MARC or drive?
 

Heading to DC this weekend.

I've got a super cheap car reserved. Staying at BWI and planning on 1. Not renting car and taking MARC each way both days into/out of DC. or 2. Using rent car to go to Greenbelt Metro and starting there.

Anyone want to chime in on what might be best? I do like having a car to go to dinner in Baltimore, but that's not a deal-breaker for me.

Also, if anyone has a better suggestion on which Metro station might be better, I'm all ears.

Taking the B30 bus to Greenbelt Metro may be simpler than taking MARC to Union Station, unless your hotel has a shuttle directly to the rail station rather than requiring you to shuttle from your hotel to the terminal and then from the terminal to the rail station. Also, keep in mind the Sunday MARC schedule is very limited.

MARC runs with less frequency on the weekends. If you just miss one you'll be cooling your heels at BWI station for some time, waiting to go to DC.

Then again it takes quite awhile to collect a rental car at BWI owing to the far-out-of-the-way rental facility. It is miles from the airport.

Then again the B30 form BWI to Greenbelt operates on a low-frequency schedule as well.

I would drive to Greenbelt or New Carrolton and catch Metro, I guess.

What are you doing in DC and what times do you need to be there?

As noted above, the MARC doesn't run terribly frequently on the weekends. That can also be true of metro--there's often a lot of track work on the weekends.

If it were me, I'd drive into DC and either park in a lot or park somewhere closer in. Since it's the weekend, traffic will not be so miserable. Just where to park depends on where you are going (and also what you want to pay for convenience vs. keeping your costs down.)

I agree. On the weekends, driving in DC is not bad at all. Even during the weekdays, I find it much much easier to drive in DC then to do it in NY or Boston, or even Philly.

On a weekend? In the fall, outside of the main tourist season? Drive.

Do note that this Sunday is the Army Ten-Miler race which will create a big old mess in its immediate vicinity before, during, and after. So avoid the race course with a car.

Note that on Saturdays the meters run in DC; however they are free on Sunday. You should be able to find a decently cheap lot to park in on Saturday and street parking on Sunday. What parts of the city are you planning to see, and how much walking do you like to do?

First, thanks for the responses!

Planning on visiting Natural History Museum, National Art Museum and American History.

We don't mind walking some.

Sounds like driving is the way to go?

I would drive and just park anywhere in the east side of the the central business district - just anywhere north of the mall from the White House over to Penn Quarter. Should be able to find a decent garage on Sat. Enjoy!

The metro also tends to have maintenace/construction done on weekends meaning considerably reduced frequencies and thus waiting times and quite crowded trains. I'd drive as well.

Thanks everyone!

Driving in from BWI both days was a breeze. Found a good garage for 12.00 on Sat and Sunday, easy free street parking.

No problems whatsoever. If I go on the weekend again, driving in is the way to go!

Very good. Thanks for the report back. How did you find the BWI rental car facility?