- Contact the Mass Transit Administration (MTA) at tel. 866/RIDE-MTA or 410/539-5000; www.mtamaryland.com for bus, Light Rail, and Metro info.

Visitor Information-- The Visitor Center (tel. 877/BALTIMORE) is located at the Inner Harbor, by Harborplace. You can stop at the Downtown Partnership's offices at 217 N. Charles St. for directions, maps, and other information. Or ask one of the Public Safety Guides wearing the purple caps.

Weather-- Call tel. 410/936-1212.