By Matt Johnson
If you're coming to Rail~Volution, we'll be seeing you soon. Getting to the conference will be a piece of cake. So is getting into the city from the region's airports and train stations.The conference hotel, the Marriott Wardman Park, is located in the Woodley Park neighborhood. It's only steps from Metro's Woodley Park station on the Red Line.
Via Metro, From Woodley Park station:
If you take the escalator to the surface, you'll be facing south at the top. Turn left to face Connecticut Avenue, and turn left to walk north. After about a half-block, turn left onto Woodley Road. The hotel will be on the left. The elevator puts you out at the corner of Woodley and Connecticut. Exit so that you're facing Woodley Road. Turn left and the hotel will be on your left.
Via Amtrak, From Union Station
If you're arriving by train, you'll probably come into Union Station, one of DC's most visited spaces. Within the station, there is signage directing you to the Metro station. The Metro station is at the far western end of Union Station, with an entrance near Gate A (MARC trains), and another at the front of the station, near the corner of Massachusetts Avenue and First Street NE.
After you head downstairs into the station, you can buy a paper farecard at any of the machines. A trip from Union Station to Woodley Park will cost $1.85 off-peak, $2.35 peak, and $2.55 during peak-of-the-peak. Once you've gone through the faregates, keep your farecard handy; you'll need it to exit.
Union Station is served by the Red Line. You'll want to board a Red train in the direction of Shady Grove. Some trains only go as far as Grosvenor, and you can board one of those, too. Woodley Park is six stops away. Exit the train at Woodley Park.
From Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA):
Reagan National Airport is located close to the city center. The Metro has a stop connected to the airport, with entrances near Terminal B and Terminal C.
You'll have to buy a farecard before you enter. Remember to keep it with you, since you'll need it to exit. Fares to Woodley Park are $1.85 off-peak and $3.20 during rush hour ($3.40 during peak-of-the-peak).
Make sure to go to the platform for Downtown Washington (Largo or Mount Vernon Square). You'll want to board a Yellow Line train going to Mount Vernon Square or Fort Totten. Exit at Gallery Place/Chinatown, the 6th stop. Go upstairs to the Shady Grove platform and board a train headed to Grosvenor or Shady Grove. Woodley Park is the 4th stop.
From Baltimore-Washington International Airport (BWI):
There are two ways to get from BWI to DC. Metrobus offers an express bus from the airport to the end of the Green Line. You can also take a shuttle to the BWI Airport Rail Station to catch a MARC commuter train (weekdays only) or Amtrak train to Union Station.
Express Bus B30
Metrobus operates route B30 between Greenbelt station and BWI Airport. Buses run every day of the week every 40 minutes (schedule). It takes about 30 minutes to get from the airport to Greenbelt station. The fare on the B30 is $6. You'll need exact change, payable with bills or coins. If you have a WMATA SmarTrip card, you can use that to pay your fare, as well.
The B30 stops on the lower-level (baggage claim) of the airport roadway. It stops on the outer curb near doorway 2 (Terminals A, B, & C) and doorway 17 (Terminals C, D, & E). Just look for the red, white, & blue Metrobus stop sign.
Once the bus leaves the airport, it doesn't stop until it gets to the Greenbelt Metro station. Get off there and walk to the station. If you don't already have a farecard, you'll need to buy one. The cost of a trip from Greenbelt to Woodley Park is $3.00 during middays, evenings, and weekends. During rush hours, the cost will be $4.85 ($5.05 during the peak-of-the-peak). Remember to keep your farecard, because you'll need it to exit as well as to enter.
Go upstairs and board a Green Line train toward Branch Avenue. Exit at the 5th stop, Fort Totten. Go up two levels to the Red Line. Board a Red train going to Shady Grove or Grosvenor. Woodley Park will be the 9th stop.
Amtrak or MARC
If you decide to take the train, you'll need to board an airport shuttle signed as "Amtrak/MARC." Those buses board on the inner curb in front of every terminal. They run every 10-15 minutes on a short trip to the BWI Airport Rail Station.
At the Amtrak/MARC station, you can purchase MARC and Amtrak tickets from a QuickTrak machine inside the station. Southbound trains board on the far platform. MARC trains only operate on weekdays. During rush hours, MARC trains come about every 20 minutes. MARC headway drops to roughly hourly off-peak. The MARC fare is $6 to Union Station. Amtrak trains come less frequently, and cost around $14.
Once you get to Union Station, you can follow the directions "Union Station / Amtrak" directions outlined above to get to Woodley Park. The fare will vary by time of day. Off-peak, it will cost $1.85. During peak periods, it can cost up to $2.55.
From Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD):
To get into DC from Dulles, you have two options. Metrobus operates a limited stop service to the urban core. A private company also operates bus service to connect to the Metro system.
Metrobus 5A
The limited-stop Metrobus 5A runs between Dulles Airport and Downtown Washington (L'Enfant Plaza). Weekdays, service is every 40 minutes (schedule). On weekends, buses come every hour (schedule). It takes about 35 minutes to get to Rosslyn. The fare on the 5A is $6. You'll need exact change, payable in bills or coins. If you have a WMATA SmarTrip card, you can use that to pay, as well.
The 5A stop is on the Ground Transportation level (down the ramp from the arrivals level). The bus stops at position 2E (on the outer curb). Look for the red, white, and blue Metrobus stop sign.
The bus makes a few stops on its way downtown. To get to the conference hotel, exit at the Rosslyn stop. Head into the Metro station and buy a farecard. Fares to Woodley Park range from $1.85 off-peak to $2.60 during peak-of-the-peak. Remember to keep your farecard, since you'll need it to exit the system.
Go down the escalator bank to the upper platform. All trains on the upper platform go inbound. Board an inbound Orange train (to New Carrollton) or Blue train (to Largo). Exit at Metro Center, the 4th stop. Go upstairs to the Shady Grove platform and board a Red Line train bound for Shady Grove or Grosvenor. Exit at the 3rd stop, Woodley Park.
Washington Flyer
You can also take the privately-owned Washington Flyer bus to connect to Metro. Buses depart every 30 minutes every day (schedule). The trip to West Falls Church station is about 30 minutes long. The fare is $10 one-way or $18 round-trip. Tickets can be purchased with cash or credit card at the Washington Flyer kiosk near door 4 on the Arrivals Level.
Buses pick up near door 4 on the Arrivals Level of the airport.
The Flyer buses run straight to West Falls Church station on the Orange Line. When you get there, go inside and purchase a farecard. Fares to Woodley Park range from $2.40 during off-peak periods to $4.35 during the peak-of-the-peak. Remember to keep your farecard, since you'll need it to exit.
Go downstairs to the platform for New Carrollton. Board an Orange Line train to New Carrollton and exit at Metro Center, the 10th stop. Transfer to the Red Line upstairs on the Shady Grove platform. Board a train bound for Shady Grove or Grosvenor. Exit at the 3rd stop, Woodley Park.
Via Metro, From Woodley Park station:
If you take the escalator to the surface, you'll be facing south at the top. Turn left to face Connecticut Avenue, and turn left to walk north. After about a half-block, turn left onto Woodley Road. The hotel will be on the left. The elevator puts you out at the corner of Woodley and Connecticut. Exit so that you're facing Woodley Road. Turn left and the hotel will be on your left.
Via Amtrak, From Union Station
If you're arriving by train, you'll probably come into Union Station, one of DC's most visited spaces. Within the station, there is signage directing you to the Metro station. The Metro station is at the far western end of Union Station, with an entrance near Gate A (MARC trains), and another at the front of the station, near the corner of Massachusetts Avenue and First Street NE.
After you head downstairs into the station, you can buy a paper farecard at any of the machines. A trip from Union Station to Woodley Park will cost $1.85 off-peak, $2.35 peak, and $2.55 during peak-of-the-peak. Once you've gone through the faregates, keep your farecard handy; you'll need it to exit.
Union Station is served by the Red Line. You'll want to board a Red train in the direction of Shady Grove. Some trains only go as far as Grosvenor, and you can board one of those, too. Woodley Park is six stops away. Exit the train at Woodley Park.
From Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA):
Reagan National Airport is located close to the city center. The Metro has a stop connected to the airport, with entrances near Terminal B and Terminal C.
You'll have to buy a farecard before you enter. Remember to keep it with you, since you'll need it to exit. Fares to Woodley Park are $1.85 off-peak and $3.20 during rush hour ($3.40 during peak-of-the-peak).
Make sure to go to the platform for Downtown Washington (Largo or Mount Vernon Square). You'll want to board a Yellow Line train going to Mount Vernon Square or Fort Totten. Exit at Gallery Place/Chinatown, the 6th stop. Go upstairs to the Shady Grove platform and board a train headed to Grosvenor or Shady Grove. Woodley Park is the 4th stop.
From Baltimore-Washington International Airport (BWI):
There are two ways to get from BWI to DC. Metrobus offers an express bus from the airport to the end of the Green Line. You can also take a shuttle to the BWI Airport Rail Station to catch a MARC commuter train (weekdays only) or Amtrak train to Union Station.
Express Bus B30
Metrobus operates route B30 between Greenbelt station and BWI Airport. Buses run every day of the week every 40 minutes (schedule). It takes about 30 minutes to get from the airport to Greenbelt station. The fare on the B30 is $6. You'll need exact change, payable with bills or coins. If you have a WMATA SmarTrip card, you can use that to pay your fare, as well.
The B30 stops on the lower-level (baggage claim) of the airport roadway. It stops on the outer curb near doorway 2 (Terminals A, B, & C) and doorway 17 (Terminals C, D, & E). Just look for the red, white, & blue Metrobus stop sign.
Once the bus leaves the airport, it doesn't stop until it gets to the Greenbelt Metro station. Get off there and walk to the station. If you don't already have a farecard, you'll need to buy one. The cost of a trip from Greenbelt to Woodley Park is $3.00 during middays, evenings, and weekends. During rush hours, the cost will be $4.85 ($5.05 during the peak-of-the-peak). Remember to keep your farecard, because you'll need it to exit as well as to enter.
Go upstairs and board a Green Line train toward Branch Avenue. Exit at the 5th stop, Fort Totten. Go up two levels to the Red Line. Board a Red train going to Shady Grove or Grosvenor. Woodley Park will be the 9th stop.
Amtrak or MARC
If you decide to take the train, you'll need to board an airport shuttle signed as "Amtrak/MARC." Those buses board on the inner curb in front of every terminal. They run every 10-15 minutes on a short trip to the BWI Airport Rail Station.
At the Amtrak/MARC station, you can purchase MARC and Amtrak tickets from a QuickTrak machine inside the station. Southbound trains board on the far platform. MARC trains only operate on weekdays. During rush hours, MARC trains come about every 20 minutes. MARC headway drops to roughly hourly off-peak. The MARC fare is $6 to Union Station. Amtrak trains come less frequently, and cost around $14.
Once you get to Union Station, you can follow the directions "Union Station / Amtrak" directions outlined above to get to Woodley Park. The fare will vary by time of day. Off-peak, it will cost $1.85. During peak periods, it can cost up to $2.55.
From Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD):
To get into DC from Dulles, you have two options. Metrobus operates a limited stop service to the urban core. A private company also operates bus service to connect to the Metro system.
Metrobus 5A
The limited-stop Metrobus 5A runs between Dulles Airport and Downtown Washington (L'Enfant Plaza). Weekdays, service is every 40 minutes (schedule). On weekends, buses come every hour (schedule). It takes about 35 minutes to get to Rosslyn. The fare on the 5A is $6. You'll need exact change, payable in bills or coins. If you have a WMATA SmarTrip card, you can use that to pay, as well.
The 5A stop is on the Ground Transportation level (down the ramp from the arrivals level). The bus stops at position 2E (on the outer curb). Look for the red, white, and blue Metrobus stop sign.
The bus makes a few stops on its way downtown. To get to the conference hotel, exit at the Rosslyn stop. Head into the Metro station and buy a farecard. Fares to Woodley Park range from $1.85 off-peak to $2.60 during peak-of-the-peak. Remember to keep your farecard, since you'll need it to exit the system.
Go down the escalator bank to the upper platform. All trains on the upper platform go inbound. Board an inbound Orange train (to New Carrollton) or Blue train (to Largo). Exit at Metro Center, the 4th stop. Go upstairs to the Shady Grove platform and board a Red Line train bound for Shady Grove or Grosvenor. Exit at the 3rd stop, Woodley Park.
Washington Flyer
You can also take the privately-owned Washington Flyer bus to connect to Metro. Buses depart every 30 minutes every day (schedule). The trip to West Falls Church station is about 30 minutes long. The fare is $10 one-way or $18 round-trip. Tickets can be purchased with cash or credit card at the Washington Flyer kiosk near door 4 on the Arrivals Level.
Buses pick up near door 4 on the Arrivals Level of the airport.
The Flyer buses run straight to West Falls Church station on the Orange Line. When you get there, go inside and purchase a farecard. Fares to Woodley Park range from $2.40 during off-peak periods to $4.35 during the peak-of-the-peak. Remember to keep your farecard, since you'll need it to exit.
Go downstairs to the platform for New Carrollton. Board an Orange Line train to New Carrollton and exit at Metro Center, the 10th stop. Transfer to the Red Line upstairs on the Shady Grove platform. Board a train bound for Shady Grove or Grosvenor. Exit at the 3rd stop, Woodley Park.
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