PGHflyer

Hi. I searched and didn't see this anywhere (including the Washington Transit site). I am going to be staying downtown for the weekend and would like to avoid having to pay $29 per day for my car to sit unused in the garage. I was hoping that I could drive to a Metro station and park there for the weekend (since it is supposedly free) and take the train to my hotel.

Only thing is it is unclear to me if they allow overnight parking or not? If it matters, I was thinking of using Shady Grove.

Thanks for the advice.

gvdIAD

This is from the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority:

"Multiple day parking is available at three stations: Greenbelt, Huntington and Franconia-Springfield. Each of these stations has between 15 and 17 spaces allocated for multi-day use, which are available on a first-come, first-served basis."

Hope this helps.

lombardo

I have left my car overnight at Grosvenor (on the Shady Grove line). If you are there only on the weekend, it should be free, as they leave the gate open. Even if that fails, I'm sure you could find street parking around there as well.
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GoingAway

Don't know where you'll be downtown but if you come in Friday evening and leave by Sunday, I believe there are plenty of spots near the Rosslyn station. As long as you're in Friday evening, there should be plenty of street parking around the lots, its just a matter of picking ones where it'd be okay and you'd be comfortable leaving that car

FliesWay2Much

I could be wrong, but I think they charge for meter space parking on Saturdays in Rosslyn. I know they don't charge after 6PM in the evening and on Sunday, but I'mnot sure about Saturday during the day.

PGHflyer

Thanks for the tips folks.

jessej

i have left my car over night and over weekends at the station closest to my office - West Falls Church

I used to live in the apartment complex down from the Dunn Loring station,
when i moved, i kept the parking sticker
so if i am that way, i leave me car in that lot and walk the 1/6th mile to the station

crhptic

I have left my car over a weekend at Forest Glen and it was fine. The lots have no staff on the weekends, so even if you aren't officially in a multi day spot there is no one to tell on you.

joanek

The lots aren't staffed, but police still cruise the area, especially late in the evening. My neighbors received a ticket for parking overnight. Actually, they'd left the car there friday, saturday, sunday and monday nights, and it was ticketed by the time they returned monday. i don't remember the exact wording on the ticket, but it was definitely for parking for an extended time. That was grosvenor, too. And it cost them more than the equivalent parking at National.

That said, I have, several times, seen an obviously abandoned stolen car (tags off, radio ripped out, door ajar, mirrors broken), sit there for a week before being towed.

And they're getting a bit more aggressive about ticketing people who park in their own made-up spaces, too....I saw them nab two folks yesterday.

also from the husband of a friend, who's a ffx county officer: people know when the subway shuts down. Cars there after the last train are targets for vandals. I'd also be wary of parking in the long term spots....if you do, it's a signal that you're probably not going to be "right back."

That said, if you're in montgomery county, you'd have better luck in parking in one of the county garages overnight...it's perfectly legal. Of course, free parking times vary.

crhptic

That's a good point - both Bethesda and Silver Spring have county garages near the metro stop that are free until 7 AM Monday. If you're just gone for the weekend, you can leave the car there for free.

The Bethesda one is better because you pay upon exit, so you can actually enter ANYTIME and it will be free as long as you leave by 7 AM Monday (or come back during the hours of 10PM-7AM a day later, though I have never left a car there for an extended period, so I don't know what else would happen). The Silver Spring one has meters, which I believe don't cut off until 7 PM Friday, so if you left before then you'd need to feed the meter long enough to get you to 7 PM or you will get a ticket!

PGHflyer

Multiple day parking is available at three stations: Greenbelt, Huntington and Franconia-Springfield. Each of these stations has between 15 and 17 spaces allocated for multi-day use, which are available on a first-come, first-served basis. There are signs indicating which spaces are reserved for multi-day parking.

Please let us know if we can be of further assistance.

Sincerely,

Office of Customer Relations

gnaget

Due to the fact that the contract employees were stealing money the collection was automated at metro garages a year or two ago. After 10 pm (or whenever) on Friday it's open season to park over the weekend. They may have staff looking for multiple day parking on weekdays. But you could probably get away with parking on Friday anytime and getting out before Monday am.

I even confirmed that the it is technically legal to park > 24 hours by calling WMATA. During it's max 24 hours -- not sure how it is enforced in practice.

I thought the public garage meters in Bethesda are in operation on Saturdays but maybe I am wrong. They have lots of info on the Montgomery Cty website. If you are driving from Pittsburgh then that's a good place to park.

crhptic

All the Montgomery County parking facilities in Bethesda are free on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays.

The website is http://www.dpwt.com - then click on Parking.