Commute from Kensington on MARC?
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wmihm
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My husband and our two young kids (5 and 2.5) and I have just moved to the DC area from Pasadena, CA. We're currently in a temporary rental house and are researching where we will settle permanently. One of the places we're considering is Kensington. I'd like to hear what it's like to commute on the MARC train from Kensington to downtown DC (Federal Triangle, Metro Center, etc.) -- specifically how long it really takes, how reliable the train is, whether you actually get to sit down, etc. I'd also like to hear some thoughts what it's like to live there with young children.
Any feedback is appreciated! Thanks very much. |
Anonymous
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I have taken the train from Kensington to Union Station M-F for about 2 years. I'd say it can be a bit less reliable than the Metro. It is not uncommon for the 7:15 am train to be a few minutes late. Maybe 6 times a year it is really late (20 to 30 minutes). But there is a 7:38 am train, so miss one, get the other. The trains going home, I take the 5:15 pm, 5:40 pm or 6 pm, are rarely late.
West of us, the tracks go near the Potomac or other water sources, so when there is a big rain, there is a flood watch, which means the trains have to travel at a reduced speed and that can make them late. About 4 times a year someone will have stepped in front of train and when that happens the train can't run until the crime scene is cleared. The train is not overly crowded. I can only remember one time when I had to stand while traveling one stop before getting a seat going to work. And I remember only one time when I had to stand for two stops coming from work (but we were all trying to get home to beat a snow storm, so it was unusually crowded). The trip from Kensington to Union Station is about 20 minutes long (with one stop at Silver Spring). I have commuted by car, metro and Marc and Marc is my preferred choice. As for living in Kensington, it is nice. Just make sure you are buying a house in the school cluster of your choice. I think Kensington is serviced by at three different clusters -- Bethesda Chevy Chase, Einstein and Walter Johnson. |
Anonymous
| Commute via Marc is good IF DH works on the Hill or near Union Station. The problem with commuting to Metro Center is then you have to transfer to the Metro, which will add 15 minutes to the commute (walking to the Metro part, waiting for the train, then the train ride itself from Union Station to Metro Center). |
Anonymous
| My DH works on the Hill and likes the MARC. I work at Metro Center and prefer to drive to Forest Glen Metro and just stay on until Metro Center. |
wmihm
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Original poster responding here...
Wow, these are incredibly helpful. Hard to imagine someone stepping in front of a MARC train on purpose (?!!), but I suppose it is a reality. Thank you to everyone who responded to that question -- the DC Urban Moms and Dads community is so helpful and responsive (and fast)! Now, lets hear it from the parents of young kids living in Kensington. What's it like -- the good, the bad and the ugly? One of the other places we're considering in addition to Kensington is Arlington, VA. How do they compare? Thoughts? Thanks again everyone!! -W |
Anonymous
| I love Kensington. There are plenty of parks and people are pretty down to earth. Neighbors will get to know you. The downsides, the "town" is pretty tiny, so if you want lots of shopping and restaurants that you can walk to, Bethesda may be a better bet. That said, we LOVE Kensington because it is not as busy as Bethesda. |
Anonymous
| I work near Metro Center and considered a MARC commute, but concluded the transfer to Metro or Circulator was a deal breaker. Instead we are walking distance to Grosvenor metro (where I always get a seat, as long as I'm willing to wait for a train turning around). |
Anonymous
| Fast forward to 2018. Anyone want to share their experience of Kensington and commuting on the Kensington marc train? Considering a move there with a young baby. Thank you! |
Anonymous
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I know a family who is considering Kensington with a young baby too (maybe you are them!)
Also curious about this. How easy is it to park there? |
Anonymous
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The MARC train only goes to Union Station, so you (10:02) will have to figure out how to get from Union Station to wherever you're going to see if that commute makes sense.
You might also plot out houses from distance to Metro as well as distance to MARC station, depending on the ultimate commute. From most of Kensington, you're not going to be able to walk to Grosvenor Metro, but you can walk to Grosvenor from Garrett Park (and there's a MARC station there too). Metro runs more frequently and may give you more flexibility. We are in Garrett Park and know a lot of families in Kensington who go to Kensington-Parkwood ES, then North Bethesda, and ultimately Walter Johnson where my kids go. Everyone in the K-P neighborhood really loves it. Different parts of Kensington are zoned for different schools, so I don't know much about the parts that are not zoned for K-P. It is a very family-oriented town, though. |
Anonymous
It really depends on your destination in DC. If you work on or near the Hill, it’s a great option. If you have to get out at Union Station and transfer to another line and wait for the Metro, you’re usually better off just parking at Forest Glen or Grosvenor and taking Metro. The other main challenge is that there are only a set number of MARC departure times, whereas metro trains run every 10 minutes or so. I commuted for years from Kensington to Foggy Bottom and tried many options. Honestly, driving was the fastest, at about 45 minutes. Metro was about an hour and 10 minutes. MARC could be about an hour, but it depended on how much time I was willing to risk leaving in getting to the station (and possibly risking missing a train when the next one wouldn’t leave for 30 minutes). |
Anonymous
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I also love Kensington. We live in Parkwood, near the elementary school. People are pretty down to earth (for this area) I can think of at least 6 recent California transplants in the neighborhood. It will be easy to meet people since it sounds like you have a child who is entering school in the fall. I also know many people who live in the Town of Kensington and it is also a great place to be.
Good luck with your move. |
Anonymous
| There is no other place in the DC area for a family with small kids than Kensington, specifically the area bounded by Connecticut Avenue and the MARC tracks north of 495. Being able to walk to Safeway, MARC, three parks with playgrounds and Noyes Children's Library is great. You can't find a mix of walkability, easy access to parks and bike paths and access to public transportation anywhere else in the area in such a peaceful setting. There's a reason it's impossible to get a house in the Town of Kensington east of Connecticut Ave - no one ever wants to move. |
Anonymous
| We are in north kensigton/ rock creek palisades just north of iniversity and also love it. Kensigton has a great small town feel- parades, Santa on a fire truck, farmers market, fireworks on the 4th. You don’t have to be in the town of Kensington to enjoy all that the neighborhood has to offer. We commute from grovesnor to Farragut north and it’s easy to find parking at that metro. You can also park at Wheaton or forest Glen if you’re on that side of the red line for work. |
Anonymous
| Question about walkability in Kensington. If you're North of the tracks, can you walk across them at the MARC station any time of day or night? Or do you have to use the streets that cross the tracks? |