Car Return DCA or Union Station?
 

We will ditch our rental car before checking into Marriott Metro Center. Would DCA or Union Station be a more convenient location? This will be on Mon afternoon, 7/3. My husband thinks it's easier to get to DCA from Marriott MC without going thru downtown traffic. But I can see Union Station is closer and traffic should be light before the 4th? Please advice.

Thanks.

Where are you coming INTO town FROM...if it is from the Maryland side of the District, Union Station might be easier to reach.

Take it to Union Station. Rush will start by lunchtime on July 3rd and won't let up. It could easily take an hour just to cross the Potomac River.

Eastbound traffic through DC will be much quicker.

USE THIS ROUTE: From hotel take 12th St. south to E st. Then, take E st. east all the way to Union Station. This will take about 15 minutes.

Clarification: We'll be driving in from Philadephia. My husband will drop me and the kids off first at Marriott MC, then go return the car at DCA / Union Station and take the metro back to the hotel.

My advice above still applies - return the car at Union Station. All roads (i.e. bridges) leading into Virginia will be packed with commuters that afternoon. Even if they were empty, Union Station is still much closer and easier to get to from Metro Center.

You are closer to Union Station. The Marriott is near New York Avenue, which is a straight shot to Union Station.

Traffic will not be bad on 7/3. Many DC people try to get out of town and will probably make a long weekend of it. I would imagine traffic would be pretty light that day.

I agree with Mike. Although I am working that day, I doubt very many people are. (I'm counting on it, since we have to drive up to BWI after work that night!).

Union Station would be fine.

Karen

Union Station for sure although on 3 July there will probably be much lighter traffic since many Government workers will take that day off.

Certainly Union Station. You could also great the Circulator bus as well as Metro, which would give you an above ground lay of the land.

http://www.dccirculator.com/home_page/

It's a couple blocks from K Street to the hotel but an option.

Since one of the key advantages of the Marriott is that it's literally on the same block as the Metro station, and since dad will be heading back to the hotel where the family is waiting, it might make more sense to take the circulator bus another time. But I agree that Union Station makes more sense.

Alternatively, check whether your car rental agency has a dropoff place that's even more convenient than those two; I've rented cars in DC at neighborhood offices of the major companies, in various spots in the NW section including some within easy walking distance of the Marriott.

Well, it's a mere two blocks from the Circulator to the hotel -- not really enough distance to make a difference. Shoot, if you take the wrong exit out of Metro Center you could end up walking farther than that.

It's really a toss-up timewise and it'll give you a nice idea of the area between Union Station and DT. Plus, if you're not familiar with Metro, this would be quicker and easier, plus it's more convenient to the car rental area.

It's true about other downtown drops, but not every major has them. There are Avis, Hertz, Budget and Enterprise places not too far from the Marriott -- although some are over in the L and M Street area and farther west. Alamo and National are Union Station or DCA (and Dulles, of course) only, I think.