barbfam

Hi, I am driving from CT to DC the end of theis week. I am staying at a great boutique hotel -got the Hotel Palomar for only 135.00 per night. I want to ditch my car in the Maryland burbs and then take Metro into DC for my 3 days I will be in DC. Not just want to avoid the expensive $34/day parking fee, but i do not want to drive in DC - i always get lost and the traffic will be awful when we arrive (8am or so). I know that there are only 3 metro stations that allow overnight parking for up to 10 days, and they only have approx 15 spaces, so I am not counting on this as an option. But if there are any Metro stations that have a commercial lot nearby, please let me know. I heard that maybe Largo and New Carrollton have one. Obviously, I am only interested in Metro stations that would be not too far out of my way - and should help me achieve my goal of minimizing my drive in beltway traffic on a wednesday am. One thought I had was staying overnight one night at Hampton Inn Largo and then asking them if I could leave my car in their lot for 2 more days. But commercial lot is probably best option - as long as I an leave my car there for a few days, I am happy to pay$$$$! Thanks

bethke14

Hi!
I'm not sure about Maryland Metro stations, but the economy lot at National airport is $10/day, and you could take the metro from airport. There's a shuttle from the economy lot right to the Metro station.

Good luck and happy travels!

Dukey

Here's the info about parking at New Carrollton.

Note the presence of the nearby county-run parking garage.

New Carrollton

All day spaces: 3,519 (Fares collected upon exit, 10:30 a.m. to Metrorail system closing)
Cost/day: $3.50/$7.50
Short-term metered spaces: 97
Additional spaces and costs: East - 129 short term metered spaces. West - 20 short term metered spaces. 20 spaces metered for 12-hr. max. @ 25 cents per 45 mins. Also, there are 400 spaces at adjacent PG Parking Authority garage at $40 per month.

MikeT

Do you have to drive? Seems like you are going to a lot of effort when you could take the train for less money.

Another possibility is parking your car at BWI Rail Station and taking the train in from there.

Christina

I think there might be some near Silver Spring metro. There is a large covered lot a couple blocks away that is on Wayne Avenue right next to a health club and it might be possible. There are lots of public garages around that area (not the metro per se, but a few blocks away where the stores and cinema are) and they might allow overnight parking, but I've never really asked. Also, there is a Holiday Inn not far away and they might have such a thing. There are some other lots around, but would be too difficult to describe and I don't think they'd be as secure.

I really would not suggest you do this in Largo or Riverdale, they have high crime rates. I think New Carrollton has one of the highest crime rates in the parking lot of any metro station.

FauxSteMarie

You generally cannot park in Metro lots overnight unless you have a monthly contract for parking. I would certainly check that out before leaving a car there and worrying that it will not be there when you return and you will be stuck tracking it down and paying a fee for the tow/ticket.

MikeT

New Carrolton is also an Amtrak station, so I would guess there would be overnight parking there.

Christina

The OP seems to know that you generally can't park overnight in metro lots, she even mentions that only a few allow it, and is asking for lots nearby to a metro.

FauxSteMarie

I should have read the original poster's post more carefully.

She will have to use a suburban parking garage that allows overnight parking, but darned if I know one I can recommend.

barbfam

thanks so much everyone! in the end, i decided on taking the amtrak train from new haven, CT. then i will take the red line metro right from union station to my hotel, which is 1 block from dupont circle. i initially wanted to drive, so that i could stop and visit relatives in south jersey and then could ditch the car in maryland, but it became obvious that ditching the car at or near a metro station for a few days is not easy. eventually, i hear that the suburban maryland metro stops will be adding more parking, and some places may allow you to park for more than 24 hours, but at the present time, it is just not practical to show up at a station and try to get one of FIFTEEN spaces allotted for long-term parking.

Dukey

Actually, you could have parked overnight at the New Carrollton Amtrak lot or the county-run garage next door but perhaps taking the train all the way is the best idea anyway.