Just Me

I will be taking the Metro from the Mall to Crystal City @ around 9 pm with a 5yr old. Is it safe with a child at this time of the night?
Also, in looking up the schedules I found that I will have to transfer from Rail to Bus @ Huntington Av to get to Mt Vernon. I will have 5 min to do this. Is this a difficult transfer? thanks

Jack

I think it really depends on what day of the week you will be doing this??

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jb

Just Me,

DC's metro is very safe. 9 pm is kind of late, but I still don't believe it is dangerous. I would exercise the caution you would use in any other similar situation.

You say you only have 5 minutes to make the switch - DC trains run on a schedule so I would assume if you miss that particular train, another one will come along shortly. Doublecheck me on that, but that sounds right.

just me

Thanks jb. Should I try to get in before 9 pm? Does anyone know what a taxi would average to run from the Mall to the Airport in Crystal City?

x

i'm a little confused--are you trying to get to Reagan National airport or to Crystal City. There's also a Metro stop for the airport,if you're trying to catch a bus from the airport.

Just me

Sorry, it's me that's confussed. I am staying at the Crowne Plaza Crystal City. I would like to return after the Moonlight tour on the Tourmobile at 10:45pm, but don't think the Metro would be good with a child. Thought maybe a Taxi would be better. The Crowne Plaza is close to the airport . . . right?

[email protected]

Just stayed in Crystal City a couple weeks ago, but stayed at the Hilton. I think the Crowne Plaza was about 3-4 blocks north of the Metro stop, near a block of apartment buildings (The Hilton was 5 blocks south of the stop).
I only used the metro during the day, but the entrance /exit was basically in a /shopping mall/office building/hotel (one of the Marriotts) complex that I suppose will all (except hotel of course) be closed at that time of the night. I'm a New Yorker and don't hesitate much to take subways late in the evening, but if you're not, especially with a tired 5 year old, I think I'd opt for the taxi. I know Taxi fares are priced by zones in DC rather than metered, but maybe a local can direct to to a website or tell you from personal experience how much it would be since Crystal City in in Virginia, not part of the district.
I suppose, technically, you could take the Metro to the airport and then pick up your hotel's complimentary shuttle back to the hotel, but you'd obviously have to verify that with the hotel ,and again, with a small kid, I doubt it's worth saving a few bucks

[email protected]

just found this link. It includes a phone number to call the DC taxi commision which will quote you an exact taxi fare based on your start and end points
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/travel/visitorsguide/features/taxis.html

This 2nd link has the zones listed
http://dc.linksee.com/Travel/Reviews/dctaxizonemap.shtml

Hope this helps.

just me

xx, you are exactly right. I don't want to take any chances, or make the poor tired little guy stay up any longer than is necessary. Maybe someone will see this thread and respond with information regard the Taxi system. Non-the-less, I agree and really thank you for the information.
Oh, and we are small-city people! Was the Crysal City area safe at night?

[email protected]

the area seemd perfectly fine, but again basically it's several blocks of huge apartment complexes (probably pretty upscale based on the stores in the malls/type of restaurants), office buildings and hotels (probably 8- 10 hotels in total) The only street that looked like it would have any foot traffic at night is 23rd street which is about 1-2 blocks long and lined with restaurants (and a 7-11 and a big CVS store nearby) . I think your hotel is on about 15th street, so you're not likely to see much foot traffic there, I would guess. I would call the phone number listed in the link I gave you above to get the price quote. One of those links specifically says you should call a Virginia cab company to take you into Crystal City (rather than a DC company), the other says that if you actually hail a cab rather than call one , it has to be a DC , not VA company. I'm sure the taxi commission can clarify things for you.
Have a good trip

k

A taxi from the Mall area to Crystal City will be less than $10. Hail either a DC or a Va. cab for any trip between the two jurisdictions. The fares may vary because Va. cabs have meters and DC cabs don't -- zone system within DC, mileage-based rate going outside the District with cabbie reading the price off a chart he keeps beside him -- but I don't think the difference is great.

x

I Alexandria a great taxi service is White Top - 703/683-4004 - you can reserve 24 hours in advance and they are quite reliable. We use them weekly for airports, etc. - never let us down in three years.

Just Me

Once again, you guys have come through for me! Can't say enough how much I appreciate the help and advice.