lia_b

We will be in D.C. for a short vacation of three days (Thursday through Saturday). I am trying to figure out the most cost effective way to use the Metro.

Our hotel will be near the King Street station and we will be visiting the Air and Space Museum, the Spy Museum, the White House, Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial and if we have time, the Natural History Museum. I know we have to plan our to visit according to distances and times, but I am thinking that I probably will use the train no more than three times each day. To get there, to another location and to return. We hope to start out around 9:30 -10:00 a.m. (after rush hour) and return around 6:00-7:00 p.m.

I am thinking of purchasing the 7 day short trip pass for $22.00 with the intention of using $22.00 worth of train fare within the three days. Does this make sense? Or should I just buy a fare card and pay as you go.

Also, in New York , you can use the metro-card and immediately pass the card to the other person traveling with you so that you can just buy one. Does it work the same way in D.C. metro?. We are four people and I am thinking I would rather buy one or two cards and using those until they run out so I do not have any money leftover on them.

Thank you for your comments.

repete

Each person need their own card in the DC Metro. I've seen toursists try to share one and you end up needing help from the attendant.

You might save a little by buying the day passes -- now at $6.50. I thin it can be used after 9:30, but it might be 10.

With the $22 pass you don't use up the $22, you have as many short trips as you want and if the individual fare is more than $2.20 at rush hour (including 3-7 p.m.), you pay the difference. Most of your destinations are $2.20 at rush or close. King St. to Gallery Place (Spy Museum) is probably the farthest. It's $2.35 at rush.) A trip to Dupont would be an extra 35 cents each way.

Or you could buy each person a $40 fare card and send them to me when you're done ...

Anonymous

DC has a zoned and timed system that requires the card to be read upon exit as well as entering, so each rider has to have their own card -- it's like London rather than NYC.

It's easy to add money to a fixed-value Metro card that's running low, so we always use these and just add as needed toward the end of the trip. Each station actually has signs posted so you can tell the fare to your destination and know in advance if you're paid up enough.

rb_travelerxATyahoo

http://rideguide.wmata.com

Use the above website to find out what the cost of an individual ride will be at any particular date & time, as well as approximate arrival and travel time.

Check the the times & routes you think you'll be traveling, then decide if the "per-ride" or "all-day" pass works out better. I use the "per-ride" somedays, and the unlimited others, based on my planned travel.

One thing I like about the unlimited is that I will do a totally "spur of the moment" trip, since it costs no more. As pointed out, the visitor pass is not valid before 9:30 (or 10?) am.

lia_b

Given that per ride for four people could average out to $9. Would it be cheaper to cab it?

Anonymous

Cabs in DC are reasonably priced, but they add $1.50 for each additional passenger. So it can be "worth it" but never cheaper. The following cab-fare-finder is very handy for getting n overview.

http://citizenatlas.dc.gov/atlasapps....aspx?QString=

Flyboy

I always use the Metro in DC, from arrival at the airport until I head home. During non-rush hour periods, the fare is $1.35, so to use the Metro three times daily would come to $4.05 per person per day. Considering that you might not make three trips on your day of arrival and your day of departure, I'm guessing that if each person picked up a card with around $9.45 in value, you're likely to have it covered. If you should happen to end up using a card during rush hour, it would add 50 cents to the trip.

Stephanie

lia:

Use to live in D.C. You may want to get a daily pass like everyone mentioned or if you want to travel like I mentioned below the $22 might not be a bad idea. I haven't been to D.C. in a while, last time I paid $1.10 from like 2 stops from my original destination and that was way back in the mid-late 1990s. You will be amazed at how convenient the metro is and you may want to use it to get around the city as all that you are listing can be easily reached by subway. There is a blue line (catch it at National Airport) where the yellow line (which has the King Street metro stop on it) has a connection and this blue line goes to Arlington Cemetary and then onto Capitol (Air and Space nearby). Then you can get back on the blue line and get off at the Smithsonian stop that brings you to the American/Natural History museum. After this you can go to the Metro Center not very far away and connect to the red line at Metro Center to catch a red line to Farragut to get closer to the White House. On the red line (I believe - its been so long) the Woodley Park (Washington Zoo) stop takes you past some really neat ethnic restaurants on your way to the zoo (that is a good walk as is the Arlington Cemetary stop). Also, don't know your religion, but Catholic Univ on the Red Line has a huge cathedral called the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. I stayed on this campus in temp housing until I found an apt and the cathedral was absolutely beautiful and worth a visit IMO.

rb_travelerxATyahoo

When you board a Metro, as a "just in case" measure, get transfer coupons from the dispensors (usually located next to the excalator) and when you get to your destination, you can board most buses for a reduced amount. It was 25cents with a pass 2 yr ago, I think it costs 35 now with a transfer.

When you get to the destination station, you'll find maps & bus schedules for those lines serving that station. Often if your ultimate destination is several blocks away, a bus can be a blessing especially during inclimate weather. Buses will NOT accept coupons dispensed at the destination station.

Chele60

When I visited DC a couple of years ago, I spent almost a week and figured out the 7 day pass just wouldn't work. I would still have money left over. I just did some rough calculations and put that much on the fare card. On Sunday, I did buy an all day card and that worked to about even. I think I had to add fare to the card once, on the last day and only a minimal amount. When I exited the Metro for the last time, I had used up the entire fare card.

The Metro is not difficult at all, and I think for most tourists estimating a base amount and going from there works just fine. Try to underestimate, though, and you may only have to add a small amount to the card to finish out your stay.

lia_b

Thank you everyone for the wonderful tips and Stephanie, I will check out that cathedral. It sounds beautiful.

Anonymous

My daughter attends Catholic U, so I have had the opportunity to visit the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception several times. It claims to be the largest church in the US, and it's certainly huge and ornate and fascinating, but there are plenty of other wonderful places to visit in DC without trekking out to CUA.