public transport in Washington DC
 

My family of 6 (all adults) will be visiting DC around Easter for 8 days, coming from Europe. We'll be staying out near Rock Creek Park far (about a mile) from a metro rail line, so I'm wondering if the 7 day pass will be good for us. Best would be some combination metro and bus pass, but I haven't found any evidence of that. We'll be actively touring the city, especially the major sites. Any suggestions to the most economical travel pass or means of travel? I'm really hoping someone will (truthfully) tell me it's possible to get a combination metro and bus pass, and where to find that. Thanks!

Where exactly are you staying? Rock Creek Park is a narrow strip extending from the city's northern border to the Potomac River at Georgetown, and its southern end is close to the Foggy Bottom and Dupont Circle metro stations.

Brightwood Park area

In order to transfer between buses and the Metro you're going to have to buy a card, and I think you may have to go to a Metro station to do that. I don't think you have time to do that in advance. So the first trip you may have to pay cash and take the bus down to a station before buying cards for everyone ($1.80 exact change).

If you are willing to stick to using only the bus, then you can get a cheap one-week pass, and then I think that's a good deal.

I think for tourism you've chosen a bad location, but I suspect you're renting a cheaper apartment, and that's just the trade-off.

If you are planning to tour "actively" I think you'll have to do what you can to maximize your ability to get around, depending on your stamina for walking. An occasional taxi may also be in order, but you'd need two for every trip with 6 people. Perhaps pay for the Metro by the ride but get a cheaper bus pass for the week. That might make more financial sense.

Brightwood Park-- the area around Georgia Ave near Military Rd and Missouri Ave-- is not near any major tourist sites. You will need to use the Georgia Ave or 16th St buses every day. Since there is no combination bus-rail pass, you can buy SmarTrip cards and load each with a weekly bus pass plus funds for pay as you go metro rail trips. You can add fare as necessary for metro rail, so start small, maybe $10 per person, until you get a feel for how often you will be using it.
http://www.wmata.com/fares/purchase/passes.cfm

Yes get a smart trip card. Works on buses and metro and was easy to add money at stations!

Unless things have changed, there is a real problem with the bus system: there is no transit map to be found that gives the bus routes. It is as if the bus system is not intended for tourists. One year we tried to get to the U.S. National Arboretum and no one in Union Station could give us clear directions, if they even knew what we were talking about--we don't carry any device that would allow us to check Google map.

Metros trip planner feature can be helpful, but take its info regarding schedules with a grain of salt. One thing in favor of this group is that they will be boarding the buses far enough north that they will be aboard before the the bus fills up and traffic congestion wrecks the schedule closer to downtown.
http://www.wmata.com/rider_tools/tri..._form_solo.cfm

Is your lodging "locked in"? If not, we've stayed in Dupont Circle and north of Dupont Circle, close to the Red Metro Line. It quickly got us into the heart of DC. Other locations with quick metro access to the city are Alexandria & Arlington. Once in downtown DC, the National Park has an excellent tour trolley, "on and off", which can get you to a lot of the main sites. Regret that we can't offer help regarding the bus system. Best of luck in resolving your lodging/ transportation plans.

Agree that the area you're staying in is VERY inconvenient for major sights. Unless you getting it for practically free I would look for a place to stay much closer to the center.

Metro can be helpful but 1st you take info regarding schedules.

But keep in mind that Metro train schedules, while often quite accurate, are not meant to be on-the-dot--I take them as sort of strong suggestions. The trains run quite often during peak hours, less often off peak.