Rental Car , Bus or Train to Nationals game in Washinton DC?

Question

We are going on vacation next week to Baltimore and Washington DC. We have never been to a place where there are trains or subways and all the traffic. We have rented a car but would that be the best way to travel to our tour locations in Washinton and Baltimore or the Nationals MLB Game? Please understand I need it put in simple terms becausue a previous question asked "How deep does the DC metor go?" I don't know what that means. Please help. We want to have the best time on our vacation and not spend all the time in traffic. Thank you!

Answer 1

It depends on where you are staying.

If you are staying in DC, take the Metro (that's the DC subway). It can get very crowded during evening rush hour when there is a Nats game so plan on getting to the stadium extra early (maybe catch batting practice). You exit at the Stadium-Armory station but I can't give you directions there because I am not sure where you are coming from. Avoid driving; the exit routine from the parking lot is confusing even for those of us who live here, and there is a good chance to end up in Virginia!

If you are staying in Baltimore, consider catching an Orioles game instead---Oriole Park at Camden Yards is a beautiful stadium and honestly, RFK is kind of ugly and smelly. Heck, you should think about catching an O's game instead of a Nats game even if you are staying in DC just because the Baltimore stadium is so much nicer!

Anyway if you post individual questions about where you are staying and where you want to go (which attractions, where is the tour stop,etc) you will get good advice. The best I can do now is suggest: leave the car at the hotel. DC rush hour is pretty brutal and it lasts all day; you will get wherever you need to go more quickly and less painfully by taking the subway or the bus. Most of the museums do not have parking so you will have to fight for street parking; public garages are insanely expensive in the downtown area ($20/day) and it really is much easier to get around without a car.

If you are staying on/near K Street, Union Station, or Georgetown, there is a special bus called the Washington Circulator; that only goes from Georgetown to Union Station and back, it has about a dozen stops in between, all of them close to some popular attractions, so it is very easy to navigate without getting lost.

Metro's web site also has step-by-step directions for bus and subway transport between any 2 places you can name. Print them out in advance and bring them with you; it's nice to have maps!

Buy a Metro Farecard, or even better a 7-Day Short Trip or 7-Day Fast Pass, for each member of your family, to make getting on and off the subways easier (you don't have to pay a fare each time you ride). If you don't then at least be sure to purchase a farecard with enough fare on it when you first enter the subway before heading to the ballgame--- the subway will be EXTREMELY crowded when the game lets out and you will feel like salmon swimming upstream to spawn if you try to buy a farecard then. Hint: the crowd thins out after about 10 or 15 minutes so take your time exiting the stadium, maybe buy some souvenirs, etc.

Answer 2

A rental car would be alright for Baltimore but in D.C. you would really want to use the Metro (subway). Traffic and parking in downtown D.C. is a nightmare. If you are just planning on spending time in the Inner Harbor of Baltimore, you might want to find a hotel there and walk or take the water taxis.

Answer 3

Take the Metro (subway) when you're in DC. Although locals can easily navigate the streets, it takes a lot of getting used to for tourists. Also, finding parking can be difficult (and expensive - either parking meters or parking garages).

As for Baltimore, it's best to take the rental car. Baltimore does have a light rail system that goes to certain points, but I can't give you much information on that. You can drive to the Inner Harbour and park in any one of the numerous parking garages there.

Answer 4

Don't know about Baltimore, but I live in Washington, and it will be MUCH easier for you to get around by Metro (DC's subway). When visiting DC, you will be spending most of your time around the National Mall and downtown. Those areas are easy to get to by Metro but difficult places to find parking. Also, RFK stadium (where the Nationals play) is right at a Metro stop that is just 10 minutes from downtown. To get oriented, get a guidebook (like Frommer's or Fodor's) from a bookstore or library. Welcome to DC, and have fun!

Answer 5

dc is best travelled in a car. the roads can be a little confusing at first but, with a map, you'll be fine. baltimore does have a decent public transportation system, and, since parking is so scarce downtown, you might want to use it there. but in DC, i'd drive.