Commuting from Vienna to DC

[Anonymous]

We're looking at some homes in Vienna/Oakton (Wolf Trap near Crowells Corner, and also a few off of Lawyer's Road, and some off Hunter's Road near Oakton). Can anyone tell me about the commute to downtown DC from these areas? Are we looking at 1 hr+ in traffic? Have some flexibility as to when I can leave for work and not opposed to tolls, if that helps. Would be non-HOV.

[Anonymous]

Yes, I commute Vienna to SE DC (or I did, pre covid). I've done Metro and driving. For driving there are two factors:

1. How far from your house to the highway, and highway to your place of work.
2. How early you can leave.

If you leave before 7 am, the stretch of I-66-E between Nutley and the DC line only takes 10 to 15 minutes. You will pay small tolls, usually around $3 - $5. I live quite near Nutley and work near 295 so the total trip for me is ~30 minutes in the early morning. You are a bit farther from the highway if you're looking at Wolf Trap ... you may need to get on 495 first which can jam up. See what Google maps says.

In the afternoon, most people have less flexibility and there's more traffic. If you leave at 5 pm you are easily looking at at 70 minutes or more. I got so I could leave by 3:00 or 3:30 after arriving very early, and then it only took me ~40 minutes and $8-$14 in tolls. From my workplace it's an option to take 295 to the Beltway which is usually slower but a nice relief valve if the city is jammed up.

[Anonymous]

Used to live in Vienna and the posters from Vienna who come on here and shave minutes off their commutes to DC are legion. If you plan to take Metro, your best option would be off Lawyers Road (closer to Vienna than Reston, though). Crowell's Corner is a really bad commute to DC. You would have many days where, if commuting patterns return to anything like they were pre-Covid, it will take well over an hour by car. You can drive to the Wiehle Metro, but that's going to be a long trip as well, as you'd be driving in the opposite direction to Reston first. Off Hunter Mill won't be easy, either, although maybe there are some cut-through streets near Oakton HS that can get you to the Vienna Metro without having to spend as much time on 123.

Overall, my advice would be to think long and hard about whether you want that type of commute.

[Anonymous]

I used to live in the part of Vienna near Tyson's Corner. First, I rode my bike to Dunn Loring and metro'ed from there. Looking at an 75 minutes total on a typical day. Then when the Silver Line started up, I rode my bike to the Spring Hill stop. A much shorter bike ride, but at least seemed like a longer train trip, and it netted out to about the same, maybe 5 minutes shorter overall.

If you drive to the metro, especially the Vienna stop, you should add in time to find a parking space, which can be time consuming. I believe the Vienna metro has spots you can reserve monthly or yearly, which might be worth it to you. I personally hated the aggravation of driving and then metro.

Driving is just miserable from out there into DC. It is not just the time -- the stop and go, the jammed up intersections, etc.

[Anonymous]

You couldn't pay me enough to make that commute daily, unless it was by helicopter.

[Anonymous]

Like all mentioned above, commuting to DC is very difficult from Vienna and surrounding areas. Metro can make things easier but it depends on how close you are to the metro. If you are only open to driving, 395 is much better than 66.

[Anonymous]

I would look in the city of Falls Church. It has excellent schools.

[Anonymous]

Op here. Thanks, all. That’s pretty much what I feared. We’re in the classic, more space/long commuter vs. smaller/older house but shorter commuter conundrum.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op here. Thanks, all. That’s pretty much what I feared. We’re in the classic, more space/long commuter vs. smaller/older house but shorter commuter conundrum.

Are you open to metro/public transportation or just driving?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op here. Thanks, all. That’s pretty much what I feared. We’re in the classic, more space/long commuter vs. smaller/older house but shorter commuter conundrum.

Easy decision. Smaller house/shorter commute. Huge quality of life issue here.

No way would I ever do that commute from Vienna.

[Anonymous]

Driving in before 7 takes literally half the time it does to drive in after 7. Same goes for leaving D.C. At 4:30 vs 5. Metro takes slightly more time than a pre-7 am commute if your office is near metro.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Like all mentioned above, commuting to DC is very difficult from Vienna and surrounding areas. Metro can make things easier but it depends on how close you are to the metro. If you are only open to driving, 395 is much better than 66.

There is nothing worse than 395 and the 14th Street Bridge. Nothing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Like all mentioned above, commuting to DC is very difficult from Vienna and surrounding areas. Metro can make things easier but it depends on how close you are to the metro. If you are only open to driving, 395 is much better than 66.

There is nothing worse than 395 and the 14th Street Bridge. Nothing.

Meh, commute up 395 to DC is easy, certainly a lot easier than 66 or the parkway.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Like all mentioned above, commuting to DC is very difficult from Vienna and surrounding areas. Metro can make things easier but it depends on how close you are to the metro. If you are only open to driving, 395 is much better than 66.

There is nothing worse than 395 and the 14th Street Bridge. Nothing.

Meh, commute up 395 to DC is easy, certainly a lot easier than 66 or the parkway.

Nope. It is the absolute worst. No one wants to live in Springfield or Woodbridge and commute to DC on 395. It’s a parking lot. But fortunately OP has better options.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Like all mentioned above, commuting to DC is very difficult from Vienna and surrounding areas. Metro can make things easier but it depends on how close you are to the metro. If you are only open to driving, 395 is much better than 66.

There is nothing worse than 395 and the 14th Street Bridge. Nothing.

Meh, commute up 395 to DC is easy, certainly a lot easier than 66 or the parkway.

Nope. It is the absolute worst. No one wants to live in Springfield or Woodbridge and commute to DC on 395. It’s a parking lot. But fortunately OP has better options.

I do it all the time. It's easy. From Fairfax to Foggy Bottom door to door is 1 hour before COVID, leaving at 8.