I just started weekly trips to BWI from my home in CT. Took amtrak the first week and that wasn't fun. Flying takes considerably less time...even with delays it "feels" faster.

Anyway, the options into my possible airports (JFK/LGA/HPN) are just a lot better at DCA. Especially with the LGA-DCA US Shuttle. I read here in one of the Sticky's that rail would take over an hour from BWI-DCA, but I would imagine the time is much more consistent than driving.

I'll still fly into BWI on Monday mornings, but Thursday evenings I'd like to fly from DCA. Say I left work at about 5pm, which method would get me to DCA the quickest/most consisent way? I'll be renting a car every week so driving would be ideal.

There are 3 main ways to make this trip:

1) Catch an Amtrak from BWI Rail Station to DC's Union Station, transfer to Metro (subway) to DCA Airport station

2) Take a bus from the BWI Airport terminal to the Metro. The bus spends alot of time on the expressway between Baltimore and Washington, which can come to a grinding halt for a long, long time if there is congestion or an accident - when you decide to take the trip is key on timing. Forget it during rush hour.

3) Drive. You're at the whim of traffic, which can often be brutal up in that area. Your choice is taking 95 all the way around the beltway to 395 north, or taking 95 to 495 to the GW Pkwy south, or taking 95 to 495 to one of the main roadways and driving it through DC to 395 south.

Option 1) would be at least one hour total depending on your Metro connections and time of day, but the travel time would be consistent.

Option 2) would be the cheapest, but bad traffic while on the bus could sink you - and you have no option to re-route off a jammed road. The bus will 'stay the course'

Option 3) would be at least one hour assuming zero traffic and carries the highest risk depending on time of day...unless you're doing this at night well after rush hour, it's a huge risk

So it really sounds like rail is the best way. Next question: Do I play games with those annoying shuttles from the BWI rental garage to Amtrak or cab it or find another Avis along a amtrak stop (avoiding traffic)? I'm leaning towards just ditching the car at BWI.

Shuttle vs. cab will depend on how much time you have to make the train and whether or not cost is a factor. Unless your landing at BWI after 730pm, I would stick to the rail option.

However, what is your objection to Amtrak? If you took the Acela, it would be the most comfortable and the fastest option. Let's compare...

Flying
----------
Transfer to Airport - 1 hour
Airport wait - 1 hour
Flight time - 1 hour
Transfer from Airport - 30 minutes
-----------
Total time - 3.5 hours


Amtrak Acela (not Regional Service)
-------------
Transfer to BWI from work - 30 minutes
Train BWI-NYP - 2hr 30 min
Transfer to CT from NYP - 45 minutes
--------------
Total time - 3 hours 45 minutes

Unless I'm missing something (do you need to transfer from Penn St to Grand Central as well?), the time seems to be a wash...the cost is also probably a wash....and unless you're trying to earn FFP (which you can do on Acela if you're a Onepass member), just avoiding the airport hassles, TSA, etc. seems well worth it

The main issue is that I'm not allowed to leave before 5pm on Thursdays..which means I miss the last Acela that rolls through BWI at 4:30pm. So instead I deal with this:

Amtrak Regional
---------------
5:38pm Amtrak
8:38pm New York Penn
Transfer to Grand Central via Subway or cab
9:07pm Metro North to New Canaan
10:14 arrive at home station (5 mins to house)

Last week I ended up getting home at 12:30am via Amtrak. I seem to have the worst luck almost every time with Amtrak. It's more delayed than planes.

Yes, I would like to keep my US status. Yes, I am very uncomfortable in turbulence but I will sacrifice that discomfort for speed. I would much rather be able to walk around in an airport than sit in a train.

My prop flight from BWI-LGA was cancelled. It was scheduled to depart at 6:55pm. That would likely get me home by 9pm. Instead I was put on the 8:05 which got me home at 10:15.

So I guess I'm just up in the air right now as to what to do.

It's too bad Amtrak doesn't offer WiFi or internet access on their Acela trains. If they did, you could make a case for leaving work early, then connecting back into the office via Internet VPN to continue working from the train.

The train is definitely your best bet, because traffic (495, BW Parkway, 95) is a toss-up and can be quite problematic even non-rush hour. One accident and you are sitting for hours.

One poster mentioned Amtrak, but you can also use MARC since you're traveling M-F. You'll want to check the schedules because it can be slower (but usually not by much) but it is about 1/3d the price and very frequent during rush hours on weekdays. www.mtamaryland.com

Click on MARC
Click on Penn Line

What you'd do from DCA:

Get on a yellow line train towards Mt. Vernon Square (although I believe they are now testing an extension to Fort Totten so your Metro may say that). Make sure you do not get on a Blue Line train to Largo (they share the same track at DCA).

At Gallery Place/Chinatown switch to a Red Line train headed to Silver Spring or Glenmont. Get on the lead car if you can.

At Union Station get off the train and make a right (as in as soon as you step off the train turn right), this will have you heading towards the escalators on the train side of Union.

Go up the escalators (both sets, one to leave the platform and another to go up into Union Station proper) and walk straight. There will be a bunch of ticket machines you can use to purchase your MARC or Amtrak ticket. Continue straight (there will be a little jog to the right) to the gate area. If you are riding MARC the sign with tracks will be right there, if Amtrak you need ot walk towards the Hudsons News Stand.

Hope this helps!

Why can't you talk to your boss about leaving early? Say you leave an hour early and come in an hour earlier. I'm sure they could be flexible.

Already did. The general answer was "depends on the workload". So I don't want to be stuck in the position when it comes up to 3pm Thursday and they ask me to stick around well after 4.

Let me re-iterate that if I were to fly FROM DCA back home, I would only see DCA on Thursday nights. LGA-BWI on Monday.

Have you ever tried Maryland BWI Airport Shuttle service
http://m-selam.tripod.com/shuttle

BWI Airport runs a MARC/AMTRAK bus that goes directly to the AMTRAK station. It runs every 10-15 minutes from lower level baggage claim.

I hate those shuttle busses. In fact, I'm going to start monthly leases for my rental car because it takes upwards of 30 minutes to get from the rental car facility to the amtrak station.

I did the amtrak/marc trip to union station this week, then to the metro. It went ok, but I think I'll just roll the dice and fly from BWI-PHL for better options.

If you want to use the Acela to go north from BWI after 5pm try taking a MARC or Amtrak Regional Train from BWI to Baltimore Penn and then catching the next Acela. Every Acela stops at Baltimore Penn.

Still doesn't go direct to Stamford, CT.

I'm planning to try BWI-PHL-HPN via US next week. Might as well keep my status!