The holiday season is upon us, and you’re probably thinking about travel plans. If you’re opting to leave the car at home and go for airplane, train or bus travel, we’ve got some tips for getting to your destination as conveniently and affordably as possible using public transit.
- Metrorail to Metrobus: Take the Green Line on Metrorail to the Greenbelt Station. From there, take the B30 Metrobus to the airport. Click here for the B30 timetable. Note: To accommodate higher airport ridership, Metro will have additional buses ready to place into service as necessary on the B30 route.
- Metrorail to MARC Train: Take the Red Line on Metrorail to Union Station, located at Massachusetts Avenue and First Street, NE. From there, take the MARC train via the Penn Line to the BWI Marshall Rail Station, where a shuttle will then take you to the airport entrance. Note: MARC train service is not available on weekends. Amtrak services the airport from Union Station on weekends at a slightly higher fare.
Getting to Dulles International Airport:
- Metrorail to Washington Flyer Bus: Take the Metro Orange Line going toward Vienna. Get off at the West Falls Church station and follow the signs to the Washington Flyer bus stop. You can purchase tickets from the bus driver and the bus will take you directly to the front door of the Main Terminal. Click here for more information about the Washington Flyer, including ticket prices and schedule.
- Metrobus: The 5A route operates express service to Dulles and arrives at the 2E curb location. You can catch the 5A from the Herndon/Monroe Park & Ride Lot, the Tysons-Westpark Transit Station and the Rosslyn and L’Enfant Plaza Metrorail Stations. Click here for a timetable. Note: To accommodate higher airport ridership, Metro will deploy additional buses on the 5A route.
Getting to Reagan National Airport:
- Metrorail: Take either the Blue Line going toward Franconia/Springfield or the Yellow Line going toward Huntington and get off at the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport Station. Directions from the station platform to Terminal A, B or C are available on the airport’s website.
- Metrobus: Early Morning Weekend Service – The 13F,G provides service to the airport on Saturday and Sunday mornings between the hours of 5:50 and 8:00 am. For more information, including pick-up locations, click here.
Interstate Buses:
- Greyhound Bus: The terminal is located at 1005 1st Street NE, which is directly behind Union Station. It does take a while to walk there from Union Station, so be sure to leave in plenty of time if you’re trying to make a connection.
- BoltBus: Provides service throughout the East Coast and leaves directly from bus depot at Union Station, accessible from the Metrorail Red Line.
- Megabus: Provides service throughout the East Coast and beyond as far west as Toronto, Buffalo, NY, Pittsburgh, PA and Knoxville, TN. Departs from Union Station bus depot via the Red Line on Metrorail.
- DC2NY: Provides express bus service between DC and New York City. You can catch this bus from three different locations in DC—Dupont Circle (20th Street and Massachussetts Avenue, NW near the Dupont Circle Metro Station via the Red Line), 14th Street, NW between H and I Streets, NW (near the McPherson Square Metro Station via the Orange or Blue Line) and the Union Station bus depot (via the Red Line). There are routes departing from two locations in Northern Virginia (Vienna/Fairfax Metro Station via the Orange Line and Franconia-Springfield Metro Station via the Blue Line) to New York City.
- Sprinter Bus: Express bus service between DC and New York City or Norfolk, VA. Departs from the Union Station bus depot.
- Washington Deluxe: Provides daily express bus service between DC and New York City. Departs from Union Station bus depot accessible by the MEtrorail Red Line.
Amtrak:
Trains depart daily from Union Station accessible by the Metrorail Red Line. For routes, timetables and ticket price information, visit the Amtrak website.
On a final note, always be sure to confirm your travel reservations and the time you need to be there before heading out. Remember that lines may be significantly longer at airports during the holidays, so plan to arrive even earlier than you normally would. If using public transit during the holidays, be sure to check the transit service’s website for holiday hours or service changes. And don’t forget to bring identification…and your toothbrush!
Anne Factor at goDCgo
