kayjay

Hi All, we will be in Cambridge, MD for a wedding in May and will then take a train to NYC on a Sunday. From studying maps on the internet, it appears that Union station in DC and Penn station in Maryland are both about equal distances from Cambridge, MD (about 1 1/2 hr). We will need to drop off our rental car. Any opinion on the better choice between the two stations or are there options that I have overlooked? Thanks so much!

Ackislander

Penn Station in Baltimore, maybe? There is a station at BWI, Baltimore-Washington Airport, which would be a convenient place to drop the car. I can't remember if Acela stops there, but the northeast Regional trains are not a lot slower than Acela, and I know they do,

obxgirl

Dropping your rental car off at BWI will be far simpler than either DC or Baltimore. I'm not sure I see the value of DC as the ticket will cost you more and put you farther away from your ultimate destination. Agree with Ackislander that the Acela trains are much more expensive than the NW Regional trains and don't get you there much faster.

nytraveler

No need for Acela - the slightly shorter time just isn't worth the greater cost. And be sure to buy your tickets in advance - I think usually about 2 weeks out gets you the best discount prices.

doug_stallings

You don't say where you are doing your car-rental, and if you drop your car someplace else there will be a fee, sometimes high and sometimes not. So that has to be a consideration. But there's no question that BWI is the most convenient place to drop your car. All trains between DC and NYC stop there (including Acela).

The upcharge to Acela is significant and not really necessary in terms of time-saving, but the trains are somewhat more convenient (not enough on this short trip, however, to make the difference for me). However, I disagree about when to buy tickets. You get the best price at least 30 days in advance. If your travel dates are already fixed, I'd buy tickets as soon as you can. Sundays are particularly heavy travel days between DC and NYC, so the fares are almost always higher on Sundays, and trains do sell out.

tomfuller

Where are you renting the car? There are buses that leave the curb at the Hyatt Regency at 6,8,10 and noon that make the transfer at the BWI station.
If you rented at BWI after a flight in, just return it there. The bus takes about 1:07 to get to BWI from Cambridge.

tomfuller

Unless you want to pay $146 (for 2) more to get from BWI 24 minutes faster on the train, I'd wait and take the next Northeast Regional. The Regional comes into BWI 25 to 35 minutes behind the Acela.
I'm hoping you are flying into BWI and renting from there. It would make things easier than flying into Dulles or National.

kayjay

Hi all, just returned home and am just now reading all of your thoughtful, helpful responses: thank you so much. I love this forum!
Will definitely go with the NW Regional train and it sounds like the train station at BWI is the easiest so will plan around that.
We will be spending a few days in DC before attending the wedding in Cambridge, MD so we are flying in to IAD, especially since United has a great first class, nonstop fare from SFO but will study the car drop off situation and see if it's worth changing to a coach flight on Virgin America. Thanks again!

Christina

I always book the regular train, not the Acela, also, it's just not worth the extra money to me for 30 minutes. You'd have to be on an expense account or really wanting to splurge for that.