traytest

Wondering what's the best/reasonably priced way to get from Dulles to hotel in Baltimore for 3 (jet-lagged) adults and a small child. Shuttle prices seem more expensive than a taxi for that size group, but maybe I've misunderstood. Any ideas welcome.

vjpblovesitaly

Best would be a car service. I don't know how much a taxi would be but the Dulles website might have some info www.metwashairports.com

I would look into a car rental also.

I used to see this car service recommended a lot on TripAdvisor.

http://www.kasperlivery.com/

tomfuller

Dare I ask why you didn't fly to BWI? If you did it to save $30 or less on airfare, you didn't save any money.
If you must fly to Dulles, just rent a car.
Dulles is OK for transferring from one plane to another but it loses out to Reagan National and BWI for ease of getting somewhere without renting a car-just my biased opinion.

traytest

OP here. Tom, you can dare to ask, although it's not really relevant. Flying in from Europe with very limited choices in to BWI. Don't think renting a car, very jet-lagged, after a long flight is our first choice. Really wondering about train vs shuttle vs taxi. I've done some searching and unfortunately it seems as though an expensive taxi ride may be the only practical way.

vjpblovesitaly

or a car service.

tomfuller

If you have an option to fly to Newark (EWR) you can take a train right to Baltimore. EWR has its own Amtrak station.
Reagan National has its own METRO stop.

Tabernash2

We needed transport from Dulles to a Baltimore apartment a few years ago. I searched for car services/shuttles, and found one that was $100 for one person. Not too bad. Sorry, I don't remember the name of the service, though.

yestravel

BWI is not necessarily a convenient airport unless one is going to Baltimore as the OP is. Flying into Newark and training it to BWI would not be cheap and would be crazy time wise. So I disagree with Tom on those points.

The only way to get a train is to take either the Metro bus from IAD and transfer to the metro and then to the train @ Union Station to Baltimore or take the Washington flyer service from IAD to metro and do the same. I doubt either of those options are good ones given you have said you will be jet lagged.

I am not aware of any great options for you if you don't want to drive yourself other than a car service or taxi as mentioned above. It's about an hours drive (in non rush hour) so will not be inexpensive.

gail

While in theory the drive is just over an hour, there are very few hours in the day that I think one could actually make it in that short length of time. And going towards DC, there are travel restrictions based on time of day and direction to/from DC.

yestravel

@gail- u r undoubtedly correct about the time it will take, but what travel restrictions? I'm not aware of any.

Christina

I can't imagine that drive taking only an hour, ever. The drive from IAD to around Silver Spring will take about an hour, I drive it frequently. It does depend on time of day a lot, in no traffic, you can get to Silver Spring in maybe 45 minutes. If it is rush hour (and it often is when I arrive from Europe, after getting out of the airport), all bets are off, it could take 2-3 hours to get to Baltimore. It is sixty miles from IAD, after all. It would be a lot better if it were not a hotel near the Harbor, of course, but on the west side.

There aren't any travel restrictions on the Dulles access road nor the beltway after you get on it. I think Gail may be presuming one is using I66 into DC, then going across the city, which I would never do.

I have no idea what a taxi would cost for that trip, but given it is 60 miles and could be a long time, depending on traffic, I wouldn't want to risk it myself over a fixed price shuttle.

Supershuttle says that will cost $150 for four. However, theairportshuttle.com says only $125, if you book a shared van (this was IAD to downtown Baltimore). Dulles Airport Taxi (which I think is the only one allowed to pick up out there) estimates $120 to BWI, which is 58 miles from IAD. So downtown Baltimore might be more, and who knows how much more if it is during rush hour there, also.

IN short, I would go for the $125 flat fee myself with those choices, although it is a tough call.

TDudette

Hi traytest, does your hotel in Baltimore offer any pickup or shuttle services? Or suggestions?

Christina

No Baltimore hotels offer shuttle services to an area 60 miles away. At least I've never heard of one, just like no DC hotel will offer you an airport shuttle from BWI, and that is even closer. I find it interesting that the Four Seasons Baltimore says it is 90 minutes from downtown DC (which would make it about 2 hrs from IAD). That is more realistic, although in bad traffic or rush hour, it can take longer. Some deluxe hotels could possibly have a driver service they could recommend, of course, you never know. I doubt if the rates would be cheaper than the corporate big names that have websites (like Supershuttle), but wouldn't hurt to ask.

I think this website summarizes the options pretty well with expected costs http://www.webjet.com/travel/airport...washington-dc/ (looking at the transfer cost between IAD and BWI, for example).