This Sunday, how much time should we allow to get to RFK on the metro from DCA and how much time should we allow to return to DCA on the metro from RFK?

Also, must we have exact change or will the metro ticket machines take AMEX? Thanks.

According to the trip planner feature at www.wmata.com, it should take about 30 minutes. Here's a link:

http://www.wmata.com/tripplanner_d/T..._Form_Solo.cfm

I am not sure whether the machines take AMEX or not. Bring small bills just in case. The machines will provide change up to $5 but all in coin:

Assuming you might be going to the Nationals / Yankees game - I would allow some extra time, particularly on the return, as it can be crowded.

Also -the quickest way is to take the Yellow line and change at Archives/Navy Memorial, but if you don't want to deal with changing and have time, you can also just ride the Blue line all the way from DCA to RFK although it will probably add 15 minutes or so to the trip.

here is the map of the metro system. RFK is the "Stadium - Armory" station on the right side where Blue and Orange split apart.

http://www.wmata.com/metrorail/systemmap.cfm

PS - yes, you can use a credit card to buy a metro card, but its not like a regular subway where its one fare no matter how far you ride. The metro card is like a debit card where you put money on it and it gets deducted each time you ride. DCA to RFK on a weekend should be $1.35 each way.

That's a great website, thank you tazi. Yup, we're going to the Yankee/Nationals game. We've got a 5:30pm flight back to LGA so I'm thinking if we're on the 4:01pm orange line and then change to the yellow at L'enfant Plaza, we should be in good shape as it arrives at DCA at 4:31pm.

Does the metro adhere to these schedules or is this wishful thinking? Is it reliable? The subway in New York has weekend schedules too but with weekend construction and diversions, you can't depend on the subway if time is of the essence.

Still only 30 minutes taking the blue line straight through. You don't really save much time once you consider time spent changing/waiting for trains.

They do mostly but in some situations (game days, events, etc) they can be delayed or very crowded. As for which line to take ... leaving the stadium take the first train that arrives. If it is a blue train, you won't have to transfer, if orange you will.

Skye1 and I made the mistake of waiting for the yellow train at DCA when we came back from Dublin in Feb. Blue train was there ... we could have got on that one and been on our way but we ended up waiting about 15 minutes for the yellow train to show up. Didn't save any time.

I ran your trip both on shortest time and shortest transfers and it comes up at 31 minutes regardless.

I am not sure that they stick to a strict departure / arrival schedule, they just tend to run trains every 10 minutes or so during peak rushour and every 20 minutes or so during offpeak - sometimes less on the weekends, but they should have frequent trains leaving RFK on a game day.

Good advice posted earlier to just jump on the first train that comes and let that decide your route.

They will have frequent trains, but after a game, the lines to get into the station, and onto the platform, and then onto a train, are insane. If you leave at or after the end of the game, I would plan on up to half an hour extra just due to crowding. In other words, I hate to say it, but you might be cutting it close on a 5:30 flight.

I am surprised no one else has mentioned this. I can't be the only poster who has actually taken the Metro home from a Nats game.

My suggestion is one of the following:
1. leave before the end of the game - I hate to say this too, but the Yankees will probably be so far ahead that you might not miss much.
2. don't try to jam yourself down the main entrance to the Stadium/Armory station along with the 20,000 other fans. Just keep walking and go in the south entrance, about two blocks further down. You get onto the same crowded platform, but at the other end, and via a less crowded escalator.

I agree with the advice to take the first train you can get on.

Thanks for this tidbit. My north/south/east/west gets shot when I'm out of town. If I'm facing the main entrance, which way is the south entrance: to the left? to the right?

Another nifty feature of the metro map, if you click on each stop, a neighborhood map pops up showing you the location of the various entrances:

http://www.stationmasters.com/System.../stadiuma.html


I didn't mention the crowds since I figured you would know that having attended so many Yankee games. But, unlike you patient New Yorkers, us Southeners will be pushing and shoving to get on the train first

That is GREAT. Thank you so much, tazi.


You have no idea how patient I can be.... Actually I assumed most fans drove and that the metro wouldn't be crowded.....wow, how wrong I was about that. Thanks for the heads up.

No, I would guess half or more Metro it, mainly because the parking/driving situation around the stadium is a mess. You can't park on-street unless you live in the neighborhood and have a residential pass.

If you follow the huge crowd from the stadium back to the Metro, they will all walk west from the stadium to 19th St, then turn left (south) on 19th and try to go down the first subway entrance. If you keep walking south on 19th Street (i.e. in the same direction you were walking), pass the first entrance, then continue another couple blocks, you will come to the other entrance.

This link is very relevant to this weekend's series:

http://www.wmata.com/about/met_news/...ReleaseID=1258

It doesn't really say much about Sunday's game ("...additional trains will be deployed if necessary...") but let's hope that Metro runs quasi-rush hour service (i.e. 3 min wait max) leading up to the game and after the 8th inning.

I agree with all the other posters: (1) Take the first train, (2) Metro will be jam packed, (3) Go to the South entrance, (4) Make sure you have enough money on your farecard for the return journey.

It's gonna be in the 90s all weekend!

My biggest dread. My husband REALLY wanted to come down for this game and I was just shaking my head saying "it's going to be KILLER HOT OUT THERE". Oh well, I guess those sentiments don't have much power in March when we purchased the tickets.