IAD - Tunnel Access to Garage 1 Closing
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: VA, USA
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IAD - Tunnel Access to Garage 1 Closing
Starting Monday, January 11, 2016, the tunnel from the Terminal to Daily Garage 1 will be closed at the north end for Metrorail construction. Shuttle buses will connect passengers from the Terminal to three stops along the south side of Daily Garage 1.
http://www.mwaa.com/about/temporary-...685.1452168352
http://www.mwaa.com/about/temporary-...685.1452168352
#4
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: SAN
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Posts: 423
....and people wonder why DCA is so popular! After your "walk" from the metro at IAD to screening and then the walk from the train to the C or D gates, one quickly realizes that you would deal with none of that if you just flew out of DCA.
#5
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Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
This issue was pure small-mindedness. It was projected to cost an additional $350 Million to place the IAD station itself inside the terminal. Terribly unfair to burden commuters and local taxpayers with that additional cost.
But, unlike other airports, no willingness to fund the inside station by tacking on a surcharge for the IAD stop to pay for its additional cost. I would be very surprised if travelers even remotely noticed an extra $2-3 on their Metro fare and it certainly would have attracted a large slice of IAD travelers who would have been quite happy to take an escalator down from the Arrivals level to board a train into DC. We'll see what happens if this thing opens.
But, unlike other airports, no willingness to fund the inside station by tacking on a surcharge for the IAD stop to pay for its additional cost. I would be very surprised if travelers even remotely noticed an extra $2-3 on their Metro fare and it certainly would have attracted a large slice of IAD travelers who would have been quite happy to take an escalator down from the Arrivals level to board a train into DC. We'll see what happens if this thing opens.
#6
Join Date: May 2007
Location: IAD
Posts: 2,060
I work in one of the big black buildings at IAD, and one of our perks is free parking in our employee lots during travel and we just walk through the tunnel. So the new Metro station will be slightly closer to the main terminal than my office is. It's NOT that long of a walk. I have rheumatoid arthritis and I can do it just fine.
#7
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Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
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Posts: 50,262
I work in one of the big black buildings at IAD, and one of our perks is free parking in our employee lots during travel and we just walk through the tunnel. So the new Metro station will be slightly closer to the main terminal than my office is. It's NOT that long of a walk. I have rheumatoid arthritis and I can do it just fine.
But, every marketing survey undertaken pointed up that overseas travelers who are the backbone of IAD, won't schlep their bags to a Metro station which isn't in-terminal the way the station is at every other modern terminal in the world.
Of course the current design is serviceable. It will have to be. IAD can be just like OVB in the 1950's. Maybe without the monument to Stalin.
#8
Join Date: May 2007
Location: IAD
Posts: 2,060
I just think it odd that such a short distance is considered "a schlep" and also not in the terminal. Yes, technically it's not in the main terminal. But it's so close as to be negligible... you go down an escalator in the main terminal and through a short underground hallway. If you'd never been here before you may not realize it's not inside the terminal. It's not like you have to hike out in the weather to another building or grab a shuttle like for the rental cars!
I also keep thinking that this walk is about half (or less) of a hike from one terminal to another in O'hare!
I also keep thinking that this walk is about half (or less) of a hike from one terminal to another in O'hare!
#9
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Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Formerly HPN, but then DCA and IAD for a while, and now back to HPN!
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Good on you.
But, every marketing survey undertaken pointed up that overseas travelers who are the backbone of IAD, won't schlep their bags to a Metro station which isn't in-terminal the way the station is at every other modern terminal in the world.
Of course the current design is serviceable. It will have to be. IAD can be just like OVB in the 1950's. Maybe without the monument to Stalin.
But, every marketing survey undertaken pointed up that overseas travelers who are the backbone of IAD, won't schlep their bags to a Metro station which isn't in-terminal the way the station is at every other modern terminal in the world.
Of course the current design is serviceable. It will have to be. IAD can be just like OVB in the 1950's. Maybe without the monument to Stalin.
#10
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Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Formerly HPN, but then DCA and IAD for a while, and now back to HPN!
Programs: Honestly, I've been out of the travel game so long that I'm not even sure. Maybe Marriott Gold?
Posts: 10,677
I just think it odd that such a short distance is considered "a schlep" and also not in the terminal. Yes, technically it's not in the main terminal. But it's so close as to be negligible... you go down an escalator in the main terminal and through a short underground hallway. If you'd never been here before you may not realize it's not inside the terminal. It's not like you have to hike out in the weather to another building or grab a shuttle like for the rental cars!
I also keep thinking that this walk is about half (or less) of a hike from one terminal to another in O'hare!
I also keep thinking that this walk is about half (or less) of a hike from one terminal to another in O'hare!
#11
Join Date: Apr 2009
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Agreed. If I understand the schematic correctly, it's about halfway to Garage 1, isn't it? Are folks complaining that it's not directly adjacent to the baggage claim? Or right out the front door? I'm not convinced that where they've located the station is going to deter people from using Metro to IAD, especially if the moving walkways are dependable or they have other consistent, dependable ways to get folks and their luggage from baggage claim or to check-in.
#12
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Location: Formerly HPN, but then DCA and IAD for a while, and now back to HPN!
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Correct. Even less of a "walk" considering the moving walkways. I know they currently run a shuttle to/from the parking garages. If those continue, that adds another "walk-free" way to get to the Metro.
#13
Join Date: May 2007
Location: IAD
Posts: 2,060
Okay, now that the tunnel is closed, I need to take a trip next week. If I park at Daily Garage 1 where do I pick up the shuttle to the main terminal? Seems like it would be on the terminal-facing side of the garage but now that's a big pit. Reading through the airport's website only says that the shuttle is available round the clock, nothing about where it might do pickup/dropoffs in/at the garage.
#14
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Formerly HPN, but then DCA and IAD for a while, and now back to HPN!
Programs: Honestly, I've been out of the travel game so long that I'm not even sure. Maybe Marriott Gold?
Posts: 10,677
Okay, now that the tunnel is closed, I need to take a trip next week. If I park at Daily Garage 1 where do I pick up the shuttle to the main terminal? Seems like it would be on the terminal-facing side of the garage but now that's a big pit. Reading through the airport's website only says that the shuttle is available round the clock, nothing about where it might do pickup/dropoffs in/at the garage.
#15
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: VA, USA
Programs: Marriott LTT, United Club Life Member, UA *S
Posts: 995
Okay, now that the tunnel is closed, I need to take a trip next week. If I park at Daily Garage 1 where do I pick up the shuttle to the main terminal? Seems like it would be on the terminal-facing side of the garage but now that's a big pit. Reading through the airport's website only says that the shuttle is available round the clock, nothing about where it might do pickup/dropoffs in/at the garage.