cityboy340

Thanks for all of your help!

DCFlyer0306

The other option for those on a budget is

Red Line to Gallery Place Chinatown
Yellow or Green Line to L'Enfant
Metro Bus 5A (allows you get get on the first stop before Rosslyn, therefore more chance of getting a seat)

Often1

Got to be a pretty tight budget before anybody ought to consider this !

DCFlyer0306

As a resident, I've frequently done 2/3 legs on this journey -- Yellow/Green Line to L'Enfant and Bus 5A from there. Adding on the extra leg of the journey and it would probably take 1.5 - 2 hours but would cost ~$10 compared with ~$70 and up to 1 hour for a taxi

Not saying it's the most time efficient choice, but if someone had a lot of time between their train and flight and was on a budget, it's a perfectly fine option

EWR-6785

If you are taking a train from the North, wouldn't it be easier to get off the train at New Carrolton and then take the Metro Orange Line to W Falls Church and pick up the Wahington Flyer to Dulles, especially if you have bags?

If I recall correctly, it is a bit of a hike from the Amtrak trains at Union Station to Metro, and then you still need to change subways at Metro Center.

[Often I find myself flying in to IAD and trying to meet other members of my family taking the train from the North before heading out I-66 and I-81, so any other thoughts or suggestions appreciated.]

BearX220

The problem there is, the 5A pickup point on the street at L'Enfant is a bit of a hike from the Metro stairs -- inconvenient if you've got a bunch of luggage. I like the 5A option if I've got plenty of time and not much in the way of bags... it is a huge bargain... but I would tend to favor catching it at Roslyn. Moot in the OP's case anyway i think -- I'd reserve the Red Top car.

choster

I generally recommend against it.

• The distance from Amtrak to Metro at New Carrollton is no shorter than at Union station, and involves the same amount of stairs/escalators.
• New Carrollton is at the end of the line, and a good 45 minutes from New Carrollton to West Falls Church. During rush hour it would take longer than riding into Union Station and doing the Red-Orange transfer, at other times it is a wash.
• Personally, I would prefer to maximize the portion of the trip on Amtrak, which is far more comfortable than the Metro.
• Not every train stops at New Carrollton.

IADCAflyer

I don't know. I think it is actually a rather clever idea. The red line is a nightmare these days and you are going to be crushed at Gallery Place and then again at Metro Center.

At New Carrollton, you are at the end of the line which guarantees a seat for the entire trip to West Falls.

IaninDC

Not at all - you don't even have to go outside to get the Metro at Union Station. Depending on which platform you arrive at in Union Station, it's a 3-4 minute stroll past all the shops inside to Metro escalators down.

Also incorrect on the transfer: Union Station is on the Red line, so to get to the Green/Yellow line, you'd connect at Gallery Place. Metro Center is the Red, Blue, and Orange lines.

TRRed

On a visit to DC last year, it seemed like every escalator in Union Station between Amtrak and Metro was down (and on every one it seemed like at least one woman was carrying a stroller up or down the stationary escalator). For that reason I made the (terrible) decision the next day to take the Metro to Greenbelt and catch the bus to BWI. Much longer than I was led to believe due to the bus.

And a year or two ago, mid-day on a Saturday I think, I started at Gallery Place, and connected to the Orange line out into VA and took the bus from whichever station to IAD. There were relatively long waits at both Gallery Place for the first Metro and at Metro Center for the Orange line train. I left at least 3 hours before the flight and still missed the flight. IIRC, travel time to IAD was more than 2 hours.

I have a trip coming up in a few weeks returning out of BWI, and I am trying to decide whether I can make a 9:30AM (Friday) flight leaving from near Dupont Circle via Union Station to Amtrak, or if I should leave DC and stay near BWI the night before. Based on the above experiences, I am leaning toward the latter.

GoingAway

Those escalators at union stn were out or months, it was ridiculous. They were back in service the last time i passed thru.

Weekend metro service is pitiful at best. That gets exponentially worse when any service work is also being performed. Watch news alerts in advance of planning the trip.

For BWI, check out renting a car one way or going up the night before. Weekend service with metro is such a crapshoot. You'd likely be fine with the one amtrak leg, if that was how you were planning that ticket but don't underestimate the transfer time at bwi station to get to the terminals. Thats another 30 minutes budgeted time, just in case

scubadiver

I am zero for four getting decent service from Metro on a weekend. Weekends are for track work, not for delivering passengers. Last Sunday no trains were crossing the Potomac. At least Metro provided shuttles. But they turned a 45-minute trip into a 2-hour trip.

Previous trips they just announced that service had stopped. So sorry! Dumped us in the middle of the city.

I usually drive into DC. Parking hassle and all. Every now and then I have a fit of madness and take Metro. I always regret it.

IaninDC

I'll take the Metro on weekends since I live in the city, but only if I don't have to connect. If you have to transfer lines - FORGET IT because you'll be waiting for awhile!!! In that scenario, I'll just drive and save myself the annoyance.