Hypothetical re travel from NYC to DC

[Anonymous]

If you were in New York City on Sat night at 7 pm and realized you needed to be in DC by 9 or 10 or so the next morning, how would you get there (you’re traveling alone, so no need to worry about kids or anything)?

[Anonymous]

I’d probably get the 5:30 am or earliest Acela. But also depends on where you are in NYC and where you need to be in DC.

[Anonymous]

Train

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’d probably get the 5:30 am or earliest Acela. But also depends on where you are in NYC and where you need to be in DC.

Amtrak has an 8 PM and 9 PM departure out of Penn Station on Saturdays. If you look now, those are around $180 or so. I'd do that personally- not a fan of getting up at 4 AM for anything. But yes depended on where you were in NYC, where your stuff was, etc. In theory if in an apartment in Brooklyn or Queens or Manhattan reasonably close to a subway station, and had your stuff with you, you should be able to make a 9 PM train pretty easily if you made the decision to leave at 7 PM.

[Anonymous]

Evening train.

Alternatively one of the bus services that go to Bethesda or Union Station - they take longer but are crazy cheap.

[Anonymous]

Depends on what I need to do at 9 or 10.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Evening train.

Alternatively one of the bus services that go to Bethesda or Union Station - they take longer but are crazy cheap.

Not always longer. I used to take the 6 am Saturday Bus to NYC out of Bethesda and it beat the train. But unless crack of dawn or late at night no way the bus sucks.

[Anonymous]

Either take the train in the evening or fly in the morning. Not sure how early the flights are on Sundays though so double check. I often do the reverse going from DC to NY for the day - fly up and train back.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Either take the train in the evening or fly in the morning. Not sure how early the flights are on Sundays though so double check. I often do the reverse going from DC to NY for the day - fly up and train back.

+1 - I'd fly early Sunday morning and then you still have your Saturday night.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Either take the train in the evening or fly in the morning. Not sure how early the flights are on Sundays though so double check. I often do the reverse going from DC to NY for the day - fly up and train back.

+1 - I'd fly early Sunday morning and then you still have your Saturday night.

Only option to meet the arrival time would be a 6 AM Sunday departure from either LGA or EWR to IAD. Next flights don't leave until 8 AM, which is too late. So that leads to a 3:45-4 AM wakeup for 4:15 departure to the airport.

[Anonymous]

Where in DC?

[Anonymous]

We always take the Acela. Generally, more reliable than Amtrak train. We/he never fly/flies (my DH commutes to DC for work) because it's a PIA to get to LGA or Newark, get through security, then the flight. Not saving much if any time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Either take the train in the evening or fly in the morning. Not sure how early the flights are on Sundays though so double check. I often do the reverse going from DC to NY for the day - fly up and train back.

+1 - I'd fly early Sunday morning and then you still have your Saturday night.

Only option to meet the arrival time would be a 6 AM Sunday departure from either LGA or EWR to IAD. Next flights don't leave until 8 AM, which is too late. So that leads to a 3:45-4 AM wakeup for 4:15 departure to the airport.

Plus IAD would be a 45 min drive to DC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Either take the train in the evening or fly in the morning. Not sure how early the flights are on Sundays though so double check. I often do the reverse going from DC to NY for the day - fly up and train back.

+1 - I'd fly early Sunday morning and then you still have your Saturday night.

This.

I’ve flown up and back in a day when necessary for business.

It also depends what is more convenient to your location. I still think flying is easier for me (but I have TSA precheck and lounge access in case I get stuck).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Either take the train in the evening or fly in the morning. Not sure how early the flights are on Sundays though so double check. I often do the reverse going from DC to NY for the day - fly up and train back.

+1 - I'd fly early Sunday morning and then you still have your Saturday night.

Only option to meet the arrival time would be a 6 AM Sunday departure from either LGA or EWR to IAD. Next flights don't leave until 8 AM, which is too late. So that leads to a 3:45-4 AM wakeup for 4:15 departure to the airport.

Plus IAD would be a 45 min drive to DC.

And 20 minutes between gate arrival and getting into taxi/Uber.