Getting to the Kimmel Cancer Center at Hopkins via MARC? AMTRAK?
 

Help! I live in No Va and have an appointment at Hopkins Thursday. Snow is expected tomorrow. The commute with snow is super miserable (we tried that in Dec) so we want to try the train. I asked the transportation lady at Hopkins. She had no idea how to get there from DC. So I thought I'd turn to the experts. Cancer is bad enough without a snow crazed 50 mile commute. Thanks so much!

You can take the MARC from Union Station into Baltimore. There are a few older threads in the Maryland forum that discuss where to get off the train in Baltimore to go to Hopkins. I got off at Penn Station but I believe that there was a more convienient stop for Hopkins. Or you can catch a cab from the station. Good Luck with your treatment.

Thanks so much. I'll look up the old threads. A taxi from Penn Station sounds way better than the traffic in the snow.

con_brio, there is really no better stop to get to Hopkins than Penn Station in Baltimore. When you arrive you'll be inside, there are plenty of taxis there, and it's a pretty short drive to the hospital.

Are you taking the metro to Union Station in DC to pick up the train? If so when you go up the escalators to the trains you may notice a pair of marc train ticket machines there. You can buy two one-way tickets from the machine ($6 each way) so that you'll already have your ticket for the return trip. I don't think they sell a round trip ticket, so you need two one-ways. The only other thing you'll need to do is figure out the schedules, and what track your train leaves from. Check the marc website for that info.

By the way, I think Amtrak is only something like $14 to Baltimore, so if that works better for you it's still not a huge cost.

Good luck with your trip, and you're in very good hands at Hopkins - I know quite a few people that they have cured, including my wife.

By the way, if you take MARC, just be sure to take one of the "Penn Line" trains - that's the only one that goes to Penn Station. All of the Amtrak trains go to Penn.

Thanks so much, this is a huge relief. I didn't realize Amtrak was so reasonable. There is a Baltimore subway that goes right to Hopkins, but I have no idea where to catch it. I've been in treatment there since Sept and am very impressed with Hopkins. I'm in a clinical trial that is very promising, and I hope to have the same results as your wife. (As much as I love Hopkins, I'll run to NIH when they get the trial. The commute has gotten way old.)
Thanks

Yes, the MARC train is a huge bargain, and even the Amtrak trains aren't too bad.

Well, if you wanted to use the subway (Metro) to get to Hopkins, you could take MARC's Camden Line instead of the Penn Line. The Camden Line ends at Camden Station in downtown Baltimore, but then you would either have to walk about five or six blocks to Charles Center for the subway, or you would have to then hop on the Light Rail going north from Camden Station, and try to change over to the subway, probably at Lexington Station.

But that would be much more complicated, and I think you have enough on your mind as it is. Why don't you just take the MARC Penn line or Amtrak to Penn Station, then take a taxi? It would be so much easier for you.

The only reason to Metro is the predicted ice and snow. Underground sounds like a good option. Also, I found out from Hopkins that there is a shuttle to the hospital from Penn Station.

The most difficult part will be getting off my street (I live on a steep hill) and to Union Station. I live in Arlington where you can put in a request for special clearance in special circumstances. Hopefully, getting my chemo will count. Thanks for the help.

I love this forum.

There is a Baltimore metro line at Hopkins. It was mentioned on another thread. I'll try to find it.

I found it in August, con-brio! Title and link below lots of info in the thread (good luck):


Need advice on train travel vs. rental car (DC/Baltimore/NYC trip)


http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...fm#dest-header

Thanks for your help. The rest of the story is that the snow Wednesday was AWFUL! My husband spent 4 hours trying to drive 5 miles home before he gave up and went back to the office. My Thursday visit was delayed until Monday ( fortunately, I had enough meds to last til then).

We drove. Someday we'll do the train...

Wasn't that awful? I was reminded of a similar snow over 20 years ago. A plane crashed in the Potomac River that same day. That may have been the first time I heard someone say, "An inch of snow is predicted, abandon your cars!"!

I do remember .. Air Florida in 1982. But be fair, it was a major storm with a jetliner hitting a bridge. Hardly an inch. There was also an accident (with three fatalities) on Metro which went pretty much under the radar since the crash was so horrific.

But it does make one wonder about evacuation in emergencies in general...

Good grief, you are right about the Metro crash.