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I'll be traveling from DC to Baltimore DC 5 days a week. What are my best/easiest/quickest options? Driving? Marc train? Driving seems the fastest option, but the thought of getting stuck in traffic for hours every single day makes me crazy. On the other hand it will take me 4-5 hrs every day from my home to work and back if I take the train.
Someone told me that people riding the Marc train on a regular basis between DC and Baltimore can park somewhere (Union Station?) for free. Is that true? I live on DC-Chevy Chase, MD border.
Is there a reason you don't just move? It sounds like a lot of hassle to stay in DC. Especially when you can get great apartments in the Inner Harbor for about the same or cheaper than what you are paying in DC
I'll soon be driving from DC to North of Baltimore. I plan on taking 295 to 95. I tried hopping onto 695 to avoid the tolls, but it was a bad idea (much more crowded and took way longer). My plan is to avoid rush hour as much as possible (luckily, I work odd hours).
If I had a metro station close to my house and close to work, I would just take the train, even if it was slightly longer. However, the marc train would not be convenient for me and doesn't run 24/7.
Is there a reason you don't just move? It sounds like a lot of hassle to stay in DC. Especially when you can get great apartments in the Inner Harbor for about the same or cheaper than what you are paying in DC
There is a reason: my wife's very good job is in DC. We moved from the west coast for that job, and we are't going anywhere for a while. Unless we win the lottery, which we don't play :-). I despise long commute, but I despise my current job even more, and the job in Baltimore is a great one. I am actually willing to "waste" 4 hrs a day.
Being relatively new to the area, which road is perceived as being worse, 95 or 295?
Take the Marc train from Union (parking not free) New Carrollton (parking not free) BWI (parking not free) after that Bowie, Seabrook and the rest until Baltimore Penn are free. And actually traffic going north on BW parkway is not that bad you would be doing a 'reverse' commute of sorts. It's less hassle on the train and the free parking goes quick if you don't get there early.
I just might start driving for a week or two and see how that goes. Then I'll ride the train. And then I'll see what makes more sense, in time and money. I like the train, but the whole trip, door to door, might last 5 hrs each day, and I don't have that much time. Driving, which I don't want to do, can take less than 2 hrs.
I think the last post about moving near Union Station is a good idea and taking the Marc train (parking is not free). If you ever change your mind about moving to Baltimore, which would of course make your commute even better and is super affordable compared to DC, there is a great blog called Bmore Bungalow that chronicle's a couple of professionals move from DC to Baltimore that might interest you B'more Bungalow
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