how bad is commute from Vienna, Oakton to DC?

[Anonymous]

Currently own tiny sh!tbox rambler in great elem school district south of Oldtown Alexandria ... DH and I bought before we had any kids, now we have 2 kids, 3 and 1.

While zoned for great elem school, middle and high school are pretty rough. We need a bigger home, now in 2 bedroom, and just realized we can get decent place in Viennna, Oakton for same price as larger home in our area (Ffx county part of Alexandria).

We commute to McPherson Square area in DC, although DH works from home a lot. Takes an hour in mornings, usually 75 minutes on way home from where we are... would Vienna, Oakton be that much worse?

[Anonymous]

How far would you be from metro? The metro ride itself (not counting getting to/from the station, waiting, etc.) is about 32 minutes from Vienna to McPherson.

[Anonymous]

I don't think you fit in.

[Anonymous]

is Vienna, Oakton commute to DC worse than Burke, West Springfield, or parts of Annandale zoned for Woodson?

[Anonymous]

I commute from near Woodson to Federal Triangle and it is door-to-door usually an hour by driving or metro (parking at Vienna).

[Anonymous]

I live in Vienna and commute daily to McPherson, and it's about an hour door to door, when metro is running on time. I think that's going to increase when the new "service" levels are put into place at the end of June because trains will run less frequently. (Metro: Higher Fares, Less Service)

Breaking that down, it's about 15-20 minutes to drive there, park, and walk to the station, 35 minutes on the train (again, when on schedule), and a 5-10 minute walk to get out of the station and into the building.

[Anonymous]

You couldn't pay me to live in Oakton and commute to D.C. I could grudgingly handle Vienna if that was all my budget allowed.

Have you looked at the Marshall HS district in Falls Church?

[Anonymous]

I live a few blocks from the Vienna Metro but drive in with DD and DH on 66, dropping DH near the EOB. The morning drive is between 20 and 40 minutes if we leave at 7... I-66 is Hov now but will switch to toll later this year and I'm not sure how that will change traffic.
When I used to Metro, I'd say 30 minutes door to McPherson in the morning, again leaving at 7. For afternoon, add 20 minutes to all times, driving or Metro.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I live a few blocks from the Vienna Metro but drive in with DD and DH on 66, dropping DH near the EOB. The morning drive is between 20 and 40 minutes if we leave at 7... I-66 is Hov now but will switch to toll later this year and I'm not sure how that will change traffic.
When I used to Metro, I'd say 30 minutes door to McPherson in the morning, again leaving at 7. For afternoon, add 20 minutes to all times, driving or Metro.

You are either a boldfaced liar or completely in denial. The train itself is 31 minutes on ITS BEST day, which of course is almost nonexistent. There is no humanly way you could drive of train in less than 40 minutes, and that would involve leaving before 5am and living next to the metro or I-66 on ramp and working next to the metro or off-ramp.

[Anonymous]

Few nanoseconds in my spaceship configured for DC commuting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I live a few blocks from the Vienna Metro but drive in with DD and DH on 66, dropping DH near the EOB. The morning drive is between 20 and 40 minutes if we leave at 7... I-66 is Hov now but will switch to toll later this year and I'm not sure how that will change traffic.
When I used to Metro, I'd say 30 minutes door to McPherson in the morning, again leaving at 7. For afternoon, add 20 minutes to all times, driving or Metro.

You are either a boldfaced liar or completely in denial. The train itself is 31 minutes on ITS BEST day, which of course is almost nonexistent. There is no humanly way you could drive of train in less than 40 minutes, and that would involve leaving before 5am and living next to the metro or I-66 on ramp and working next to the metro or off-ramp.

I can't really understand your post? but I will concede that it's a been a two years since I commuted by train. If the ride is 31 minutes, then I was wrong and it was 40 minutes door to McPherson. I live an 8 minute walk from the Vienna platform, and early in the morning there is always a train waiting.

This morning I left the house at 7:15 and there was a lot of traffic, so we didn't get to the EOB -- which, yes, is west of McPherson -- until 7:45; I got to my office in SE DC just before 8:00. Yesterday left on time we arrived at EOB right at 7:25. When I get on I-66 at Nutley there is a traffic sign displaying the drive time to the DC line, and it's often listed as 15 minutes.

Obviously, if OP lives further away from the station / access ramps, it will take longer. Personally, I would not choose to drive to the Metro and park, that is the worst of both worlds.

[Anonymous]

I commute from Vienna to union station. Metro sucks. I take route 50 and it takes 1hr. It sucks but it is what it is.

[Anonymous]

I drove in under 30 minutes from Oakton (Hunter Mill side-close to I66) with my neighbor this morning on HOV. HOV makes a huge difference and traffic moves right along. It's usually between 30-40 minutes.

[Anonymous]

I live in falls church and take 66 hov into downtown. Minimum 45 min. Usually under an hour

[Anonymous]

Such liars on here. I lived by Dunn Loring metro for years (5-10 mins closer than any part of Oakton) and it is effectively impossible to make it to the river in less than 30 mins between the hours of 6a-10a. All these posters must be conveniently leaving out the time it takes to get onto 66 and from 66 to their office.