travel time from DCA to downtown
 

I am traveling to a meeting at Embassy Suites Convention Center on 10th St. the first week in March. I am making flight arrangements into DCA. I can either leave home very early in the morning or fly in the night before. I was wondering how long it will take from the time I get off the plane (just carryon) to take the metro and then walk to the hotel. Would taking a taxi be faster?

I find that when I have to get up at 4am, I am very tired for an afternoon meeting, so am thinking about coming in the night before, probably arriving 6-8pm. I was thinking it would be better to find a hotel near the airport, say Crystal City, and make the trip downtown the next day. Cost for that night is a factor and I was planning to use Hotwire or Priceline. I am not trying to sightsee this trip.

Any advice about my plans?

Thanks,
krisz

You're probably no more than 15-20 minutes away from the hotel via Metro (and that might take in the time walking to the Metro).

I agree with the above. It's a short trip on the Yellow Line from the airport to Chinatown/Gallery Place. The hotel is a couple of blocks from the Metro station. Taking a taxi will not be any quicker and if you're arriving during morning or evening rush hour, it could take much longer.

If you'd be doing this trip during rush hour, it will defintely be quicker using the metro. It's about 5 minutes or so to get to Metro from the airline gates. It will take about 15 minutes on the metro from DCA on the yellow line to Gallery Place stop. Then its less than a half mile walk to the Hotel. I'd say door to door would be about 30 minutes. U can check this out at the metro site.
http://www.wmata.com/index.cfm

I hate to get up at the crack of dawn and fly. I'd come in the night before and stay near a metro stop to get u to the Embassy suites in the am.

It depends on when you are arriving.

If you arrive in the morning during the week before 9:30a.m. you will be coming into the city during rush hour and it will probably take you an extra 15 minutes.

If you are coming in after that or are coming in on a weekend you are looking at a 10 minute taxi drive at the most unless there is an accident, etc.

We live in the city about 5 blocks further from your hotel and take a taxi most of the time. They now run on meters and we pay about $15.

If you decide to come in the night before, don't stay in Crystal City, find a place that's closer to the meeting site.

Thanks for the quick replies. The metro trip would be on a weekday morning around noon, and I will be making the return trip from Embassy Suites to DCA about 4pm also on a weekday. It's good to know how much time to allow.

If any leg of my flight runs more than 30 min. late, I'd be late for the meeting, so am thinking maybe I'll just come in the night before. Do you think a hotel in any safe area near a metro stop would be better than staying near the airport?

Thanks,
krisz

All the hotels in DC are "near the airport." National airport is IN the city of Washington DC. It's 5 miles from the Embassy Suites.

Why wouldn't you stay at the Embassy Suites Convention Center?

The OP said that cost was a factor and that they'd probably use Priceline for this trip. But I'd recommend that they just bid on whatever zone includes the conference site.

For the record, National is is Arlington, VA.

Thanks for your help, everyone.

krisz