I'm taking a quick visit/ MR to Washington D.C., and will need to return from the Metro Center area to Ronald Reagan airport (DCA) for an 8 a.m. flight on a Sunday.

I want to know the best way to do this via cheap public transit or relatively cheap shuttle. As near as I can tell, the Blue Line does not run early enough in the morning on Sundays to comfortably make my connection.

If I am reading the following link correctly...
http://www.wmata.com/timetables/rail/Weekend.pdf

... trains run until about ~2:30 a.m. I could grab the blue line and chill out at the airport for ~5 hours, which would be boring but would be better than missing my flight. I don't really know if it's safe to be standing around in DC at 2:30 in the morn.

Ideally there would be some bus I could catch at say 5 or 6 in the morning to make my connection.

Any locals out there have ideas on this?

Thanks,
-KF

Looks like the Metro will not run early enough for you on Sunday. Depending where you are, I'd probably avoid standing around outside at that time of night! While you could take the Metro to DCA and then just wait until your flight, you could also take a cab. Remember cabs in DC are not metered, but go by zones, but the ride should be fast that time on Sunday.

fuzz

There is bus service - the "13" - Here is the timetable, but I have not taken this myself and to be honest its a little confusing since it goes in a circle, not point to point. The stop at "10th and Pennsyvlania" would be close to Metro Center.

Bus Route 13 Timetable (http://www.wmata.com/timetables/va/13a-g.pdf)

I would consider the taxi though - its probably about $10 and would make the trip a lot easier. The only downside is its not like NYC where you are guaranteed to just walk out the door and find a taxi in 2 minutes 24 hours a day. Depending on where specifically you will be, several of the hotels usually have taxis hanging around in front looking for fares. JW Marriott on Pennsyvlania & 14th and Courtyard Marriott hotel on the corner of F and 9th Street are usually good places to grab a taxi.

[If you know the address of where you are staying, you can plug it in on the front page of the www.wmata.com website and put in National Airport as the destination and it will give you the closest train / bus routes]

I agree with TMAYER about a taxi; it should only be about $12. Sunday at 7am your best bet is to try a major hotel since they can always call a cab for you. To calculate your exact fare go here-
http://citizenatlas.dc.gov/atlasapps/taxifare.aspx

... trains run until about ~2:30 a.m. I could grab the blue line and chill out at the airport for ~5 hours, which would be boring but would be better than missing my flight. I don't really know if it's safe to be standing around in DC at 2:30 in the morn.


I had to do this a couple weekends ago when my flight was delayed getting into DCA and the metro had closed by the time I got there. Perfectly safe at the airport.

Looks like the Metro will not run early enough for you on Sunday. Depending where you are, I'd probably avoid standing around outside at that time of night! While you could take the Metro to DCA and then just wait until your flight, you could also take a cab. Remember cabs in DC are not metered, but go by zones, but the ride should be fast that time on Sunday.

fuzz

Yes, DC taxis are not metered, but when you cross state lines (which you do to go to DCA), it switches to a mileage system not zones. A taxi will be extremely fast that early on a Sunday morning.

I'd suggest taking a cab.
You can always call them for door service
Yellow cab 202-544-1212
Diamond Cab 202-387-6200
No preference for me, one versus the other.
Or you can try from a hotel as well. All in all, should not be more than 10-12 minutes door-to-door.

I'd suggest taking a cab.
You can always call them for door service



Good point - since you are going to Virginia (DCA) you can also call Red Top and schedule a pickup time the night before which I have always had good luck with.

Red Top Cab
+1 703 522 3333

Good point - since you are going to Virginia (DCA) you can also call Red Top and schedule a pickup time the night before which I have always had good luck with.

Red Top Cab
+1 703 522 3333

I second this sugestion. By and large, I find Red Top Cabs more reliable than DC cabs, and often pre-reserve the night before.

Good point - since you are going to Virginia (DCA) you can also call Red Top and schedule a pickup time the night before which I have always had good luck with.

Red Top Cab
+1 703 522 3333

Definitely call a Red Top cab. They are reliable, meetered, and won't try to rip you off as the DC cabs attempt to do to all tourists. Public transportation really isn't a viable option at this time of the morning on weekends, and the cab will run you only $12-$15.

Definitely call a Red Top cab. They are reliable, meetered, and won't try to rip you off as the DC cabs attempt to do to all tourists.
The SOBs do it to locals too! I'll ask them what their odometer reads when I get in a DC cab and I'm going to VA. And when we get to our destination, the driver will often argue with me about how far we traveled.

One thing to note, mileage rates for interstate travel in a DC cab doesn't begin simply when you cross the border, it starts from the moment you enter the cab.

"The SOBs do it to locals too! I'll ask them what their odometer reads when I get in a DC cab and I'm going to VA. And when we get to our destination, the driver will often argue with me about how far we traveled."


Since we are ranting on DC cabs - I ALWAYS ask them if they have change for a $20 as soon as I get in before we go anywhere. Its amazing - i have never had someone say no. Yet, if I don't ask until the end of the a $9 ride I often get "Do you have anything smaller...I don't have any change" in the hopes that I will not care and let them keep the change.

[Note - this issue of not having change is only for DC cabs, not Red Top - Red Top even accepts CC, but some drivers don't like it because they have to pay a stiff CC fee of ~5% cc fee to the dispatcher]