I do think you need to land the helicopter, but I (woman, but very aware) do not like Union Station at night at all--it's not all that busy, lots of homeless people and other shady characters. Won't stop me from taking a train in and out, but I get through as quickly as possible and am very wary. I'd have concerns about a naive young person (like oh, say, my 20yo niece) there alone at night. And your husband is not helping the situation by acting like there are no risks.

Are you from Japan, by chance (since you used "bullet train", I wonder). My experience is that Japanese people, having lived in a very, very safe country, have next to no "street sense", and NYC + Union Station at night call for a modicum of street sense.

Your options are
1. He drives and parks in the garage. Some street sense needed, but it's easy and signage is good. Parking there is quite easy, and in fact is my preferred solution for 1-2 day trips.

2. Uber, if he is used to using it. You'll need to talk about how to meet driver (there is a pickup at front of station) and about the importance of walking directly and purposefully from train to pickup point.

3. You pick him up. If you are really worried, you go, park in garage, and meet him at the train.

4. Metro if it's running, but have a backup plan in case the train is late.

5. For future trips: are there any NYC buses that run from Reston? (I don't know) I like the train better than the bus overall, but for a quick run to NYC I like the Vamoose bus from Arlington just because it saves the trip downtown. It also stops in Bethesda.

Either way, you need to have a very serious discussion with him about not engaging with strangers, especially anyone who claims to need help or wants to "help"him.

All that said, learning to navigate public transport is immensely freeing and a valuable life skill. I hope he has an awesome trip.

My advice is to rethink the last 20 years. You appear to have failed in your job as a parent: to raise a child who can survive independently.

Anonymous wrote:OP here. We are simple country folk, albeit with a lot of money. Used to private everything. So yes, this will be a maiden voyage for him and yes, I'm a bit nervous. Out of my wheelhouse

Oh for God's sake.

Anonymous wrote:Your son is 20? Land the helicopter- it’s fine. He can take metro or Uber - either will be ok.

+1 - my daughter and I came back at like 11pm from NYC once and walked to the taxi stand or Uber and we are alive to tell the story. And this was after I got ripped off by a pedicab guy in New York! So I may also not be the most street smart.

Anonymous wrote:OP here. We are simple country folk, albeit with a lot of money. Used to private everything. So yes, this will be a maiden voyage for him and yes, I'm a bit nervous. Out of my wheelhouse

Has he done this trip with return during the day? Ie this is not his first trip on his own?

Union Station is deserted now. I have to go through it during rush hour on weekdays. Even though I know the station very well, I don’t know that I would be super comfortable going through at 10pm.

Anonymous wrote:OP here. We are simple country folk, albeit with a lot of money. Used to private everything. So yes, this will be a maiden voyage for him and yes, I'm a bit nervous. Out of my wheelhouse

Why bring money into this? Unless you're taking a limo or a private jet, there aren't too many "private" ways to get to New York. My 18 and 20 yo DDs just took the train up and back to NYC last week. It takes less than 10 minutes to get from the train to the exit of Union Station. Very little chance of something happening. Have DC Uber or go pick him - too late for metro's COVID hours. Also, even the Acela stops multiple times (much to my husband's chagrin).

OP here. We are simple country folk, albeit with a lot of money. Used to private everything. So yes, this will be a maiden voyage for him and yes, I'm a bit nervous. Out of my wheelhouse

Anonymous wrote:Bullet train? It’s the Acela. This isn’t Japan. Any your son is 20 years old. Honestly, let’s hope he stays in NY and gets on with his real life. If for some reason he chooses to return to Reston, who cares how he gets there? Let him hitchhike for God’s sake. The man is 20!!

No mystery why he’s not street smart, as you put it.

PS, the Acela also stops. There’s no train that leaves Union Station DC and arrives in NY without stopping. LOL.

Bullet train? It’s the Acela. This isn’t Japan. Any your son is 20 years old. Honestly, let’s hope he stays in NY and gets on with his real life. If for some reason he chooses to return to Reston, who cares how he gets there? Let him hitchhike for God’s sake. The man is 20!!

No mystery why he’s not street smart, as you put it.

This is how he becomes more street savvy, OP. Let him figure it out. You told him when he was a kid no talking to strangers, right? What exactly do you think will happen?

I’m not sure what you’re worried about. Amtrak trains are very safe — and I, personally, prefer it to the bus, by far. I don’t get why you’re fine with him wandering around NYC — but concerned about him sitting on an Amtrak train that makes stops in a small number of cities.

While I think Union Station at 10pm will be fine, make sure that the Metro trains will be running that late. It will take a few minutes to get from Amtrak to the Metro platform, and he will have to change trains to get to Reston. Double check the Metro schedule so that he won’t be taking the last Metro of the night before the station closes.

If your son hasn’t learned to manage a day trip on his own, this seems like a relatively gentle way to get some practice and some age appropriate independence.

Anonymous wrote:Your son is 20? Land the helicopter- it’s fine. He can take metro or Uber - either will be ok.

Metro will not be running that time of night. Last train is 10:17 pm and he gets in at about 10:15 PM. I suggested Uber as well.

Your son is 20? Land the helicopter- it’s fine. He can take metro or Uber - either will be ok.

My 20 year old has decided he wants to take the train to/from NYC alone to go to a few bookstores and have lunch. He didn’t book the bullet train (wish he had) and bought tickets to one that makes stops. He’ll leave about 10 AM and come home at 10PM same day. He and my husband are ‘deciding whether or not he should take the metro out to Reston’ rather then my husband picking him up or him taking an Uber. My son is not very street-wise, nor is his sense of direction that good.

I would have gladly sprung for the difference in cost for the non-stop train. The bus also would have been wiser in my opinion, but that’s just me.

I have concerns with a naive kid arriving alone at 10 PM in Union Station without someone to greet him. My husband just rolls his eyes at me - this is a guy who would pick up hitchhikers with the kids in the car when they were little. He thinks everything is safe.

Any advice?

We do have family within 45 minutes of the city (NY) if things go wrong