sferguso

I know there have been a couple of threads related to driving between Williamsburg and DC, most not really recommending it for a day trip. So I checked the train schedule from Williamsburg to DC and it doesn't seem very convenient either (only 2 trains per day, slow).

If one were to drive to the edge of DC (say a half hour out), find a place to park and then take some other form of transportation into the city (subway, taxi, or bus), does anyone have any recommendations where a good spot might be?

Ideas appreciated - thanks Fodorites!

yestravel

I'm not clear on what u need. Are you looking for a DC suburb near a metro station that u can take into DC? And from that same location drive to Williamburg?

sferguso

Yestravel, I think you've hit it on the head. Thanks for rephrasing for me...I wasn't really sure how far out the metro stations went.

HKP

The short answer would be the Franconia-Springfield stop at the end of the Blue Line ( http://www.wmata.com/rail/stations.cfm ). However, if you're thinking of avoiding rush hour traffic by doing that, be aware that the apron of really bad congestion stretches well south of Springfield on I-95.

sg92

I'm not an expert on metro stations, but I think the real key to a decent trip is traveling the right day/time of day. If going against traffic, coming into DC from the south can be quite easy.

Weekday mornings you'll experience rush hour traffic until about 10 am -- coming in after that is generally not too bad. Weekends there is no rush hour to speak of. Heading back out is a little trickier -- get out by 3, or leave DC after 7.

I'm afraid that the metro doesn't reach far enough to avoid traffic if you do have to travel during peak hours, so the "hybrid" option (of driving to the metro) is not one that I would generally favor.

EricH

I agree. You could be in bad traffic for 30 miles before the beltway. If you really want to do this, get on the road by 5 am (or earlier) and drive straight through. And plan to return either before 4 pm or after dinner, because the outbound traffic is even worse.

obxgirl

My DH commutes part time to DC from Wmbg and I travel up for business pretty frequently.

I have a couple of suggestions for a day trip. Both make for a long day but they're doable and it takes some planning and stamina.

1. For weekdays: leave Wmbg between 8 and 9 am and you'll miss the DC am rush hour. Do your day in DC, possibly have a light supper and leave DC around 7. You'll miss the bulk of the pm DC rush hour. For weekends: leave by 8ish from Wmbg in the summer to beat the beach traffic heading home from the Outer Banks. Returning from DC is always a bit of a crap shoot in the summer unless you wait until very late in the day. Actually, leaving DC (through to Fredericksburg) is always a bit of a crap shoot because of traffic volume.

2. Drive from Wmbg to Ashland which is a commuter station just north of Richmond proper. It's an hour and 10 min from Wmbg. There's a 8 am (ish) train that gets you into Union Station shortly after 10am which is about the time it would take you to drive the total distance. Unless there is bad weather that train runs a pretty dependable schedule. Trains leave Unions Sta for Ashland as late as 6 and 7 pm. Our experience is that they tend to run late, but not always, and there are plenty of diversions (food and otherwise) at Union Sta. You can buy your ticket on the train but you save a few dollars if you buy it ahead of time at the little train station in Wmbg.

obxgirl

>>If you really want to do this, get on the road by 5 am (or earlier) and drive straight through.

Ackislander

I like the idea of the train from Richmond Staples Mills or Ashland. They are fairly frequent, and both have easy access to the interstate to get you to and from Williamsburg. As senior citizens, we get a whacking great discount which sweetens the pie. It probably costs less for the two of us to take the train than to drive and park.

obxgirl

From a commuter's point of view, stick with Ashland over Staples Mill if you're going during the early weekday morning. You can find yourself embroiled in traffic tangles and miss your train. Ask me how I know this. Staples Mill does have an actual station building which makes it a slightly nicer place to wait in inclement weather.

sferguso

Thanks to all for your feedback!

Birdie

Do you have to do this on a weekday? As long as you get into DC before 10 on a weekend, you can usually find parking near the mall.

jo_ann

I'm with the majority here - the train is a great idea. I'm from DC but now live in Richmond - I've frequently over the years used the train for daytrips, if I was headed into DC or anywhere along the metro lines. The advantage really is that you can wear yourselves out up there, then climb back on the train and relax - we still do day trips up and back when forced to (family events, typically) and I can tell you that the odds of finding big backups either going or coming: huge!! especially on the weekends - and we're getting ready to enter the summer season, where people are either headed to or from the various beaches. I wouldn't have thought about the Ashland station, by the way - great idea, especially being based in Williamsburg. Just use 295 to angle around, and miss any craziness/lane changes to catch the expressways in the heart of Richmond.
Today's NYTimes online by the way had "36 hours in Williamsburg" - had some great ideas!! several that we've tried (nods to Pierce's Pitt Barbecue & Fat Canary), some that we haven't. Great article!
Good luck!
Jo Ann