LOL!! I thought I was the only one freaked out by these kamikaze, dive-bombing creatures. They are everywhere! I even had one hit the middle part of my windscreen where neither wiper blades could get to. They are definitely yellow on the inside and crunchy on the outside, EWW! :D

I can't stress enough about how coronary-inducing the Beltway/495 traffic is during rush hour (both morning and evening on both loops). Saturdays are OK but the loopy-loopy stretch in Montgomery County and the IKEA exit in PG County are backed up even on weekends (especially when the weather is nice and everybody and their uncle is on the road). Oh and when the weather is nice, the (permanent?) construction crew comes out which bogs down the Beltway even further. I would allocate about 1.5 hrs door-to-door for the 60 miles between IAD and BWI if driving on weekends. Weekdays? Well, pee before you get in the car :)

Agreed 100%. I had my first experiences with road range while living in DC a few years back. The problem was so prevalent that they installed cameras to detect and issue citations for aggressive driving on certain portions of the beltway. Simply put, I'd pay a handsome sum to avoid having to transit from IAD to BWI.

For a family of 4,and on a weekend evening, rent a car. You will have a shot at a cheap rental. Search on Orbitz.

I don't think it will make much difference which airport, as there is no construction on 495 on weekends(yet).

You arrive at 3:15. You leave the airport at 3:45 or so.

You are going about 60 miles, and the typical highway speed between 3:45 and 6:30 (your arrival time at BWI) is mainly under 30 mph.

My squash partner works near IAD. If he leaves after 3:30, he frequently blows our 5:00 court time downtown. Maybe that bus has a separate lane for part of the journey.

I back commute DC-BAlt-DC 4 days a week. The backup on 295&BW plwy from BWI to downtown DC(the squash court) is very nasty.

The bus ride into DC, and the train out may be faster than a car from IAD-BWI at that hour.

The piece of 495 from the Dullus toll road to the 95 exit is always stalled from slow pickup of a perpetual work zone.

Yowza! :eek: Hope you didn't have to drive for long like that! Well, today as I was taking the garbage out to the trash shed, I just happened to notice two cicadas right on the upright handles to the shed doors...forward-facing as if standing guard with their little red eyes! All I can say is THANK GOD I noticed them before I put my hand down on the handle... if I'd felt something then I might have totally freaked out and passed out (and then Alysia's next thread here would be titled "Gator Gal is no more" :D ) Yeah, the critters have become a bit of a nuisance but still I gotta cut 'em some slack... they've waited 17 years to come and sing for their, um.... "supper"... I can hear them at night: "I did it all for the nookie, yeah the nookie!" ;) (my apologies to Fred Durst). Buahahahaha

Okay, threadjack over... back to talking about how rush-hour traffic in the Metro DC area sucks. And yes, I stand corrected.. MARC trains do not run on weeekends!

Okay for the extra $20 it will cost us we're going to rent a car from DCA and drive to BWI. This will spare us from toting luggage through public transits.

Any tips on driving directions? Is it okay to take 295(Baltimore-Washington parkway) all the way? How about 295-->I-95 and then to Baltimore?

George Washington Parkway North to 395 [only about a mile]. 395 east-north to Washington. Don't follow the exit for 395 later on, instead go straight on SE-SW freeway to Pennsylvania avenue exit. Cross the bridge and make a left onto 295 north. Take that to the BW Parkway. You can go all the way to 195 and BWI that way. However, everyday during rush hour their are major delays just after the 495 exit until MD-197 exit. If you're going at that time, you can use 495 to I-95 to 195. However, sometimes it gets backed up too. On 95 some days are bad some are good, on 295 you are guaranteed a delay at the above mentioned spot.

It could take anywhere from an 1 to 2 hours from DCA to BWI.

Good choice! Exit DCA onto GW Parkway North - stay right - then merge onto I-395 N, cross the bridge - stay right - and get onto I-295 (SE/SW Freeway). This is where it gets bizarre. Exit the Freeway at Penn Ave (don't stay on I-295!), cross the bridge and turn left onto Route 295 North which eventually merges with Route 50 to become the Baltimore-Washington Parkway (be careful not to get on Route 50!). The B-W Parkway takes you to I-195 and the rest of the way to BWI (takes about 30 minutes from where you get on at 295N). There'll be huge signs once you get onto the B-W Parkway. Saturday traffic should be a breeze (maybe a minor delay or two where the Parkway meets the Beltway). Good luck! :)


Amen, sister. What a life, huh? They eat and sleep for 17 years and then they come out and... how-should-I-put-this... "supper" till they pass out and die. Not a bad life at all. :D

My 2 cents:

SanFF for IAD-BWI - take public transportation if you can - it'll be cheaper & it's pretty efficient. The most cost effective & least stressful is to take the Washington Flyer bus from IAD to West Falls Church (~10 in total for Bus & Metro), then take that into Union Station & then take Amtrak from WAS-BWI (20-25 minute train ride, I think - $10.40 if you buy your tix online & use discount code V822 on an unreserved train - cheaper than the AAA code) - then just hop the BWI shuttle (free) - total cost, about 21 bucks - total time, just over an hour an hour in transit, not counting wait times for the train & subway & bus from IAD - the buses go from IAD-West Falls Church quickly as there is a bus lane once they get off of the IAD toll-free part of the Dulles Toll Road. Taking luggage on the Metro is fine - people do it all the time.

dlouise37 For DCA-BWI - Since you're traveling on a weekend & with family, I would just try a one-way car rental. You're leaving on June 26th, so you may be able to find a fellow FT'er whose leaving on the 26th as well who can give you a ride. I'd give you a ride, but my flight to KEF (also on the 26th) is flying out of JFK. There's a list on page 17 of the KEF thread that says who is going. Realize that FI requires a 3-hour check-in (according to their website) out of BWI - and you may want to get there as early as possible so that you can get seats together as it appears they do a lot of their seat assignements at the airport. If you rent a car, 295 is fine & is probably the best way for you to get from DCA to BWI - better than going up Rt. 1 to 495. You can rent from Dollar pretty cheaply (like 30 bucks inclusive I think on the weekends) and remember, Hertz is doubling $ off coupons through June 30th (see the Hertz forum), so that may even be cheaper. There's a gas station on West Nursery Road (near the hotels) that's not too badly priced - you can refill your car there - it should only be about 3-4 bucks in gas if you get an economy car. Not sure what day you're returning, but you can do the same thing on the way back OR, if it's more expensive b/c it's a week day, simply take the free shuttle from BWI to the Amtrak Station & then take Amtrak to Union Station (use v822 - 10.40/pp) and then take the subway from Union Station to DCA - about 2/pp - it'll be less stressful than driving back in an unfamiliar area from BWI after a long flight.

I just realized you meant Saturday. In that case forget 495 and 95. Just take 295 and the BW Parkway to BWI. I'd say 45 minutes to an hour or so to drive.

Try here
 

If you go to BWI's web site you'll see many options BWI Shuttle options . Metro DC is a PIA to drive in so avoid it if you can, and don't worry the cicadas are nearing the end. All we will have to offer soon is the usual, humidity, afternoon thunderstorms and lighting bugs.

I'd like to thank those who offered advice and driving directions. Especially blueDC, bhatnasx and DeafFlyer. But fortunatly we won't be needing them. Instead of driving to GRR and flying into WAS(IAD or DCA) we will drive to CLE and fly directly into BWI. Onward to KEF! :) Thanx again --dlouise37

I take the CLE-BWI route frequently. There is some construction on I-280 in Toledo so you may want to use I-75 or US-23 to get onto the Ohio Turnpike. Once you're on the turnpike, it's 3 lanes in each direction of smooth (especially compared to Michigan) roadway and good signage pointing your to the airport -- about 10 miles of non-toll freeway after you leave the turnpike. Turnpike toll is $3.50 from US-23, $3.35 from I-75, and $3.10 from I-280 (if I recall correctly). Long-term deck parking at CLE is $9/day with an enclosed moving walkway on level 3 that takes you to the terminal.