I've only taken the 5A from the Rosslyn metro station, but yes, 66 mins from L'Enfant Plaza to IAD sounds accurate. You'll be leaving right in the middle of rush hour and I-66 is usually jam packed. Plus the bus makes a stop or two in NoVa.
What makes more sense? Guess it depends on where exactly you're coming from and how much luggage you will have. If you are right at the bus stop or close by, I'd go ahead with the 5A. There's not usually a lot of room for luggage, but you'll probably get a seat. Think I'd go with this.
If you are near an orange line metro stop, you can take the metro out to West Falls Church and then pick up the Washington Flyer bus to IAD for $10. They operate frequently and are easy to find at the station. Might save you 10-15 mins but the Orange line trains will be packed at rush hour.
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If you have anything other than minimal luggage, I would take the Flyer. The 5A is very convenient (and cheap), but there is very very little room for luggage. You often end up resting your rollaboard on your lap or some such thing. Getting on at lEnfant is better because the bus starts there. Sometimes by Rosslyn the bus is already crowded.
That really is incredible - the most convenient direct express bus to the international airport of the capital of one of the richest countries in the world has no space for luggage.
Quote:
Originally Posted by magiciansampras
If you have anything other than minimal luggage, I would take the Flyer. The 5A is very convenient (and cheap), but there is very very little room for luggage. You often end up resting your rollaboard on your lap or some such thing. Getting on at lEnfant is better because the bus starts there. Sometimes by Rosslyn the bus is already crowded.
That really is incredible - the most convenient direct express bus to the international airport of the capital of one of the richest countries in the world has no space for luggage.
The WMATA believes the 5A is really for people who work at the airport, not for travellers. It also gets used by commuters who park at the Herndon-Monroe Park and Ride.
There is an overhead rack and some luggage space at the front. I usually travel with a large backpack and haven't found the luggage space to be a problem.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BigFlyer
Will be traveling from central DC to IAD for a 19:00 weekday flight.
Any ideas as to which makes the most sense? Is the 66 minute travel time shown on the 5A schedule realistic?
Assuming your flight doesn't depart at 7 p.m. on a weekday in 2016, when Metro is scheduled to reach Dulles... I would go with the 5A. At that time, I-66 is HOV-only inside the Beltway, which thins out the traffic a little. And by boarding the 5A at L'Enfant, you should have good odds of getting a seat and space for your luggage. Remember to bookmark wmata.com/mobile on your phone, then hit the Next Bus link there to check on the 5A's arrival. Also: Try not to get too frustrated by the insanely circuitous route the 5A takes through the Tysons and Herndon-Monroe bus stations.
Taking Metro to the Washington Flyer bus at that time will put you on some seriously crowded trains, and it costs $10, versus $3 for the 5A. In its favor, the Wash. Flyer bus's schedule shouldn't be in jeopardy, since it only runs on the airport highway, and you're also guaranteed a seat and storage for your luggage. I.e., if you hear that 66 is completely backed up, then forget about the 5A.
Taking Metro to the Washington Flyer bus at that time will put you on some seriously crowded trains, and it costs $10, versus $3 for the 5A. In its favor, the Wash. Flyer bus's schedule shouldn't be in jeopardy, since it only runs on the airport highway, and you're also guaranteed a seat and storage for your luggage. I.e., if you hear that 66 is completely backed up, then forget about the 5A.
+1
I've taken the 5A countless times and only once had issues with overcrowding, and it was on a Sunday afternoon departing IAD and it seems like a number of long-hauls had just arrived.
Only take the Flyer if you have reason to believe that traffic on 66 will cause you significant delay.
As a side note (and I know some FTers will appreciate this), the last time I went to London on my own dime I took the 5A to IAD and the tube from LHR into the city, but paid for a business class airline ticket. Yes, I could have taken the "nicer" Flyer, the Heathrow Express train, or even cabs, but I somehow couldn't bring myself to justify the expense.
I am the OP, and took the 5A on a weekday at 4:30 P.M. It left promptly at 4:30 per schedule, passed traffic by using what seemed to be an exclusive lane of some sort (IAD traffic only?), and got us to the airport at about 5:35. There was more than enough luggage space; it is overhead, I had no problem hefting my bag up but depending on upper body strength and weight of bag YMMV.
Getting there, on the other hand, was more of a problem. I had never been to L'Enfant Plaza before, told the cab driver L'Enfant Plaza, and he took us to the L'Enfant Plaza hotel. I then told him L'Enfant Metro station, when we got to the Metro station there was no signage (at least on the surface), but we asked a bus driver who was walking down the street who directed us. Basically, you have to walk under a railroad trestle, and the bus stop (which is labeled) is outside a pizza restaurant to the left on the first street after the trestle.
Quote:
Originally Posted by DaMadCroat
+1
I've taken the 5A countless times and only once had issues with overcrowding, and it was on a Sunday afternoon departing IAD and it seems like a number of long-hauls had just arrived.
Only take the Flyer if you have reason to believe that traffic on 66 will cause you significant delay.
As a side note (and I know some FTers will appreciate this), the last time I went to London on my own dime I took the 5A to IAD and the tube from LHR into the city, but paid for a business class airline ticket. Yes, I could have taken the "nicer" Flyer, the Heathrow Express train, or even cabs, but I somehow couldn't bring myself to justify the expense.
Glad to hear it worked out for you. When I use Wmata's trip planner, it almost always has me take metro to roslyn and grab the 5a from there. It's much easier to find the pickup point at Rosyln, too.
I've timed both the Flyer and 5a, and the only time I found Flyer to be faster when when I arrived at Dulles just after the 5a left and instead took a soon-departing Flyer. Except for hauling large amounts of luggage, the 5a is the way to go.
I'm not sure I would have gotten a seat at Roslyn at the hour I was traveling.
Quote:
Originally Posted by FBKSan
Glad to hear it worked out for you. When I use Wmata's trip planner, it almost always has me take metro to roslyn and grab the 5a from there. It's much easier to find the pickup point at Rosyln, too.
I've timed both the Flyer and 5a, and the only time I found Flyer to be faster when when I arrived at Dulles just after the 5a left and instead took a soon-departing Flyer. Except for hauling large amounts of luggage, the 5a is the way to go.
