Hello. I'm looking to come down for a meeting in Herndon VA. I plan to take the Acela Amtrak into Union Station. Question is how can I rent a car from there? I'll be in the DC area for 2 days, Herndon VA then Fairfax... Is there a way to get to Dulles via rail and rent a car from the airport, or should I take a taxi outside DC and rent a car? Thanks for any advice. If possible, Avis or Hertz rental facilities. thanks.

Rather than go to Dulles to rent a car, I'd head to or around DCA (National Airport) and pick up a car thereabouts since the meto rail goes there but does not go to IAD). Taxis from Union Station to National Airport are pretty reasonable if you are short on time or want to avoid the DC Metro rail (which is a nice system IMO). (To go to IAD, you can go to West Falls Church and grab the Washington Flyer bus which may require a wait as long as 30 minutes.) To avoid the airport facility fee, there's an Avis in Clarendon area of Arlington, Virginia (10th Street in zip code 22201) and that's what I'd suggest if avoiding the confusion of DC roads is desired. The cab ride wouldn't be much more than DC National and may even be the same cost depending on how the cabbie takes you.

Personally, I'd pick up a car in downtown DC itself and drive out, but I don't always suggest that, particularly to those not comfortable with city driving, especially because DC's roads are not a simple grid pattern. If driving from downtown is fine by you, there's a Hertz on 11th and K NW (DC proper if unfamiliar with the area) and that's not a bad cab ride either from Union Station.

There is an Avis right inside Union Station, no need to go downtown. There's also an Alamo/National.

thank you! I don't know how I missed the Avis in Union Station...I looked earlier but didn't see it! That will do the trick. I'll Acela it and grab a car there for the nice scenic drive! thanks for your fast help!

I thought there was one too but when I used google to try to find it quickly I couldn't and so edited that out.

Should have gone direct to Avis.com:

I second that -- Union Station is just like an airport with several rental car counters. The tricky part will be how to get out to Herndon when you arrive. If it's evening rush hour, you won't be able to use I-66 (100% HOV-2 outbound in the evening) to get to the Dulles Toll Road. You'll have to get on the George Washington Parkway and take it to its end at the Beltway (I-495). Take I-495 south for a couple of miles (could be a very slow couple of miles!) and then take the exit to the toll road. To get to the GW or to I-66, there are a couple of possibilities. You can either get to Constitution Ave from Union Station and just go straight west until you cross the river on the Roosevelt Bridge. You'll see an exit for the GW parkway or you can just stay on I-66 if it's not HOV-2 in the evening. Option #2 is to get to the 3rd Street Tunnel (which goes under the Capitol) and get on to I-395 south. You'll cross over the 14th Street Bridge and will see signs for the GW or I-66 as soon as you get into VA. (The rental car agent will have to tell you how to get to the tunnel or to Constitution Ave because I don't know where the lots are at Union Station and there are several one-way and no-left-turn streets).

If you have an EZ Pass transponder up there in NY, bring it with you because it will work on the toll road.

If worse comes to worse, sit out evening rush hour at one of the bars or restaurants at Union Station and don't sweat it.

Herndon and Fairfax are resonable close together that I would just stay in one hotel for the entire trip. Even during rush hour, the worst case would be an hour between both cities, depending on where you need to be.

Agree with staying in one hotel, Hyatt Reston being one of my faves for upscale, tons of options for more reasonable prices. If you're headed downtown during rush hour, though, I would definitely leave yourself more than an hour to get there. Rush hour in DC is manageable if you know backroads, but if you're not overly familiar, the main arteries can be maddening.

Not anymore...that one closed a year or two ago. That site is now part of a Hilton Garden Inn under development.

Thanks for the update. I guess that's another sign of Google limitations here: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=20001+hertz .

In fairness, that Avis used to be a Hertz until a few months ago. The downtown Hertz location closed a little before that and the Clarendon location has been gone a few years—there is not a single HLE in DC! The closest Metro-accessible locations are now at DCA and Silver Spring .

If arriving rush hour, consider flying to IAD. cab to meeting, or rent there.

Definitely. If you're not tied to the train, take JetBlue from JFK to IAD.

umm. there is an obvious question here. which is why are you taking the train?

It's a bit crazy. the air cost is about the same as the acella and dulles is right next to herndon. and there are hotel shuttles from dulles.